Northern Territory Consolidated Acts Northern Territory Consolidated Acts15. Releasing fish, &c., or polluting waters, &c., without permit
(1) Subject to this Act or to an instrument of a legislative or administrative character made under it a person shall not -
(a) bring into, or release in, the Territory any live aquatic life, live fish, or any live eggs, fry, spat, or larva of fish;
(b) possess or sell noxious fish or noxious aquatic life;
(c) cause or permit a shock, sound, or other vibration, whether by percussion, the use of an explosive, or otherwise, where an effect of the shock, sound, or vibration is, or may be, that fish or aquatic life is stunned, injured, killed, or detrimentally affected;
(d) use an electric fishing device; or
(e) directly or indirectly introduce, cast, place, discharge, or allow to fall, flow, or percolate or be carried by wind, tide, or current a poisonous, toxic, narcotic, noxious, or other substance (including heavy metal or solid debris) into waters of the Territory where an effect of the substance is, or may be, that fish or aquatic life are stunned, injured, killed, or detrimentally affected, or the habitats, food, or spawning grounds of fish or aquatic life are detrimentally affected,
unless the person does so under and in accordance with a permit.
Penalty:
(a) In relation to paragraphs (a) or (b) - $20,000 or imprisonment for 2 years.
(b) In relation to paragraphs (c) or (d) - For a first offence - $5,000 or imprisonment for 6 months.
For a second or subsequent offence - $10,000 or imprisonment for 12 months.
(c) In relation to paragraph (e) - $50,000 and, if the offence is a continuing one, $5,000 for every day or part of a day after the first day on which the offence has continued, or imprisonment for 2 years.
(2) Where the Director is satisfied that there are reasonable grounds for suspecting that an offence has been committed against this section, a Fisheries Officer may -
(a) search for and destroy any relevant fish or aquatic life or noxious fish or noxious aquatic life and for that purpose may take whatever action is, in the opinion of the Director, necessary or desirable;
(b) seize an electric fishing device; and
(c) take whatever action is, in the opinion of the Director, necessary or desirable to limit the consequences of the offence or to ameliorate the damage caused by the offence,
notwithstanding that the action may constitute a trespass or may cause loss or damage to property.
(3) Where a person is found guilty of an offence against this section, the court may, in addition to imposing a penalty, order the person to pay to the Director, a person authorized by the Director to receive such payments, or to any other person, such amount as the court thinks fit in respect of action taken under subsection (2) or other loss or damage.