Whale watching has become a rapidly-growing tourism venture in Sydney, a new report has revealed.

An International Fund for Animal Welfare report released this month found the number of people whale watching from one point in Sydney had doubled in one year, with 41,185 people enjoying boat and land-based whale watching in 2004.

This figure, for viewing from Cape Solander, was up from 20,919 in 2003.

“Whale watching has become the must-have ecotourism adventure that is right on our doorstep,” NSW Tourism Minister Sandra Nori said.

“The NSW coast has a box seat for the annual humpback whale migration in May/June every year. Last year in Sydney alone 29,000 people went on whale watching boats—a phenomenal 600 percent increase on the previous year."

The report has also prompted calls from IFAW and the NSW Government for greater protection for the whales in international waters.

“We must be united in protecting our marine mammals and whale watching industry. I find it extraordinary that whales that will soon pass our coastline could end up being slaughtered in international waters. It is economically stupid and ethically reprehensible,” NSW Environment Minister Bob Debus said.