Protecting Marine Wildlife

England's Marine and Coastal Wildlife Code tells motorised craft to stay under 6 knots at no-wake speed around marine wildlife and remain 100 metres away. Move farther away if an animal shows disturbance, and keep clear if more than two boats are already nearby. Do not chase, follow, crowd, circle, separate, touch or feed wildlife for a photograph or encounter.

If dolphins, whales or porpoises choose to approach and bow-ride, maintain a steady speed and direction and let them leave. A sudden turn towards the group, speed increase or attempt to prolong the encounter removes the animal's choice and can create propeller or collision risk. Other species, seasons, devolved administrations and local wildlife-watching codes may call for more separation than the England baseline.

MCZ and SAC are conservation designations, not identical blanket rulebooks. Each site protects specified features and can have different voluntary measures, byelaws, speed limits, anchoring controls or seasonal restrictions. The skipper must identify the site and read its current management information; the letters alone do not prove that every activity is prohibited or permitted.