Man charged in connection with disturbing pod of dolphins off Scottish coast
The incident is alleged to have occurred on June 27, and the man will be reported to the Procurator Fiscal.
A man has been charged after a pod of dolphins was reportedly disturbed off the north-east coast of Scotland.
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The incident is alleged to have happened off the Moray coast on June 27, after police received a report of a boat disturbing the dolphins in the water.
The man will bereported to the Procurator Fiscal.
Dolphins, whales and porpoises are protected within Scottish territorial waters, meaning it is against the law to intentionally or recklessly disturb them.
In response to charge, Constable Bryony Munro said: “We would like to remind members of the public to take care not to disturb any marine wildlife when they are encountered, and to follow the Scottish Marine Wildlife Watching Code, whether they’re watching wildlife from the shore or sea.
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“We understand many people enjoy the spectacle of seeing pods of dolphins and whales, but we must ensure we are not endangering them.
“It is vital they remain safe and protected in our seas. Anyone not adhering to the law will be investigated.
“Should you observe any human behaviour you consider to be a disturbance or harassment of dolphins, whales or other marine life, please note as much detail as you can and report the information to us.”
The incident comes after wildlife experts warned that whales, dolphins and porpoises around the UK's coast are increasingly at risk of disturbance from people using boats, paddleboards and jet skis.