The Kamchatka Environmental Prosecutor’s Office has launched an investigation into marine tour operators following reports of mass orca harassment in the Avacha Gulf. Tourist boat crews have been documented exhibiting aggressive behavior toward marine mammals in the region.
Authorities are currently gathering information on companies and private guides conducting tours in cetacean habitats to determine whether these operations violate wildlife protection laws. Sanctions will be applied to operators found breaching environmental regulations.
The scale of the pressure on local wildlife is evident from recent incidents. In early August, 17 motorboats were observed simultaneously chasing a group of six orcas. On August 2, the situation escalated – 24 tour boats formed a tight ring to maneuver around the exact same group of animals.
A specific orca family identified by the scientific index AV162 – consisting of an adult male, an adolescent, and two females with calves – has become a frequent target for these tourist vessels. The constant noise of boat engines, chaotic vessel movements, and attempts to approach at close range disrupt the animals’ hunting patterns, cause disorientation, and create a significant risk of propeller injuries.
The waters of the gulf face further environmental pressure from a growing helicopter tour industry. Pilots frequently fly at excessively low altitudes over cetacean pods and startle seals resting on coastal rookeries, causing them to panic and flee into the water. Uncontrolled commercial tourism is rapidly turning the Avacha Gulf into an unsafe environment for marine fauna.