South Australian authorities have laid charges against three men months after alarming footage emerged showing personal watercraft allegedly harassing a pod of bottlenose dolphins off a popular metropolitan beach.
Shocking Footage Prompts Investigation
The incident, which sparked public outrage and an official investigation, occurred on August 10 at Brighton Beach in Adelaide. Startled beachgoers witnessed the jet skis operating dangerously close to the marine mammals and promptly reported the matter to both South Australia Police and the Department for Environment and Water (DEW).
Authorities allege the riders deliberately breached strict distance regulations designed to protect marine life. The vision appeared to show the vessels moving erratically through the pod, coming much closer than the legally permitted distance.
Charges Laid and Equipment Seized
Following a thorough investigation, three men have now been charged under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972 and the Protected Animals — Marine Mammals Regulations 2010.
A 19-year-old man from Belair faces two counts of using a jet ski to interfere with or harass a protected animal and two counts of undertaking an act in relation to a protected animal. A 20-year-old man from Glengowrie has been charged with one count of each offence related to the same incident.
In a separate but related matter, a 20-year-old man from Goolwa South has also been charged for allegedly bringing a boat within 50 metres of dolphins at Seacliff.
As part of the enforcement action, DEW has seized the men's jet skis and boat. All three are scheduled to appear in the Christies Beach Magistrates Court on December 22, 2025.
Serious Consequences for Harassing Marine Life
In South Australia, bottlenose dolphins are protected by law, with severe penalties for those who interfere with them. The maximum punishment for such offences is a $100,000 fine or two years' imprisonment.
Lisien Loan, a spokesperson for DEW, explained in August why jet skis pose a particular threat. "Jet skis are particularly disruptive to dolphins because of their noise and erratic movement," Loan said. She reiterated the importance of observing marine wildlife from a respectful distance and avoiding any actions that could disturb their natural behaviours, such as feeding, resting, and socialising.
The case serves as a stark reminder to all water users of their responsibility to share the ocean safely with its protected inhabitants.
