Man Drives Boat at Pod of Killer Whales and Videographer Catches It
A man has been fined $1,000 after a nearby wildlife videographer caught him illegally driving his 51-foot recreational vessel through a pod of orca, also known as killer whales.
Matt Ryan from Bellingham, Washington in the U.S. has agreed to pay the civil penalty after the wildlife videographer filmed him violating distance rules for approaching killer whales.
According to a press release by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA) Fisheries, the unnamed wildlife videographer was filming killer whales from a nearby vessel close to Roche Harbor, Washington on September 1, 2022.
As the videographer was filming, they noticed Ryan’s boat, the 51-foot M/V Cypress Point, heading for a pod of killer whales.
The captain of that nearby vessel began sounding his horn and using hand signals to warn Ryan.
However, despite the warnings, Ryan passed his boat through the group of orca.
In one moment captured by the wildlife videographer, one of the killer whales is seen leaping from the water just as Ryan’s boat is moving toward it.
Both federal and state regulations protect killer whales in Washington. Federal regulations at the time of the 2022 incident required that vessels remain at least 200 yards away from any killer whales in the inland waters of Washington.
‘Strong Evidence’
According to NOAA Fisheries, the wildlife videographer reported Ryan’s actions through the website BeWhaleWise.Org and provided the footage as evidence.
The video recording was instrumental in the case against Ryan. As well as an admission of liability for the violation, Ryan agreed to pay a civil penalty of $1,000.
“The high-resolution video provided strong evidence in this case,” Greg Busch, assistant director of NOAA’s Office of Law Enforcement in the West Coast Division, says.
“We’re fortunate that people watching knew what they were seeing was not right, documented it in detail, and reported it so that we could take action.”
Research shows that vessel traffic near killer whales can disrupt their pursuit of prey, forcing them to expend more energy for the same amount of food. That can put the whales under additional stress, affecting their survival and reproduction.
Image credits: All photos via NOAA Fisheries
