Preserve our Cetaceans Act
1. Sealing and the sale of products produced in the past 30 years through sealing is prohibited. Violators shall be fined up to $100,000 for sale and up to $500,000 for sealing.
2. The taking of cetaceans by any person in Southern waters for purposes not authorized by the Southern government is prohibited. Permits shall only be authorized for scientific research, for enhancing the survival or recovery of a marine mammal species, or temporary educational photography purposes. Violators shall be fined up to $500,000. This clause does not apply to incidental take during commercial activities.
3. Commercial gill netting in oceanic waters is prohibited. Drift nets longer than 2.5km are prohibited. All drift nets are required to be made from biodegradable materials and incorporate pingers in sufficient quantities. Violators shall be fined up to $100,000.
4. All ships engaged in midwater trawling must include a device to exclude cetaceans or allow them to escape, such as a Nordmore grate. Violators shall be fined up to $50,000.
5. All ships engaged in purse seine fishing are required to incorporate Medina panels into their nets and engage in backing-down procedures. Violators shall be fined up to $50,000.
6. All appropriate regulatory agencies are directed to consider marine life safety as a major objective and to shift and narrow maritime traffic separation schemes as appropriate, including outright avoidance of key areas, and are further directed to consider the impact of oceanic noise created by commercial shipping and mineral exploration on such regulations.
7. Power plants that discharge water that has been used by the plant with no significant alterations save temperature are directed to prevent any undue restrictions to access to their discharge canals by marine life.
8. All commercial operations that operate to observe marine life their native habitat are directed to maintain no more than a no wake speed when knowingly operating within 500 feet of a cetacean, and may not pursue, encircle, or come in between the members of a pod, make unnecessary sudden turns, make excessive noise, or approach such animals at an angle by which they would be taken by surprise. These operations also may not allow swimming with these cetaceans or coerce cetaceans into bow-riding. Violators shall be fined up to $25,000 per offense.
