Introduction Current research on nature-based tourism suggests that there is a high level of interest in wildlife viewing in Australia (Moscardo et al. 2001; Moscardo and Slatzer 2005). In Australia wildlife tourism is thought to attract well over 10 million participants annually (Green and Higginbottom 2001). As the popularity of wildlife tourism grows so too does the concern over its impacts on the wildlife being viewed. Sustainable management of the industry which ensures conservation and protection of the species being viewed, as well as the ecosystem in which it occurs, is an objective of all stakeholders including: government agencies responsible for wildlife management; tourism operators and local communities who stand to benefit financially from ongoing wildlife tourism; and tourists who want access to wildlife experiences now and into the future. The multi-dimensional nature of wildlife tourism requires that sustainable management of the industry is considered at a number of levels. According to Higginbottom (2002), tourism based on viewing free- ranging animals must meet the following criteria to be sustainable: 1) customers must be satisfied with their experiences; 2) operators must make sufficient profits; 3) the activities must not cause the wildlife population(s) to decline, or to become less viewable over time and; 4) if the population is declining due to other causes, the activities should contribute positively to its conservation. The value placed on each of the criteria varies between and within stakeholder groups and it is in these inconsistencies that conflict arises; e.g., operators are likely to object to strategies aimed at mitigating tourism impacts if they will also compromise customer satisfaction and/or the operator’s ability to make sufficient profits. Finding the balance between the needs of wildlife, tourists and industry is the key to successful wildlife tourism management. Research, which provides science on which to base management regimes, is an important step in the process of finding this balance. Wildlife tourism research must provide quantitative measures of the effects of wildlife tourism that can be monitored and provide insight into the perspectives and needs of industry, regional communities and tourists. Thus an understanding of the wildlife-human interactions must draw on research from both social and biological sciences. This type of integrated approach is the basis for adaptive management (Newsome et al. 2005) and its importance to marine mammal tourism has been documented by a number of authors (e.g. Berrow 2003; Orams 1999; Valentine and Birtles 2004; Waples 2003). Adaptive management is a systematic and continuous process of improving management practices based on information learnt through research and monitoring. It is a widely accepted approach for management of wildlife tourism (Newsome et al . 2005) and is recognised by the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity as “… an essential part of any management for sustainable use” (Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity 2006, p. 123). Despite this recognition, such an approach is rarely used for managing whale-watching in Australia (Birtles et al. 2001; Valentine and Birtles 2004). This paper summarises the key findings of a 4-year study of the NSW humpback whale watching industry as an example of how multidisciplinary research can be applied to wildlife tourism management. This work examines both the human and animal dimensions of the interface between whale-watching tourism and the whales to create a management framework aimed at sustaining the whale watching industry in NSW. Three perspectives for management were considered in this study: Understanding human-whale interactions: a multidisciplinary approach Kasey Stamation School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney 2052 Email: k.stamation@optusnet.com.au ABSTRACT Management of wildlife tourism is multi-faceted, requiring an understanding of the long-term biological impacts as well as the needs of tourists, industry and other stakeholders. Successful management for the sustainability of wildlife tourism is most likely to succeed under an adaptive management system. The benefits of this type of integrated and holistic approach are widely recognised but rarely adopted in the management of whale-watching. This study examines both the human and animal dimensions of whale-watching by incorporating both social and biological sciences. A framework for management of the New South Wales humpback whale-watching industry based on the findings of this research is provided. This framework aims to maximise the benefits of whale-watching for tourists, industry and conservation while minimising the adverse effects on whales. This study has identified techniques for education, research and vessel management as three fundamental components of sustainable management strategies for the whale-watching industry. Mechanisms by which management, can incorporate all three of these components, are given. Key words: Wildlife tourism management, humpback whales, whale watching, adaptive management Pp 211 - 224 in Too close for comfort: contentious issues in human-wildlife encounters, edited by Daniel Lunney, Adam Munn and Will Meikle. 2008. Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales, Mosman, NSW, Australia.