Boat Captain Fined $7,000 For Interaction With Stingray Outside A Wildlife Interaction Zone

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

By Alric Lindsay

A boat captain, Chris Hall, was fined $7000 today, June 3, 2026, for interacting with a stingray outside of designated wildlife zones. The ruling, handed down by the Chief Magistrate, underscored the serious nature of environmental violations within the tourism sector and prompted the Chief Magistrate to call for mandatory Department of Environment (DOE) certification for all marine tour operators.

According to Crown Counsel from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, DOE’s officers were monitoring activities at the Rum Point Marine Reserve on February 12, 2026, after receiving a report that persons were interacting with stingrays outside approved wildlife interaction zones. Hall was seen handling a stingray and was approached by a DOE officer.

After Hall identified himself as the captain of a vessel named SeaLand Adventures, he was informed that interaction with stingrays outside approved wildlife interaction zones was an offence.

In Summary Court, Hall’s attorney argued that he was acting under the direction of his employer. She explained that rough seas made access to the usual Stingray City difficult, leading Hall’s boss to authorize a detour to Rum Point, where stingrays are known to frequent.

In the circumstances, Hall was just following instructions and did not realise that handling a stingray outside an approved wildlife interaction zone amounted to an offence. Further, he was unaware of the specific restrictions outlined in the company’s wildlife interaction permit. His lawyer expressed that Hall was genuinely remorseful and asked the Chief Magistrate not to record a conviction as it could impact his work permit with his employer where he worked for nine years.

However, a report from the DOE highlighted the significant risks associated with such unauthorized interactions. These include the disruption of natural ecological processes, potential harm to animal welfare, degradation of water quality, and public safety concerns. The report emphasized that these impacts could extend beyond the immediate area of the offence.

Having assessed the foregoing, including submissions from Hall’s attorney, the Chief Magistrate said:

My view is that persons who deal with tourists on a regular basis, who navigate our waters on a regular basis to provide guest experience for our visitors on a regular basis have a high responsibility to ensure that we preserve and we take care of our natural environment there are already designated areas for feeding stingrays. When both owners and captains decide that they are going … outside of those areas, it creates significant potential harm, not just to the environment, but to the animals, to the wildlife, to what they’re used to, and also potentially to our visitors.

The Chief Magistrate added:

It is a serious matter when we have persons who have a responsibility to ensure that our National Conservation Law is upheld to its highest standard decide that they are going to do so for gain and for guest experience. That’s not enough and that cannot be the reason why we breach and we put at risk our natural resources and environment.

The Chief Magistrate continued:

I’m of the firm view, frankly, that anyone who works in the water sports industry, who captives a boat, who works on a boat, they all should be certified by the DOE before they actually go out in those waters. Because they must be educated on our marine parks, on our exclusion zones, and the responsibilities that they have. I wish they would ensure that there is an education process and a certification which must be renewed every year for something like this.

The Chief Magistrate concluded: