Jurien Bay sea lion swimming trial could be top tourism experience if managed safely

A proposed sea lion swimming trial at Jurien Bay does have its risks, but tourism operators, local government, and government conservationists are confident it would be safe for swimmers and sea lions. A proposed trial from the WA government would allow people, on tours with licensed operators, to swim close to sea lions and seals at Jurien Bay and the Shoalwater Islands. A spokesperson for Jurien Bay Oceanic, a company that runs sea lion tours in Jurien Bay, said they were excited for the opportunity. “With the right management, we are confident the sea lions of Jurien Bay will become one of the leading and most accessible marine tourism experiences in WA,” they said. “We have been proactively working with the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions for several years to develop a framework for the management of this incredible experience.” Shire of Dandaragan president Leslee Holmes said the trial could be a great opportunity for tourism in Jurien Bay “We have very good businesses, very, very experienced operators, and I think it will be a great experience,” Ms Holmes said. Wildlife tourism consultant Jean-Paul Orsini said letting swimmers get close to sea lions was a great idea, but he was concerned about the location, Jurien Bay. With Jurien Bay being home to sea lion breeding colonies, there was a risk of swimmers disturbing territorial female sea lions, according to Mr Orsini. While male sea lions tend to be playful and calm, females can be more aggressive. “I am a bit surprised to see Jurien Bay chosen for the trial,” “They can be very playful and curious creatures, but there’s certainly a risk, it needs to be well supervised. “If something does happen, it will be the sea lions that get the blame.” DBCA tourism and concessions co-ordinator Jacinta Overman said the department was confident tight regulations and a strong relationship with operators would ensure sea lions would only be interacted with in a safe, responsible way. “We will be developing strong conditions for licenses, to ensure it is done with supervision from trained experts,” Ms Overman said. Ms Holmes said it was difficult to enforce current restrictions keeping swimmers 50m away from sea lions, and welcomed a system that would allow people to get closer to sea lions in a regulated manner. “Bringing it into a regulatory form, so we know which boats are going out, I think will be wonderful,” she said.