Duties of Authorized Observers

(1) Any person on board a vessel that is the subject of a licence or authorization under this Act shall permit an Observer to board and remain on the vessel for the purpose of carrying out his duties and functions. (2) The operator and each member of the crew of a vessel shall allow and assist any observer to– (a) board the vessel for scientific, compliance monitoring and other functions at such time and place as the Director may require; and (b) have full access to and the use of facilities and equipment on board the vessel which the observer may determine is necessary to carry out his duties, including: (i) access to the bridge, navigation charts, fish on board and to areas which may be used to hold, process, weigh and store fish; (ii) access to the vessel’s including its logbooks and documentation, for the purpose of records inspection and copying; and (iii) access to fishing gear on board; and (iv) reasonable access to navigation equipment and radios; (c) take and remove from the vessel samples and relevant information; High Seas Fishing 43 (d) take photographs of the fishing operations, including of charts, records, fish, fishing gear and equipment and remove from the vessel such photographs or film; (e) carry out all duties safely; and (f) disembark at such time and place as may be determined by the Director, or in accordance with an access agreement. (3) The operator must provide the Observer with food, accommodation and medical facilities accorded to an officer of the vessel for the time that the observer is on board and at no cost. (4) In addition to the requirements under subsection (3) the operator shall pay in full the following costs of the Observer– (a) full travel costs to and from the vessel; and (b) the salary set by the Director; and (c) insurance cover as required by the Director. (5) An operator of a vessel licensed as a Belize flagged fishing vessel or the subject of an international authorization to fish issued under this Act shall allow and assist an observer to have full access to any place where fish are unloaded or trans- shipped and shall permit the observer to remove samples and to gather information relating to the fishing and related activities of the vessel.