An individual has been assessed a fine of 50,000 kroner (approximately £3,890) by territorial authorities in Svalbard for deliberately disturbing a polar bear using a vessel’s foghorn. The incident occurred earlier this month when a ship was navigating through a fjord in the northwestern section of the archipelago, roughly 1,000 kilometers from the North Pole.
According to a statement from Lars Fause, the governor of the territory, crew members aboard the vessel identified a polar bear resting on land as the ship passed nearby. One person on the vessel then activated the foghorn, which startled the animal and caused it to relocate to a different area. The individual responsible has consented to pay the penalty assessed by authorities.
Svalbard’s environmental protections, established when polar bears were designated as a protected species in 1972, explicitly prohibit the unnecessary disturbance, attraction, or pursuit of these animals. The Svalbard Environment Act requires that all activities in the archipelago be conducted in ways that minimize unnecessary disruption to wildlife populations, including polar bears, seals, whales, reindeer, and arctic foxes.
This enforcement action reflects ongoing efforts by regional officials to maintain wildlife protections. A similar incident in 2024 resulted in a fine of 11,500 kroner being imposed on a tourist for approaching a walrus too closely. According to scientific surveys, approximately 250 polar bears inhabit the Svalbard archipelago, based on counts conducted in 2015.
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