NCBBA Offers Reward for Apprehension of Deliberate Resource Closure Violations

Date: August 1, 2008
Contact: Outer Banks Group, [phone] ext: 148

In support of the National Park Service’s attempts to apprehend violators of park resource closures, Jim Keene, President of North Carolina Beach Buggy Association (NCBBA) announced today that his organization is offering a $1000.00 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of any person/s involved in a deliberate act of vandalism in a resource protection area within the jurisdiction of Cape Hatteras National Seashore. This reward stands from now until November 15 or until all turtle nests have been hatched.

The temporary resource protection areas are established to protect beach nesting bird nests, unfledged chicks and sea turtles nests until the breeding cycle has been completed. Posted areas are closed to vehicles, pedestrians and pets. Incidents involved in multiple federal criminal violations of NPS regulations, including illegal vehicle use, entering a closed area, and the destruction of eggs, carries a potential penalty of up to $5,000.00 fine and six months imprisonment, plus seizure and forfeiture of all equipment, vehicles, and other means of transportation used when engaged in the violation. In addition, the destruction of a migratory bird nest/egg is a criminal offense under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, 16 USC § 707(a) (Section 6(a), which carries a potential penalty of up to $15,000.00 fine and six months imprisonment, plus seizure and forfeiture of all equipment, vehicles, and other means of transportation used when engaged in the violation.

Anyone with information leading to the identification or arrest should please call the Dare County Crime Line, available 24 hours a day, at 1-800-745-2746. Violations of park regulations, including entry into a resource protection closure, are federal criminal violations, each subject to up to a $5,000.00 fine and up to six months imprisonment.

Under the Consent Decree beach driving is prohibited from 10:00 p.m. until 6 a.m. from May 1 to November, to increase the chances of successful sea turtle nesting.

-NPS-