Please explain
Two men face charges and fines of more than $27,000 after allegedly collecting bones from a dead whale on a Mornington Peninsula beach.
Wildlife officers have recovered about 10 bones believed to have been removed from a dead blue whale that washed up near Cyril’s Beach at Flinders in the Mornington Peninsula National Park.
I understand the law that stops people interfering with human remains but whales?
Why whales?
Can anyone educate me?
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Probaby because they didn’t ring the hotline –
http://www.dse.vic.gov.au/DSE/dsencor.nsf/LinkView/2CE4E4ABAC247B92CA2576550003EB5B250370F0D4508518CA256F040021E0EB
It could have been worse –
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exploding_whale
I think your link to DSE refers to distressed more than dead whales as it is an emergency line notification.
Victorian Wildlife Act of 1975 has specific requirements in relation to whales. Big dollar fines involved if whale killed or interfered with in contravention of those requirements. An offence to have parts or produce from whale killed in contravention of laws.
If the whale was not killed in contravention of the law ie beached and dead upon arrival, there are still specific requirements in relation to reporting and if not complied with then still an offence.
If one took samples the appropriate scientific body oversees what takes place. If the death is not illegal then the fines are much less.
Ignorance may be bliss but is still not regarded as an excuse.
As everyone knows there are thousands and thousands of laws, and regulations pertaining to those laws, that we all know verbatim and comply with. It will be interesting to see the outcome.
Hi Kev
Check your emails, a get together on either Monday Nite or Tuesday Nite as MarkL’s coming up from the cold south.
Possibly to do with the 1970’s legislation restricting trade in whale products. Pity in a way as scrimshaw has vanished as an art form when a dead whale really does not care what is done with its bones.