New rules bring consistent 300-metre vessel limits around mother-calf pairs in Fowlers Bay and Sleaford Bay.
Southern right whales are slow-recovering, and calf disturbance from tourism vessels can disrupt critical feeding and nursing. The image shows a close encounter with a Bryde's whale
From 1 September 2025, two of South Australia’s key calving grounds for southern right whales will have formal Whale Nursery Protection Areas. The new zones at Fowlers Bay on the west coast of the Eyre Peninsula and Sleaford Bay on the Lower Eyre Peninsula will standardise a 300-metre vessel buffer, giving mothers and calves more space during the nursery season.
Key details
The regulations, published in the Government Gazette on 31 July 2025, replace older marine-mammal rules dating back to 2010. A 300-metre approach limit will now apply throughout each nursery area, extending a precaution already in place statewide for cows with calves. Breaching the rule carries an expiation fee of AUD 315.
Why the change
Southern right whales (Eubalaena australis) return to South Australia’s sheltered bays each winter to give birth and nurse their young. While numbers have grown since whaling ended, recovery has been uneven. The Department for Environment and Water (DEW) says a consistent, larger buffer helps reduce disturbance, especially when pregnancy status can’t be confirmed and calves are most vulnerable.
Reactions
DEW has stressed that the new rules “will not prevent vessel access” and that they have worked with operators on a staged rollout. Some tour providers remain concerned that keeping 300 metres away may affect whale-watching opportunities and the viability of winter tourism.
Why it matters for divers
For divers, the changes bring clearer rules and a more predictable environment when planning trips near recognised calving areas. Seasonal restrictions, vessel-traffic measures, and increased stand-off distances aim to boost calf survival. Reporting unusual whale behaviour or non-compliance can also help both enforcement and citizen-science efforts.
