Tourism in Marine Environments, Vol. 11, No. 4, pp. 215–227 1544-273X/16 $60.00 + .00 Printed in the USA. All rights reserved. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3727/154427316X14580612748560 Copyright © 2016 Cognizant, LLC. E-ISSN 2169-0197 www.cognizantcommunication.com 215 1 Current affiliation: Wild Earth Foundation, Av de las Ballenas 9500, Puerto Pirámides, Peninsula Valdes, Chubut, Argentina. Address correspondence to A. Mel Cosentino, 1 Roslin Terrace, Aberdeen, AB24 5LJ, UK. Tel: +44-7806648692; E-mail: orcinus.orca.1758@gmail.com cetaceans and whale-watching vessels has raised concerns over the potential impact of the activity. Short-term effects have been reported worldwide for many cetacean species. The presence of whale- watching vessels has been associated with changes in surface behavior and changes in activity and energy budgets, including reduction of resting and foraging bouts (Constantine, Brunton, & Dennis, 2004; Lusseau, 2003b; Lusseau, 2004; Lusseau, Introduction Whale watching is a growing form of wildlife tourism. Over 13 million people go whale and dolphin watching in 119 countries every year (O’Connor, Campbell, Cortez, & Knowles, 2009), generating over US$2.1 billion in revenues, directly and indirectly (e.g., travel expenses and accommo- dation). However, the increased interaction between EFFECTS OF WHALE-WATCHING VESSELS ON ADULT MALE SPERM WHALES OFF ANDENES, NORWAY A. MEL COSENTINO*† 1 *School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK †Marine Research and Education Fund of Andenes, Andenes, Norway This study investigated the effects of whale-watching vessels (WWV) on solitary sperm whales off Andenes in northern Norway. The presence of WWV did not have a significant effect on the dura- tion of the surface and foraging dive periods or on the respiration pattern and dynamics. However, the presence of WWV made sperm whales almost seven times more likely to perform a near-surface event (NSE). NSEs are submersions without fluking for short periods of time that take place during the surface phase. The occurrence of NSEs led to a significant increase of 75% in surface time, which is 6 min more at the surface that were not compensated with longer foraging dives. Additionally, the occurrence of NSEs was associated with changes in the animals’ respiration pattern and dynamics. Data collection concerning NSEs and respiration dynamics (both parameters assessed here for the first time) is strongly recommended in future impact studies on this species. NSEs may be indicators of disturbance and are reasonably easy to identify, and thus identifying and better understanding the causes of this behavior have management implications. Key words: Sperm whale; Tourism impact; Behavior; Respiration