DOC clamps down on illegal commercial activity in Abel Tasman National Park
Media contacts:
DOC Motueka Area Manager, Martin Rodd, +64 3 528 1810;
Trish Grant, DOC Nelson/Marlborough communications advisor, +64 3 546 3146
Date: 11 December 2008
The Department of Conservation is clamping down on illegal commercial activity in the Abel Tasman National Park this summer with two unauthorised walking tours already discovered in the park in the past month.
The two walking parties were with tour companies that did not have the necessary DOC concession to commercially operate in the park. The companies and their clients were from Europe. A concession is required for all commercial activity on public conservation land.
DOC Motueka Area Manager Martin Rodd said the main illegal commercial activity in the park was with commercial organisations taking clients on walking trips without a concession.
"The concessions system ensures that only approved commercial activity is taking place, concessionaires meet certain standards to ensure that impacts on the national park values are avoided and they have approved safety plans in place for the safety of their clients.
"To manage visitor pressures on the park's busy coastal areas we have introduced limits on commercial activities through the new Abel Tasman National Park Management Plan. This includes a limit on the maximum total number of commercial trips that can be made in the park at any time with each concessionaire given a specific limit on the maximum level of commercial activity their company can undertake. These limits are based around ensuring that the Abel Tasman remains an outstanding visitor destination well in to the future.
"Carrying out commercial activities without a concession is not a level playing field for the professional tourism concessionaires we already have operating in the park. It is also not playing fair with other park visitors, whose visitor experience can be spoiled by additional unauthorised commercial activity. Lastly it is also not being fair with the New Zealand public as concession fees go back into Government funds to ultimately assist in the funding of conservation work nationally.
"We will be monitoring commercial activities in Abel Tasman National Park over summer and looking out for any companies illegally operating there. We will certainly be treating any alleged illegal activity seriously which can include prosecution. Maximum penalties for such offences can include tour leaders being fined up to $10,000 or jailed for up to a year. Companies can face a fine of up to $80,000 and up to $10,000 for every day the offence continues.
"The two companies found illegally operating in the park to date appear to have known that a concession is required. They have tried to flout the requirement for guided walking groups to have a concession with ploys that seek to give the appearance the tour leader or guide is not accompanying the group. This is not a quality experience for anyone, particularly the visitor."
The new Abel Tasman National Park Management Plan, which came into effect in October this year, sets a limit of a total maximum 50 guided walking trips per day in the park.