A man has been fined after circling a group of dolphins near Scarborough in his speedboat, causing them to panic.
Christopher Barker, 45, from Brompton-by-Sawdon, was seen to drive his high-powered speedboat numerous times around a pod of bottlenose dolphins feeding close to the shore off Scarborough’s South Bay on 9 July 2021.
One witness described his actions as “corralling” the mammals, causing them to panic and split up.
Witnesses described how Barker circled the pod at excessive speed, leaving watching members of the public shocked and distressed.
Following an investigation by North Yorkshire Police, Barker was charged with intentionally or recklessly disturbing a dolphin – an offence under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
After pleading guilty, at York Magistrates Court yesterday (Thursday, 9 June) he was fined £200, and ordered to pay a victim surcharge and prosecution costs totalling £334.
PC Graham Bilton, Wildlife Crime Officer for North Yorkshire Police, said: “Dolphins are an intelligent, social species, often living in large communal groups.
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“Over recent years sightings of dolphins off the Yorkshire coast have increased dramatically, proving popular with locals and tourists alike. But this has also led to an increased risk of human interference.
“Cetaceans such as whales, dolphins and porpoises are especially susceptible to disturbance, both physically and acoustically, and are legally protected here in the UK.
“I urge all boat and watercraft operators to act responsibly and respect the marine environment. We are extremely lucky in North Yorkshire to have such diverse wildlife. It’s important that we enjoy, protect and live alongside it.”
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Rebecca Dunford of the Crown Prosecution Service said:
“This is believed to be the first prosecution as a result of the national effort to protect wildlife at sea.
“There is no excuse for these actions that can have a lasting negative impact on dolphins and other wildlife – and we will not hesitate to prosecute where our legal tests are met.”