Swimming with dolphins is now one of the many rules Hawaii has added to its list of bans to keep conditions under control that can easily be taken advantage of on the island.

Following a spike in tourists and residents wanting to interact with them, which can disturb them in their natural habitat, spinner dolphins are now protected by the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. The new rule went into place on Tuesday, and humans approaching within 50 yards of spinner dolphins will find themselves accused of harassment as a result of it.

Despite humans and spinner dolphins interacting for decades, questions began to arise over whether the naturally charismatic species could become distressed from the continuous interactions.

"During the day, they're resting in near-shore waters, so it makes them very vulnerable to dolphin-directed activities," Ann Garrett, assistant regional administrator for the National Marine Fisheries Service pointed out in 2016 when the rule was proposed.

"They may abandon their habitat and have increasing health problems. We can't function as well as we could with a good night's sleep, same with dolphins," she added. "Over time, their health may be impacted. They may not nurture young as well. They may abandon their young or habitat, and they may suffer long-term population impacts."

These aren't the only rules in Hawaii that tourists should know, as the islands have put many others in place to preserve the environment and beauty. Check out some other rules below.

No Plastic Bags

Hawaii banned the use of plastic bags in order to keep them from getting into surrounding waters and potentially harming animals. This went into effect on Jan. 1, 2021.

Don't Touch Sea Turtles

Thinking about picking up or disturbing a sea turtle while in Hawaii? Think again, as doing so can lead up to $25,000 in fines if the turtle is harmed while in your possession.

Traffic Safety Laws

If you're driving a car with a child inside, you'd better curb your tobacco use. Both vaping and smoking are prohibited. Similarly, if you are walking through a crosswalk, then your phone better be put away, as texting while walking through one is also against the rules.

Watch Your Sunscreen

While it's only natural that tourists protect their skin from the sun while visiting the islands, they better make sure they're paying attention to the chemicals they're using. Any sunscreen containing Oxybenzone and Octinoxate is banned, as they can be toxic to coral.

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