100,000 in fines for violating traffic ban in bird reserves
A Norwegian shipping company has been fined NOK 100,000 for violating the provision that all traffic in bird reserves is prohibited between 15 May and 15 August. The fine has been accepted.
It was on 25 June this year that one of the company's cruise ships launched six rubber boats with passengers at Lovénøyane in the Kongsfjorden nature reserve for birds in Svalbard. Despite the ban on all traffic, the rubber boats entered the nature reserve at Juttaholmen to observe a polar bear that was nearby. The rubber boats were in the nature reserve until they were contacted by personnel from Ny-Ålesund who informed them of the traffic ban, after which the rubber boats withdrew from the nature reserve.
For the violation, the Governor imposed a fine of NOK 100,000 on the shipping company. The company has accepted the fine.