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Wildlife trafficking is a large-scale multi-billion dollar industry worldwide. The illegal trade of wildlife has reached such prominence that it has the potential to devastate source populations of wildlife, impacting on the integrity and productivity of ecosystems in providing food and resources to the local economy. In order to protect these resources, legislation has been put in place to control the trade of wildlife in almost every country worldwide. Those assigned with enforcing these laws have the monumental task of identifying the exact species that are being traded, either as whole living plants or animals, as parts that are dried, fried or preserved, or as derivatives contained within commercial products.

Whale-watching as an industry in the Pacific is growing much faster than whale numbers are recovering and is proving to be by far the most lucrative use of whales, with the added attraction of doing them no harm, provided that the operations are well managed.