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DOC accepts marine reserve incident “genuine mistake”
Media release
18/1/12
DOC accepts marine
reserve incident “genuine mistake”
The Department
of Conservation has decided not to lay charges against a
group of prison inmates on a rehabilitation programme who
took seafood from a marine reserve.
DOC has completed
its inquiries into the incident involving inmates on a
Department of Corrections rehabilitation programme who were
directed to dive in the Te Angiangi Marine Reserve by their
supervisor.
DOC’s Wellington Hawke’s Bay
Conservator Alan McKenzie says the department takes
protection of marine reserves very seriously and offenders
can face up to three months in prison or fines of $10
000.
“We treat each case on its merits and our
investigations have revealed that in this case the leader of
the party has made a genuine mistake by directing the group
into the reserve.”
“It is clear the members of the
party did not deliberately set out to breach the reserve and
all the seafood taken was returned.”
The programme
provider has formally apologised for the incident and the
group involved will be returning to the reserve to help with
DOC’s work at the site.
Mr McKenzie says DOC has
also agreed to work with Corrections staff to ensure the
location and significance of marine reserves is included in
future
programmes.
ends
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