Licences now for helicopter hunting

Press, 12 April 1978, Page 2

Licences now for helicopter hunting

Wellington reporter ■ Hunting wild animals by helicopter may now be done only by licensed operators, the Minister of Forests (Mr V. S. Young) has announced. This measure is part of the Wild Animals Control Act which came into effect! on April 1. replacing the Noxious Animals Act, 1956. ! The Minister now has better control of all helicopter hunters, including those who; work over private land, by: licensing them and by hav-l mg the Forest Service issue all permits to enter Crown 1; d, including national parks. The 12-month permits will be issued only to licensed j hunters. However, licences will be issued initially to most *unters in business’ who have hunted for "some time.”

Their work would not be affected unduly, but no longterm rights would be implied. Mr Young said. After being licensed, individual hunters must obtain permits to enter land and must have legal authority to j be hunting over any land. All existing permits and! concessions will expire on July 31. and substantial! fines are laid down for breaches of the act. “Initially, there may be some delay in getting all helicopter hunters licensed. I and in issuing permits to enter Crown land.” Mr Young said. “No operator will be liable to prosecution if he applied, for a licence on or before | April 1 and has either a. written permit or the owner’s express authority to hunt on the land

“Helicopter poaching has caused some problems in the past and the penalties specified in the new act will be a strong deterrent,” Mr Young said.

Anyone caught flouting the law may now face the cancellation of all permits and licences issued to him, the confiscation of any animals taken, and a fine of up to $5OOO