Whale watching is the activity of watching whales and dolphins (cetaceans) in their natural environment. The majority of whale watching is done for fun. However, it can also be used for research and/or education. In 2008, according to a research conducted for the International Fund for Animal Welfare in 2009, 13 million individuals around the world went whale watching. Whale watching employs roughly 13,000 people globally and produces $2.1 billion in tourism revenue each year. Because of the business’s scale and rapid growth, complex and ongoing discussions with the whaling industry concerning the optimal use of whales as a natural resource have occurred.