Friend of the Sea announces that the Sri Lankan company ‘Whale Watching With Danushka’ is the first in the world to achieve Friend of the Sea sustainable whale watching certification. On February 2014 Danushka’s last generation trimaran boat and crew have successfully undergone an onboard audit by an international independent certification body confirming their full compliance with Friend of the Sea strict requirements.
‘Whale Watching With Danushka’, registered under Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority and licensed under the Department of Wildlife Conservation for whale watching, is an operator based at Mirissa Harbour which provides whale watching and boating activities for tourists.
Danushka’s vessel doesn’t use sonar systems to detect cetaceans or to bring them to the surface and it respects a 100m distance watching zone. Crew takes care of maintaining minimum noise when approaching the watching area in order to keep animals undisturbed. Neither polluting substances nor food are disposed of in the proximity of the cetaceans.
In Sri Lanka, whales can be watched throughout the year, and the period from November to April is the best in the Southern coast. Mirissa, the harbour from which Danushka operates, is a small fishermen village with a tiny busy harbour, beautiful palm fringed sandy beaches and plenty of surfing spots. Whales and dolphins watching, deep sea fishing, river trips, snorkeling and bird watching, are the main activities, which attract tourists in this area from all over the world.
“Our company’s mission is to show visitors the amazing blue whales, the largest animal ever living on the planet, by fully respecting their welfare, marine habitat and coastal environment”, explains Mr. Danushka, Owner of ‘Whale Watching With Danushka’. “We are proud to be the first Friend of the Sea whale watching company in the world. This reflects our commitment to environmental conservation and it will hopefully represent an important added value for tourists and our customers.”
“Whale watching is an unforgettable experience for over 30 million people every year” comments Paolo Bray, Director of Friend of the Sea. “We are sure whale watchers will in the future give preference to those companies which can guarantee, by means of Friend of the Sea certification, their respect for cetaceans and their environment. Friend of the Sea is the only independent third party certification which can guarantee tourists worldwide a sustainable whale watching experience.”
MORE INFORMATION
“Whale Watching With Danushka” is a whale watching operator on the southern coast of Sri Lanka, based in Mirissa Harbour. The company counts 7 people in its personnel, including crew members, lifeguards, and translators. Whale and dolphin watching are exciting activities, and the staff aims making this experience unique.
Mr. Danushka, Owner
whalewatchingdanushka@gmail.com
http://www.whalewatchingdanushka.com/
Friend of the Sea is an international certification program for sustainable products and services. Over 350 companies in 50 countries are relying on Friend of the Sea to verify the sustainability of their supplies.
Paolo Bray – Director
skype: friend.of.the.sea
Twitter: @friendofthesea
