South Australia’s whale watching season has officially started, with sightings of humpback whales throughout Encounter Marine Park in the past week.

Large numbers of whales can be seen in the area each year between May and October.

Whales, generally either humpbacks or southern rights, can also be sighted along Far West Coast Marine Park at Head of Bight, as well as along both the Eyre and Yorke Peninsulas.

The Coorong coast is an important whale migratory pathway.

National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) Senior Ranger Nikki Zanardo says the annual migration to SA waters occurred during the cooler months, which was when they mated, gave birth and nursed their young.

“Whale-watching is a fantastic nature-based experience, and about 400,000 people take part in the activity each year in SA,” she says.

“You can enjoy watching these magnificent whales breaching, body-rolling and tail- slapping from on-shore viewing platforms at Head of Bight and Victor Harbor, or, by booking a boat tour with a private tour operator.”

Ms Zanardo says in order to help protect whales in SA waters there were approach limits in place.

“Generally vessels must not approach closer than 100m, but where whale calves are present and in more sensitive areas such as in Encounter Bay, there is a 300m limit.” 

Operators must not fly drones within 300m of a whale. Expiation fees apply if people do not adhere to these limits.

These rules are intended to minimise disturbance to marine mammals and allow them to rest.

The reminder comes after NPWS rangers last year issued an expiation notice to a person who used a drone to photograph a whale mother and calf resting in the Encounter Bay Sanctuary Zone at Basham Beach, within Encounter Marine Park.

Signs were in place throughout the area advising whale watchers of the rules around drone use.

Southern Right Whales are listed as endangered species under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.

For more information check out the SA Whale Centre website.