Two gui­des of a French ship each got a fine of 20,000 kro­ner (about 1750 Euro) for having dis­tur­bed polar bears. The inci­dent hap­pen­ed on 23rd June in Mos­sel­buk­ta in north Spits­ber­gen. Two polar bears, a mother with her cub, were eating on a dead wha­le. The gui­des dro­ve Zodiacs with pas­sen­gers towards the bears in a way that cau­sed them to move away from the wha­le car­cass, accor­ding to a press release by the Sys­sel­mes­ter.

Polar bears enjoy­ing a wha­le car­cass (archi­ve image, Hin­lo­pen Strait 2023).

Accor­ding to § 30 of the Sval­bard envi­ron­men­tal law (Sval­bard mil­jø­l­ov), „it is for­bidden to lure, to feed, to fol­low polar bears or to take any other action that may lead to dis­tur­ban­ce or dan­ger for peo­p­le or the polar bear(s)” (author’s trans­la­ti­on).

The­re will be new rules from 2025. Then, a mini­mum distance of 500 met­res (until 30 June) respec­tively 300 met­res (from 1st July) will be requi­red by law.