Boat operators charged after alleged whale chase caught on camera

A well-known tour boat company that provides iceberg and whale tours in St. John's and Twillingate has been charged with disturbing a whale under theMarine Mammals Act.

It's the first time charges of disturbing a mammal have been laidin Newfoundland and Labrador.

The charge against Iceberg Quest Ocean Tours Inc. stems back to August 2014, when a CBC crew was riding along withJack Lawson, a research scientistwith the Department of Fisheries and Oceans.

Lawson and his team were working with thewhaleswhen a couple of boats, includinga tour boat filled with tourists, moved in and prevented them from continuing their research.

The incident withthetour boat and a smaller boat, which were accused of getting too close to the whale,was caught on camera.

Walter Reddick, a residentof Tors Cove,has also been charged under the act.

Both Iceberg Quest and Reddickhave first court appearances scheduled at provincial court in St. John's on May 14.