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Hauraki Gulf / Tīkapa Moana Marine Protection Act 2025

Permits, enforcement, and regulations for protected areas - Monitoring and enforcement - Appointment and powers of rangers

47: Powers of entry, search, and seizure

You could also call this:

"Rangers can stop and search you if they think you've broken a marine protection rule"

Illustration for Hauraki Gulf / Tīkapa Moana Marine Protection Act 2025

You can be stopped and searched by a ranger if they think you have broken a rule in the Hauraki Gulf / Tīkapa Moana Marine Protection Act 2025. The ranger can look at your vehicle, vessel, aircraft, or structure and open any parcels or packages you have. They can do this if they have a good reason to think you have broken a rule. You might have something taken away from you by a ranger if they think it was used to break a rule or is evidence of a broken rule. This could be a vessel, vehicle, or any other item. The ranger must have a good reason to think this. When a ranger stops and searches you, they must follow certain rules from the Search and Surveillance Act 2012, except for subpart 3. This means they have to do things in a certain way. The rules help keep you safe.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=LMS882843.

Topics:
Environment and resources > ConservationCrime and justice > Police and safety
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46: Power to question persons and require production of documents, or

"Rangers can ask you questions and look at your documents to check if you're following the marine protection rules"

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48: Powers to seize and release or dispose of fish, aquatic life, seaweed, or natural material, or

"Rangers can take and deal with fish, seaweed, or other things taken from protected areas illegally"

Part 3Permits, enforcement, and regulations for protected areas
Monitoring and enforcement: Appointment and powers of rangers

47Powers of entry, search, and seizure

  1. A ranger may exercise the powers in this section if the ranger believes, on reasonable grounds, that a person is committing, or has committed, an offence under this Act.

  2. The ranger may—

  3. stop, enter, and search any vehicle, vessel, aircraft, or structure in the control of the person; and
    1. open and search any parcel, package, container, or luggage in the control of the person.

      1. The ranger may seize any item, document, or thing (including a vessel or vehicle) that the ranger believes, on reasonable grounds,—

      2. is being or has been used in the commission of an offence under this Act; or
        1. is evidence of the commission of an offence under this Act.

          1. The provisions of Part 4 of the Search and Surveillance Act 2012 (except subpart 3) apply to the exercise of powers under this section.