The small island of Bequia is not only an exquisitely beautiful tourist destination; it is the site of a 150 year-old whaling operation targeting north Atlantic humpback whales who breed in the warm waters of the Caribbean each spring. The hunt is permitted by the International Whaling Commission (IWC), but it is controversial with locals, tourists and the international community.

Two whalers have given up hunting to set up whale and wildlife watching businesses and a third is retiring. We have a great opportunity to help the community make a transition and save the lives of whales. We will train ex-whalers in running responsible whale watching operations and in marketing and business management. We will draft legislation to ensure whale watching is environmentally responsible and train members of the community to conduct scientific research.