Antarctic Act 2013

9 General exclusions

Excluded persons

(1) Nothing in this Part imposes any criminal or civil liability on an individual who organises activities—

(a) as the employee of another person;

(b) in the course of service as a member of the regular forces;

(c) in the course of service or undertaking training or duties as a member of the reserve forces.

(2) In subsection (1), “regular forces” and “reserve forces” have the same meaning as in the Armed Forces Act 2006 (see section 374 of that Act).

Excluded activities

(3) In this Act, references to activities do not include—

(a) the activity of fishing for profit, or

(b) activities carried out or to be carried out in Antarctica on a vessel or aircraft travelling to an immediate destination outside Antarctica.

(4) In subsection (3)(b) “vessel” has the same meaning as in the Antarctic Act 1994 (see section 31(1) of that Act).

Excluded emergencies

(5) A person is not guilty of an offence under section 1, or liable under section 2 or 3, in relation to an environmental emergency caused by—

(a) an act or omission necessary to protect human life or safety;

(b) a natural disaster, where the person had complied with the requirements of section 5(2) (preventative measures) in relation to disasters of that description;

(c) an act of terrorism;

(d) an act of belligerency against the activities of the person;

(e) action which was itself reasonable response action relating to a prior environmental emergency.