HONOLULU (AP) — Authorities in Hawaii referred 33 people to law enforcement after the group allegedly harassed a pod of dolphins in waters off the Big Island, they said Tuesday.
Federal law prohibits swimming within 50 yards of spinner dolphins in the waters off Hawaii. The ban came into effect in 2021 amid concerns that too many tourists were swimming with the dolphins and the nocturnal animals were not getting the rest they needed during the day so they could forage for food at night.
The rule applies in areas within 2 nautical miles (3.7 kilometers) around the Hawaiian Islands and in designated waters around the islands of Lanai, Maui and Kahoolawe.
Agents from the state Department of Land and Natural Resources found 33 beachgoers in Honaunau Bay during a routine patrol, according to an agency news release.
Aerial images taken by drones showed people with snorkels following the dolphins as the animals moved away. The video and photos showed individuals “appearing to aggressively chase, corner, and harass the herd,” the department added.
The agents contacted the group when it was in the water and informed them of the violation. Uniformed agents received the bathers ashore, where state and federal authorities launched a joint investigation.
Hawaiian spinner dolphins feed on fish and small crustaceans that rise from the ocean depths at night. At dawn, they head to shallow bays to hide from tiger sharks and other predators.
To a person unfamiliar with animals, dolphins appear to be awake during the day because they are swimming.
But since they sleep with half of their brain at rest and the other half alert to surface and breathe, they could be sleeping even though they are moving in the water.
