Scuba Diver Fined Over $9,000 After Swimming Too Close to Killer Whales Pod

A scuba diver in British Columbia, Canada, was fined a record 12,000 Canadian dollars ($9,250) for approaching a pod of killer whales too closely.

Interacting with the Orcas

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According to Fisheries and Oceans Canada, the diver, Thomas Gould, "knowingly interacted" with a group of seven Northern resident killer whales in the area in April 2020. (DFO).

Gould was found to have violated Section 7 of the Marine Mammal Regulations, a component of Canada's Fisheries Act. Judge Jeffrey Campbell imposed the biggest fine ever for a violation of this nature in July.

In southern British Columbia, vessels must maintain a minimum distance of 650 feet from killer whales. Vessels must maintain a distance of 1,300 feet in the coastal waters between Campbell River and the area just north of Ucluelet. Swimming, diving, or interacting with marine mammals are all prohibited by Canadian marine mammal regulations.

The orca pod that was involved in the incident has been visiting the Prince Rupert area annually for at least ten years, according to Canada's DFO, to the point that warning signs have been placed up instructing boaters to stay far away.

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Presenting Evidence

According to the report, there was evidence that Gould's diving boat had repeatedly tried to move ahead to "leap-frog" the orca pod. Gould was also discovered to have twice entered the water close to the killer whales while wearing full dive gear.

The DFO issued a statement saying, "Watching whales and other marine mammals in their natural habitats gives Canadians an opportunity to better appreciate these wonderful species. However, when humans come too close, we risk disrupting and hurting them.

Killer Whales

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Orcas, which can reach lengths of up to 30 feet, are the biggest members of the dolphin family. They are protected in Canada under the Species At Risk Act and the Marine Mammal Regulations of the Fisheries Act. However, population decreases have been observed recently, primarily due to food shortages, chemical contamination of prey, oil spills, noise pollution, and ship strikes.

The offshore, transitory, and resident groups of orcas, as well as the Northern and Southern residents, are all culturally and genetically unique from one another.

Orcas in the Area

The Northern resident orca population resides in the area between Southeast Alaska and Vancouver Island. As of 2017, there were only 300 whales in this population, having seen a decline in population size of 7 percent between 1997 and 2001. Since 1976, there have only been between 70 and 99 members of the Southern resident population, mostly located near Puget Sound.

Aside from ensuring that resident orcas have enough food to allow recovery and that chemical and biological pollutants do not obstruct this recovery, Fisheries and Oceans Canada's measures to conserve and restore orca populations include the hefty fine for Gould.