Plain language law

New Zealand law explained for everyone

Wildlife Act 1953

General provisions

54: Director-General may authorise hunting or killing of wildlife causing damage

You could also call this:

"Director-General can allow hunting or killing of animals that are causing harm"

The Director-General can let someone hunt or kill animals that are causing damage to people, land, or other animals. You might be allowed to do this if the Director-General thinks the animals are causing harm or might cause harm in the future. The Director-General will give you written permission to hunt or kill the animals, and they can say what conditions you must follow and for how long you can do it.

If the Director-General gives permission to the person who owns the land, that person can get someone else to do the hunting or killing for them. The Director-General can also give permission to a Fish and Game Council to hunt or kill game animals. Some rules from section 53 also apply to the permissions given under this section.

The Director-General's permission can include catching animals alive or taking and destroying their eggs, as long as it is for a specific purpose. You must follow the conditions and time limits set by the Director-General when you are hunting or killing animals under this permission.

This text is automatically generated. It might be out of date or be missing some parts. Find out more about how we do this.

This page was last updated on

View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM277897.

Topics:
Environment and resources > Conservation
Previous

53C: Conditions that may be imposed on authority under section 53 to kill wildlife incidentally, or

"Rules for accidentally killing wildlife when you have permission"

Next

55: Keeping of specimens in museums, or

"Museums can keep protected dead animals if they follow the rules and keep good records."

Part 5General provisions

54Director-General may authorise hunting or killing of wildlife causing damage

  1. The Director-General, on being satisfied that injury or damage to any person or to any land or to any stock or crops or to any chattel or to other wildlife has arisen or is likely to arise through the presence on any land of any animals (whether absolutely protected or not), and whether or not the land is a wildlife refuge or a closed game area, may authorise in writing the occupier of the land, or any officer or servant of the Department, or any other person, to hunt or kill, or cause to be hunted or killed, or to catch alive for any specified purpose any such animals, or to take or destroy the eggs of any such animals, subject to such conditions and during such period as may be specified in the authority.

  2. Where any authority is given under this section to the occupier of any land, that authority may be exercised on his behalf by any person in the employ of or acting with the written authority of the occupier.

  3. The Director-General may give to any Fish and Game Council any written authority that may be given under subsection (1) in respect of game.

  4. The provisions of subsections (4), (6), and (7) of section 53 shall apply with respect to any authority granted under this section.

Compare
  • 1921–22 No 57 s 32
Notes
  • Section 54 heading: amended, on , by section 65(1) of the Conservation Act 1987 (1987 No 65).
  • Section 54(1): amended, on , by section 81(1) of the Conservation Law Reform Act 1990 (1990 No 31).
  • Section 54(1): amended, on , by section 65(1) of the Conservation Act 1987 (1987 No 65).
  • Section 54(1): amended, on , by section 8(2)(a) of the Wildlife Amendment Act 1964 (1964 No 63).
  • Section 54(1): amended (with effect on 1 April 1956), on , by section 2(4)(a) of the Wildlife Amendment Act 1956 (1956 No 5).
  • Section 54(1): amended (with effect on 1 April 1956), on , by section 2(4)(b) of the Wildlife Amendment Act 1956 (1956 No 5).
  • Section 54(1A): inserted, on , by section 8(1) of the Wildlife Amendment Act 1964 (1964 No 63).
  • Section 54(2): replaced, on , by section 81(2) of the Conservation Law Reform Act 1990 (1990 No 31).
  • Section 54(3): inserted, on , by section 81(2) of the Conservation Law Reform Act 1990 (1990 No 31).