The increase in the population of the marine mammals has prompted Eventes Event Management Limited, who trade as Mini Tours New Zealand, to apply for a Department of Conservation permit allowing their tours to stop and view the creatures from 20m-30m.
The company identified various spots around Dunedin, including Tunnel Beach Walkway, Allans Beach and St Clair Beach.
The application said they would run about one tour group a day and they would view the animals for about 15 minutes at a time.
About five to 20 tour groups were anticipated to run per year, the application said.
Mini Tours New Zealand owner Johnny Leung said from time to time there were areas or places where they would encounter sea lions and fur seals, and they often got questions from their customers about the animals.
Those questions would often lead to their customers wanting to have a look.
"In order to take tourists to those areas, we'll need to apply for a marine mammal certificate for approval from Doc ... otherwise, we'll have to say no to our clients."
He said it was safer for tourists wanting to see sea lions and fur seals to do it with them, rather than alone, as they knew the best practice rules when sharing spaces with the animals.
It was also becoming increasingly difficult to avoid sea lion encounters when taking tourists to spots such as St Clair or Tunnel Beach.
"Their numbers just keep increasing every year - it's very, very easy to fall into a trap of going to visit these places and there's some sea lions or fur seals there that we weren’t aware of."
In its application for their marine mammal permit, the company said they would keep the group 20m-30m away from the animals, brief the group about the rules around viewing sea lions and fur seals, manage noise and behaviour and they would keep everyone behind the guide at all times.
The other specific area listed in the application was Point Kean Lookout in Kaikōura.
Submissions from the public about the marine mammal permit close on August 18.
