A boat owner who was spotted speeding towards, and clearly harassing, a pod of wild dolphins near Turtle Island, eastern Taiwan in August this year, has just been fined NT$20,000 (approx. £500 ) for breaching the Wildlife Conservation Act – the first such case in the nation that resulted in a penalty.
The incident was filmed by a tourist on a whale-watching vessel and by later handing in the video footage to the Yilan County Government, provided the evidence needed to bring about the prosecution. The person in question contravened Article 42 of the act, which forbids harassing dolphins and whales which are protected under Taiwanese law.
