(AP) — U.S. regulators are banning swimming with Hawaiʻi’s spinner dolphins. The new rule Tuesday is meant to protect the nocturnal animals from people seeking close encounters with the playful species. Swimming with dolphins is a popular tourist activity, and companies offer tours with the aim of giving visitors an opportunity to get in the water with the animals. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration rule under the Marine Mammal Protection Act prohibits swimming with or getting within 50 yards of a spinner dolphin that is within 2 miles of the shore of the main Hawaiian Islands. The rule applies to boats, canoes, stand-up paddle boards, drones or other objects.
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