River Road Films Fined Over Whale Drone Footage

River Road Films Ltd., a Vancouver-based film company, and its drone operator, Mathew Hood, have been fined a total of $30,000 for illegally capturing drone footage of northern resident killer whales on Vancouver Island. This marks the first time such a fine has been issued in Canada. The company was fined $25,000 and prohibited from using or distributing the footage, while Hood was fined $5,000. The incident occurred in August 2021, despite their application for a permit to film under the Species at Risk Act being denied in 2020. Drones are considered aircraft and can disturb marine mammals, making it illegal to fly them below 304 meters over these animals. The Fisheries and Oceans Canada emphasized that such regulations are in place to protect both animal and human health.