The activity of whale watching and the compliance of maritime tourism operators to the legislation are overseen by the Instituto das Florestas e Conservação da Natureza (IFCN), to whom whale watching operators also regularly send reports documenting their activity and encounters. Park rangers from the IFCN also conduct observations from land or sea to monitor compliance amongst operators.
A permit system controlling the ability of whale watching operators to visit certain areas also exists to limit the number of boats observing cetaceans in any given area. The IFCN, as well as several research institutes, organises voluntary workshops and training for whale watching staff to improve adherence to the code of conduct for observing cetaceans at sea. These aspects, along with the planned conservation targets for the Madeira WHA, will ensure that these magnificent animals will continue to be admired in a sustainable and healthy way.
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