One of Hawaii’s most sought after wildlife experiences for tourists could become off limits under a proposal to ban swimming with dolphins.
Federal regulators want to ban or at least limit the practice to preserve the daytime sleeping patterns of spinner dolphins which hunt for food at night.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says the constant stream of tourist boats disturbs the dolphins’ sleep period through the day.
The agency has proposed an exclusion zone of no boats allowed within 50 yards of spinner dolphins.
It would affect waters within two nautical miles from the shore of all Hawaiian Islands.
"Dolphin-directed activities have grown dramatically in recent years, and the easily accessible Hawaiian spinner dolphins face heavy and increasing pressures from people seeking a dolphin experience," a NOAA statement said.
According to the Associated Press, there are up to 200 tourist businesses in Hawaii which could be affected by any ban.
"During the day, they’re resting in near-shore waters, so it makes them very vulnerable to dolphin-directed activities," said Ann Garrett, assistant regional administrator at the National Marine Fisheries Service, Pacific Islands’ regional office.
"They may abandon their habitat and have increasing health problems. We can’t function as well as we could with a good night sleep, it is the same with dolphins. Over time, their health may be impacted."
Under the current Marine Mammal Protection Act, it is an offense to ‘to harass, hunt, capture, or kill’ marine mammals.
