Three men, including one from the south coast,  have been charged for allegedly interfering with protected bottlenose dolphins in two separate incidents at Seacliff and Brighton on 10 August.

A Belair man, 19, has been charged with two counts of using a jet ski to interfere with or harass a protected animal and two counts of using a jet ski to undertake or continue an act or activity in relation to a protected animal.

A Glengowrie man, 20, has been charged with one count of using a jet ski to interfere with or harass, a protected animal and one count of using a jet ski to undertake or continue an act or activity in relation to a protected animal.

Both men are alleged to have brought their vessels within 300 metres of the dolphins, breaching legal distance requirements.

A third man, 20, from Goolwa South, has been charged with one count of using a boat to interfere with or harass a protected animal and one count of using a boat to undertake or continue an act or activity in relation to a protected animal.

This man is alleged to have also breached legal distance requirements by bringing the boat to within 50 metres of the dolphins.

The men have been charged with offences under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972 and the National Parks and Wildlife (Protected Animals - Marine Mammals) Regulations 2010.

Bottlenose dolphins are a protected species under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972, and the maximum penalty for interfering with a marine mammal is a $100,000 fine or imprisonment for 2 years.

As part of the investigations, both jet skis and the boat were seized by the Department for Environment and Water.

The men are due to appear before the Christies Beach Magistrates Court on 22 December.