Create a Marine Sanctuary

Whales and dolphins have lived on earth for millions of
years, much longer than mankind existed and they
constitute the most socially developed form of life in the
ocean. Man has always been fascinated by the beauty
and elegance of these sea-dwelling mammals.

During the last decades a new kind of encounter of
humans and cetaceans (=the biological Order of whales
and dolphins) has developed: Whale Watching - the observation of whales and dolphins in their natural environment. Whale watching today is promoted as an important means of increasing the environmental awareness of the public - if it happens within a context of awareness and ecological sustainability.

The sea in the Southwest of the island of La Gomera (Canary Islands) is one of the most outstanding places in the world, where humans can meet cetaceans in the wild. In the relative
vicinity of the coast more than 15 cetacean species can be sighted and research is possible under extraordinarily good conditions.

The Canary Islands meanwhile show a rapid and alarming expansion of the whale watching industry. So we want to guarantee that the encounters between humans and cetaceans happen with respect and consideration. We aim to realise this through the combination of ecological whale watching tourism, research and public work. So please sign this petition and help to create a marine sanctuary and the signatures will be sent to:
M.E.E.R. LA GOMERA , a project of M.E.E.R. e.V., a NGO based in Berlin. It was founded in 1997 by environmental
engineer Korina Gutsche (KG), biologist Fabian Ritter (FR) and skipper Bernd Brederlau (BB). It is dedicated to combine
whale watching tourism on La Gomera with scientific research and education.