Boater fined for using ship horn to disturb sleeping polar bear in Svalbard

During a trip through Lomfjorden in Svalbard, a boat's occupants spotted a polar bear sleeping on land. A passenger then intentionally activated the vessel's horn, startling the bear and prompting it to relocate. The governor's office concluded the action was a deliberate disturbance and levied a 50,000 Norwegian kroner fine under the Svalbard Environmental Act, which the individual accepted and paid.

Svalbard law requires visitors to stay at least 300 meters from polar bears, extending to 500 meters between March 1 and June 30 when the animals are especially vulnerable, and prohibits any unnecessary disturbance. The case follows a previous fine for a visitor who approached a walrus too closely, highlighting the territory's rigorous wildlife protection measures.