WHALE FACTS       

• Hervey Bay Marine Park declared in 1989
  
  
• To protect the whales Queensland Parks and Wildlife service manages activities of people around the humpback whales
  
  
• Breeding habits, migratory patterns and population trends are studied. Whale watch boats contribute to research by photographing tail flukes to help identify whales returning to the bay each year.
  
  
• Strict regulations ensure whale watch boats, pleasure crafts, swimmers and aircraft all stay at least 100 metres from the whales and do not cause them to alter direction, speed or behaviour or split the pods.
  
  
• Whaling is banned within 322 kilometres of Australia's coastline. Australian citizens are prohibited from hunting whales anywhere in the world.
  
  
• Australia and New Zealand are working towards creating a South Pacific Whale Sanctuary. To find out more about this initiative visit: http://www.environment.gov.au/coasts/publications/iwc-sanctuary.html