Fisherman Fined $400 For Feeding Wild Dolphin in Tin Can Bay

A fisherman enjoyed feeding a wild dolphin, and he wasn't aware that doing so was wrong. He faced over $400 fine for what he did.

Fisherman Fined For Feeding a Dolphin

A fisherman hand-fed a wild dolphin off the coast of Tin Can Bay, less than three hours north of Brisbane. The man's brother filmed and uploaded it online, prompting the Queensland wildlife rangers to discover the offense.

Senior wildlife officer Tina Ball said Queensland Parks and Wildlife immediately investigated the matter after seeing the video. The clip showed several dolphins approaching the boat.

One man cuts a mullet in pieces before feeding them to one of the adult dolphins on several occasions while another recorded the interaction, ABC.net reported.

Ball said they contacted the people in the video. The man in the footage admitted to feeding a wild dolphin at Snapper Creek while his brother filmed the interaction. Both admitted to the wildlife officers that they were unaware it was an offense to feed wild dolphins.

They knew people could pay to feed dolphins at Barnacles cafe, Tin Can Bay, News.com.au added.

However, Ball said there are strict guidelines on the type, quantity, and amount of fish that may be fed to the Barnacles Cafe dolphins and how long the fish can be frozen to maintain freshness.

The department regulates this activity to prevent the dolphins from eating all their daily food at Barnacles Cafe and allow them to continue hunting wild fish.

They have been issued a penalty infringement notice which is reportedly more lenient than going to court with maximum prosecution of up to $11,000. One of the men was fined $431.

Why You Shouldn't Feed Dolphins And How to Interact With Them

Ball also shared some tips to let the public know how to interact with dolphins. According to her, skippers should maintain a 150-meter distance in front and behind a pod of dolphins and 50 meters if approaching from the side. If a dolphin approaches, the skipper must disengage and leave the area at less than six knots.

She acknowledged the increasing number of illegal interactions with marine mammals. She noted that rangers are on the ground at Tin Can Bay and the nearby coast, and a staff that will interact with people at the boat ramp to educate them about the regulations.

Ball explained that feeding dolphins is discouraged because it can interfere with their natural hunting and pod behavior. So, people are advised not to touch them or feed the marine mammal unless it's part of a dolphin feeding program.

She added that if dolphins associate humans with food, it will increase their risk of boat strikes or entanglement with fishing apparatus. Entanglement is also the reason why gray whales are losing their tails. In addition, feeding them un-fresh fish can harm them.

Ball encourages the public to report illegal interactions by calling 1300 130 372, so they can investigate it.

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