Commonwealth Numbered Acts

ANTARCTIC TREATY (ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION) ACT 1980 No. 103 of 1980 - SECT 19

19. (1) A person shall not-

   (a)  kill, take, injure or otherwise interfere with a native bird or native
        mammal in the Antarctic;

   (b)  gather, collect, injure or otherwise interfere with a native plant in
        the Antarctic;

   (c)  bring into the Antarctic an animal, plant, virus, bacterium, yeast or
        fungus that is not indigenous to the Antarctic;

   (d)  enter a specially protected area;

   (e)  land or drive an aircraft, or drive a vehicle, in a
        specially protected area;

   (f)  enter a site of special scientific interest; or

   (g)  do anything in a site of special scientific interest otherwise than as
        authorized by the plan of management relating to the site.

Penalty: $2,000 or imprisonment for 12 months, or both.

(2) A person shall not, in the Antarctic-

   (a)  fly an aircraft in such a manner as to disturb a concentration of
        birds or seals;

   (b)  land or drive an aircraft, or drive a vehicle, within 200 metres of a
        concentration of birds or seals;

   (c)  detonate an explosive within 300 metres of a concentration of birds or
        seals;

   (d)  discharge a firearm within 300 metres of a concentration of birds or
        seals;

   (e)  while on foot, disturb a concentration of birds or seals during any
        period while they are breeding;

   (f)  cause or permit a dog to run free; or

   (g)  cause or permit to escape from his control or the control of any other
        person an animal, plant, virus, bacterium, yeast or fungus that is not
        indigenous to the Antarctic and has been brought into the Antarctic by
        virtue of a permit or to be used as food.

Penalty: $2,000 or imprisonment for 12 months, or both.

(3) Sub-sections (1) and (2) do not apply in relation to any action if-

   (a)  the action in question was done in a case of extreme emergency, which
        may include circumstances involving possible loss of human life or
        injury of persons or the safety of a vessel or aircraft;

   (b)  in the case of action of a kind referred to in paragraph (1) (c)-that
        the animal (not being a live domestic fowl), plant, virus, bacterium,
        yeast or fungus, as the case may be, was brought into the Antarctic to
        be used as food;

   (c)  except in the case of action of a kind referred to in paragraph (1)
        (e), (1) (g), (2) (f) or (2) (g)-that the action in question was done
        in accordance with a permit or in accordance with an
        authority of another Contracting Party; or

   (d)  in the case of action of a kind referred to in paragraph (2) (a), (2)
        (b), (2) (c) or (2) (e)-that the action in question was reasonably
        necessary for the establishment, supply or operation of a station.

(4) In this section-



"concentration" means-

   (a)  in relation to birds-an identifiable group of more than 20 birds; and

   (b)  in relation to seals-an identifiable group of more than 10 seals;



"permit", when used as a noun, includes all conditions to which a permit is
subject.