The mission of the See A Spout? Watch Out! program is to prepare boaters and sailors in the Greater Atlantic (Maine through Virginia) to safely navigate through waters shared with protected marine species, especially large whales, for the safety and wellbeing of both boaters and marine species.
This program is sponsored and implemented by the Whale and Dolphin Conservation, NOAA Fisheries Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office, Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, Audubon Society of Rhode Island, and New Bedford Whaling Museum.
See a Spout? Watch Out! achieves its mission by:
- providing training and educational opportunities about marine mammals
- educating boaters on whale and other marine mammal species found in the Greater Atlantic
- raising awareness about the passenger, vessel, and animal safety concerns regarding collisions and ways to prevent them in the first place, and
- engaging and empowering recreational boaters to participate in conservation and marine stewardship activities.
Our program offers:
- Presentations at boater safety courses in New England (or virtually for other regions)
- Resources and materials available for distribution throughout the Greater Atlantic Region (Maine through Virginia).
- Exhibits at outreach events focused on boater education
- An outreach toolkit for promoting responsible viewing practices to your community

Boaters looking to learn more about boater guidelines and how to find and identify whales can take our Spout Spotter boater education course.

Looking to book a commercial whale watching tour? Whale SENSE is a companion program for commercial whale watch vessel operators in the Greater Atlantic and Alaska regions.