Law Change Threatens Fish & Game’s Ability To Protect Wildlife
Fish & Game is warning that proposed changes to wildlife legislation will severely restrict its ability to do its job and protect wildlife and the environment.
The Wildlife (Powers) Amendment Bill gives DoC staff greater powers to fight wildlife offences but specifically excludes Fish & Game rangers.
Fish & Game is today appearing before the select committee considering the bill to ask for changes. Of particular concern are clauses covering the powers to seize evidence, stop suspects, prevent offending and require offenders to give their identity. The present bill specifically excludes Fish & Game rangers from having those powers.
Fish & Game chief executive Bryce Johnson says while the organisation generally supports the bill’s intent, it opposes efforts to exclude Fish & Game.
“It’s a mystery why Fish & Game has been excluded. We want to be treated the same as other conservation enforcement agencies. Fish & Game is a statutory organisation under the Conservation Act and is required to enforce conservation, fisheries and game laws,” Mr Johnson says.
“We are asking Parliament to acknowledge Fish & Game staff and rangers’ efforts to protect New Zealand’s unique wildlife and change this bill so they can continue to do this valuable work,” he says.
Fish & Game fields hundreds of staff and volunteers as rangers throughout the country. Each has undergone a police check and received training similar to that given to DoC and MPI staff.
“Fish & Game’s rangers are well trained and detect hundreds of wildlife, game and environment offences every year. Already, in some regions rangers face a difficult and dangerous job and routinely have to wear stab-proof vests while on patrol,” Bryce Johnson says.
“Failure to acknowledge that will make their job harder,” he says. Bryce Johnson says the bill also fails to recognise that the police routinely work with Fish & Game.
“When working with Fish & Game, sworn police officers are deemed to be Fish & Game rangers. To specifically exclude Fish & Game rangers from the bill also excludes the police,” Mr Johnson says.
Fish & Game says the solution is straightforward.
“We are asking the select committee to change the bill so it no longer specifically excludes Fish & Game rangers from doing their job,“ Mr Johnson says.
Categories
Archive
- September 2023
- August 2023
- July 2023
- June 2023
- May 2023
- April 2023
- March 2023
- February 2023
- January 2023
- December 2022
- November 2022
- October 2022
- September 2022
- August 2022
- July 2022
- June 2022
- May 2022
- April 2022
- March 2022
- February 2022
- January 2022
- December 2021
- November 2021
- October 2021
- September 2021
- August 2021
- July 2021
- June 2021
- May 2021
- April 2021
- March 2021
- February 2021
- January 2021
- December 2020
- November 2020
- October 2020
- September 2020
- August 2020
- July 2020
- June 2020
- May 2020
- April 2020
- March 2020
- February 2020
- January 2020
- December 2019
- November 2019
- October 2019
- September 2019
- July 2019
- June 2019
- May 2019
- April 2019
- March 2019
- February 2019
- January 2019
- December 2018
- November 2018
- October 2018
- September 2018
- August 2018
- July 2018
- June 2018
- May 2018
- April 2018
- March 2018
- February 2018
- January 2018
- December 2017
- November 2017
- October 2017
- September 2017
- August 2017
- July 2017
- June 2017
- May 2017
- April 2017
- March 2017
- February 2017
- January 2017
- December 2016
- November 2016
- October 2016
- September 2016
- August 2016
- July 2016
- June 2016
- May 2016
- April 2016
- March 2016
- February 2016
- January 2016
- December 2015
- November 2015
- October 2015
- September 2015
- August 2015
- July 2015
- June 2015
- May 2015
- April 2015
- March 2015
- February 2015
- December 2013
- March 2013
- September 2012
- July 2012