Appointment of Authorized Officers and Inspectors

(1) The Director shall appoint in writing a person or class of persons as authorized for the purpose of enforcing this Act and such persons shall exercise all powers and privileges accorded by this Act. 38 (2) For all surveillance and enforcement duties and obligations or any other duties provided under this Act, except any duties arising from the licensing and reporting requirements of this Act, general safety inspectors of IMMARBE shall be deemed to be authorized officers for the purpose of safety inspection of the vessel only. (3) The Director may appoint any person with the exception of any ship owner, charterer, beneficial owner, operator or crew of any Belize high seas fishing vessel, to be authorized officer for the purposes of the implementation of this Act and in doing so may determine the scope of their authority and duties. (4) Any person or class of persons appointed as authorized officers, inspectors or observers in accordance with a fisheries management agreement or similar cooperative arrangement to which Belize is a party, who is not a citizen of Belize or has not been appointed in accordance with subsection (1), shall have such rights and privileges as may be necessary for the performance of his duties as authorized officer(s), under this Act.