How does the Marine Mammal Protection Act define "harassment"?
The MMPA lists two levels of harassment:
Level A harassment means any act of pursuit, torment, or annoyance that has the potential to injure a marine mammal or marine mammal stock in the wild.
Level B harassment refers to acts that have the potential to disturb (but not injure) a marine mammal or marine mammal stock in the wild by disrupting behavioral patterns, including, but not limited to, migration, breathing, nursing, breeding, feeding, or sheltering.
A group of teenage girls surround the newborn California Sea Lion (Zalophus californianus) in La Jolla Cove San Diego, CA, petting and taking cell phone pictures. The frighten pup tries to escape the girls but finds it difficult with the rough terrain. This behavior can result in pup abandonment if the mothers arrive back while the pups are being handled.
A Harbor Seal (Phoca vitulina) and her pup come up to the beach to rest, while a group of tourists approach closely for cell phone pictures.
Disregarding warning signs, group of people continue to get too close to California Sea Lions (Zalophus californianus) in La Jolla, San Diego, CA.
A California Sea Lion (Zalophus californianus) swims by a popular haul out rock in La Jolla Cove San Diego, CA as a group of snorkelers stand on the rock with a California Sea Lion (Zalophus californianus) pup resting. California Sea Lions (Zalophus californianus) rely on their time out of the water for rest and thermoregulation.
A girl on a point just off the coast in La Jolla tosses fish to California Sea Lions (Zalophus californianus) from her boat. Habituation of marine mammals to boats often leads to boat strikes.
A man takes a selfie with an emaciated and abandoned California Sea Lion (Zalophus californianus) pup in La Jolla Cove San Diego, CA.
In June California Sea Lions (Zalophus californianus) give birth to their pups and the mothers will leave the pups together on the rocky shoreline for up to three days at a time to hunt. Without any enforcement of the Marine Mammal Protection Act in La Jolla San Diego, CA tourist approach the unsupervised California Sea Lion pups. This behavior can result in pup abandonment if the mothers arrive back while the pups are being handled.
A man pets unsupervised California Sea Lions (Zalophus californianus) in La Jolla San Diego, CA. This behavior can result in pup abandonment if the mothers arrive back while the pups are being handled.
In June California Sea Lions (Zalophus californianus) give birth to their pups and the mothers will leave the pups together on the rocky shoreline for up to three days at a time to hunt. Without any enforcement of the Marine Mammal Protection Act in La Jolla San Diego, CA tourist approach the unsupervised California Sea Lion pups. This behavior can result in pup abandonment if the mothers arrive back while the pups are being handled.
A man pets unsupervised California Sea Lions (Zalophus californianus) in La Jolla San Diego, CA. This behavior can result in pup abandonment if the mothers arrive back while the pups are being handled.
A man pets unsupervised California Sea Lions (Zalophus californianus) in La Jolla San Diego, CA. This behavior can result in pup abandonment if the mothers arrive back while the pups are being handled.
A drone is flown into a group of Brown Pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis) in La Jolla, CA.
Children away from a California Sea Lion (Zalophus californianus) and her pup in La Jolla Cove San Diego, CA.
A man takes a cell photo of a California Sea Lion (Zalophus californianus) in La Jolla Cove San Diego, CA.
Two girls takes a cell photo of a California Sea Lion (Zalophus californianus) pup in La Jolla Cove San Diego, CA.
California Sea Lions (Zalophus californianus) come up to Point La Jolla at sunset, while cell phone photographers continue to photograph them into the night.
A man takes a cell photo of a California Sea Lion (Zalophus californianus) in La Jolla Cove San Diego, CA.
In June California Sea Lions (Zalophus californianus) give birth to their pups and the mothers will leave the pups together on the rocky shoreline for up to three days at a time to hunt. Without any enforcement of the Marine Mammal Protection Act in La Jolla San Diego, CA tourist approach the unsupervised California Sea Lion pups. This behavior can result in pup abandonment if the mothers arrive back while the pups are being handled.
A Harbor Seal (Phoca vitulina) and her pup come up to the beach to rest, while a group of tourists approach closely for cell phone pictures.