In September of 2022, Matt Ryan was steering the M/V Cypress Point as the boat approached the pod off of San Juan Island. Instead of steering around them, the boat sailed straight through the pod. A nearby photographer caught the incident video.
Federal law requires boats to stay at least 200 yards away from killer whales. While Ryan initially requested a hearing, he eventually agreed to a settlement. The penalty doesn’t include any criminal charges.
“The high-resolution video provided strong evidence in this case,” Greg Busch, assistant director of the west coast division of NOAA’s Office of Law Enforcement, said in a news release. “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.”
A Bellingham resident was ordered to pay a $1,000 fine for steering a boat into a pod of killer whales in 2022. NOAA Fisheries West Coast Courtesy to The Bellingham Herald
Federal, state law on steering a boat near a pod of whales
Under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, NOAA prohibits all boats from coming within 200 feet of any type of killer whale.
While Ryan drove through a pod of Bigg’s killer whales, if you come across Southern Resident killer whales, Washington state law has even stricter rules. Boaters have to stay 300 yards away if you’re traveling alongside a pod, and 400 yards away if you’re traveling to the front or back of the pod. However, starting next year, state law will require boats to give SRKW pods 1,000 yards of space.
You can report violations through BeWhaleWise.org, or by calling NOAA’s hotline at (866) 767-6114.
Other tips for boating near whales
According to NOAA, if you’re steering a boat near a pod of whales, there are a few steps you can take to ensure that they’re staying safe while minimizing your impact on the environment.
Slow down to a speed of seven knots or less
Don’t move between whales and the shoreline
Steer the boat parallel to the whales’ path so that you don’t block them
Be cautious and quiet
If you’re approached by a whale, put your engine in neutral
This story was originally published August 12, 2024 at 3:34 PM.
Daniel Schrager is the service journalism reporter at the Bellingham Herald. He joined the Herald in February of 2024 after graduating from Rice University in 2023.Support my work with a digital subscription
