A collaborative reference model for monitoring whale-watching quantity in the Hualien coastal area, Taiwan

• We develop a prototype web-based platform to demonstrate the collaborative model.
• We apply the methodology of process management and an object-oriented tool.
• We provide a collaborative model of whale-watching businesses for reference.
• We provide a reference model and better whale-watching process management for reference.

The whale-watching activities have recently increased with rising tourism business in the Hualien coastal area in Taiwan. In the past, lack of adequate systems for controlling the quantity of overloaded whale-watching tourists and communicating with whale-watching businesses has led to serious impact on whale and dolphin ecology. In order to reduce the impact on whale and dolphin ecology and other ocean creatures, this study presents a process-based reference model and information system for helping the East Coast National Scenic Area Administration to better manage and control whale-watching quantity. The tool set of IDEF (Integration Definition) is applied to describe the overall workflow of whale-watching processes. An object-oriented analysis approach is used to represent the architecture of the collaborative model. In this research, we suggest the East Coast National Scenic Area Administration can conduct and establish the model and welcome all stockholders to discuss proper whale-watching processes together on proposed platform.