What does the above have to do with the Caribbean and the whales that winter in our waters? They realized back in the 1970s that those whales were not only worth protecting in their own right but that they were also the geese who had the potential of laying many golden eggs. Those first visionaries and environmentalists who realized conserving and protecting New England’s marine environment and the whales that live within by promoting education and passive wildlife interaction created a multi-million dollar industry that is now benefiting many thousands of people. Not only has whale watching provided jobs directly related to the industry itself but it has also brought jobs to the support areas such as food services, transportation, advertising and media, laundry and cleaning services not to mention new retail stores, travel related businesses, and other recreational venues as well as creating a broader tax base for the municipality which translates to better community services including school funding. The advent of whale watching in places like Provincetown brought with it the rebirth of the beautiful old homes as small hotels and B & B’s, increased job opportunities, and renewed economies. Stay ahead on all things boating - Subscribe Now! It is these whales that also travel to the Caribbean where they spend their winters calving and mating. Visionaries and environmentalists joined forces to develop the whale watching industry in places like Provincetown, Massachusetts, where tens of thousands of tourists travel each season to watch the whales that spend their springs and summers in the food-rich waters of the Stellwagen Bank. So… How to Make Money From Whales? It wasn’t until the 1970s that profitable whaling of sorts returned to New England in the form of whale watching and eco-tourism. Many of the beautiful homes fell into disrepair, economies declined drastically, residents were forced to move elsewhere to find work, and families were torn apart. But, the seas’ bounties were not endless and 90% of the world’s large whale populations were lost to whaling. During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, towns along the coast of New England made their living from fishing and whaling thinking that the seas’ bounties would never end as economies boomed, beautiful homes were built, and their residents prospered.
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