Investigation of breaches and non-compliance

(1) The Director shall investigate the fishing and related activities of any Belize flagged fishing vessel operating on the high seas to which this Part applies, if– (a) a complaint is made to the Director concerning a Belize Flagged vessel by a person responsible for the implementation and enforcement of any international treaty; or (b) a complaint is received from the competent authority of any other flag State; or 34 (c) the Director has any other reason to believe that a breach of any condition of an international authorization to fish under this Part may have been committed by a vessel to which this Part applies. (2) The Director shall notify the master, owner and operator of any vessel under investigation that the Director is conducting an investigation into the fishing related activities of that vessel, and the master, owner and charterer shall each– (a) provide such data and documentation as is required by the Director; (b) answer such specific questions as are put to by the Director concerning the fishing or related activities of the vessel under investigation; and (c) cooperate with an investigator authorized by the Director in relation to the investigation, and permit the investigator to have full access to all records and to the crew of the vessel for questioning. (3) A master, owner or operator who fails to comply with sub-section (2) or who otherwise obstructs an investigation under this section is guilty of an offence punishable in accordance with the Sanction Regulations. (4) Any person other than those listed in sub-section (3) who obstructs an investigation under this section is guilty of an offence and is liable to the imposition of penalties in accordance with the Sanction Regulations. (5) For the purpose of conducting an investigation under this section, the Director may authorize any person to conduct the investigation on his behalf and in such a case the authorized High Seas Fishing 35 person may exercise all powers of the Director under this section. (6) The report of any investigation conducted under this Part shall be provided by the Director to– (a) the Registrar; (b) the Senior Deputy Registrar of the International Merchant Marine Registry of Belize, and (c) the master, owner and operator of the vessel under investigation.