162 Environmental management offences

Environmental management offences include breaches of regulations aimed at the protection of the natural environment, other than those relating to pollution. It also includes offences relating to the regulation of the agriculture, fishing, and forestry industries.

Fishing offences include commercial and non-commercial fishing or trawling offences. Regulations may vary by location and include provisions for traditional fishing activities, such as for First Nations peoples.

• Breach commercial fishing or trawling regulations
• Breach size or species fishing regulations
• Exceed fishing quotas
• Fish in closed waters or a conservation zone
• Fishing licence offences
• Foreign boats fishing unlawfully
• Other fishing offences

• Aquaculture offences – coded to 1629 Environmental management offences, nec
• Kill or harm a threatened species or ecological community – coded to 1622 Parks and wildlife offences

Parks and wildlife offences include regulatory offences relating to the management of state parks, national parks, or other crown land, conservation of natural environments, protection of flora and fauna, and management of wildlife. 

This group excludes offences relating to the management of waterways or marine environments, except for the protection of flora and fauna within those environments.

• Breach hunting or poaching legislation, excluding fishing offences
• Breach regulation applying to zoos and sanctuaries that does not constitute animal cruelty
• Breach the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species
• Camp in an area where this is not permitted
• Disobey rules of parks or Crown land
• Flora and fauna offences
• Invasive animal control regulatory offences
• Keep a prohibited species as a pet
• Keep wildlife as a pet without a licence
• Kill wildlife without the required permit or licence
• Unlawful capture or taking of an animal
• Unlawful damage or destruction of protected plants, animals, ecosystems, or habitats
• Unlawful trafficking of protected animals or their parts, such as ivory, pelts, or shells, into or out of Australia or New Zealand
• Other parks and wildlife offences

• Agriculture regulatory offences other than related to pollution – coded to 1629 Environmental management offences, nec
• Breach domestic animal registration offences – coded to 1722 Pet registration and management offences
• Harm or kill an animal, other than unlawful hunting, poaching, capture, or taking – coded to 1630 Animal cruelty
• Misuse of a hunting weapon – coded to 1043 Misuse of regulated weapons or explosives
• Offences relating to the pollution of waterways or oceans – coded to 1612 Water and land pollution offences

Littering offences include the unlawful disposal of personal litter (including cigarette butts), household rubbish, or the unlawful leavings of objects such as bags of rubbish, damaged vehicles, or other objects.

It excludes commercial disposal of a liquid, gas, or hazardous materials.

• Drop or throw litter from a vehicle
• Drop, throw, or leave litter on the ground
• Drop, throw, or leave small items that may cause harm, such as cigarette butts or syringes, except where they cause human injury or breach fire safety regulations
• Dump rubbish on public or private land
• Leave objects including vehicles on public land, or in bodies of water
• Other littering offences

• Aggravated littering causing physical harm, excluding fire – coded to 0499 Harm or endanger persons, nec
• Commercial disposal of hazardous materials in an unlawful way – coded to 1234 Hazardous substances offences
• Drop a cigarette butt, match, or similar, where the offence breaches fire safety regulations – coded to 1629 Environmental management offences, nec
• Pollution of soil or groundwater – coded to 1612 Water and land pollution offences
• Unlawful disposal of a liquid – coded to 1612 Water and land pollution offences

This group includes any other environmental management offences not elsewhere classified.

• Aquaculture, agriculture, and forestry regulatory offences
• Breach livestock regulation offences, except animal cruelty offences
• Fail to safely contain livestock
• Fire safety regulatory offences, such as using a barbeque on a fire ban day, or leaving a campfire unattended
• Other environmental management offences not elsewhere classified

• Corporate offences with an environmental impact – coded to 1699 Environmental offences, nec
• Intentionally start a bushfire – coded to 1112 Bushfire arson