Whaling in the Garden Route

Large species, like the humpbacks, were once extensively hunted for their meat, oil and baleen, (used during the last century to make 'whalebone' stays for women's corsets), which reduced their numbers severely.

Whale hunting has fortunately been banned worldwide since 1986. Laws preventing boating within 300m of whales has led to a slow recovery in numbers.

Marine Protected Areas, such as Tsitsikamma National Park into which fishing boats cannot enter, provide a safe haven, where marine mammals can feed and give birth.