Belize High Seas Fisheries Unit (BHSFU)

(1) There shall be established under the Ministry of Finance a Belize High Seas Fisheries Unit with specific responsibility for the regulation and control of high seas fishing pursuant to this Act. (2) The Belize High Seas Fisheries Unit shall be headed by a Director of High Seas Fisheries who shall be appointed by the Registrar. High Seas Fishing 17 (3) The Belize High Seas Fisheries Unit shall have powers and functions to– (a) conserve, manage and sustainably develop all resources in accordance with the principles and provisions of this Act and in sub-regional, regional and international instruments to which Belize is a party, for vessels fishing on (b) establish management plans and programs to manage the resources; (c) issue licenses in accordance with this Act; (d) implement conservation and management measures taken from relevant resolutions and recommendations of those Regional Fisheries Management Organization (RFMOs) and treaties to which subscribes for Belize flagged vessels which operate on the high seas; (e) coordinate and manage fisheries monitoring, control and surveillance for Belize flagged vessels operating on the high seas; (f) appoint authorized officers and inspectors in accordance with this Act; (g) conduct summary administrative proceedings in accordance with the Sanctions Regulations to sanction any infringements made against this Act; (h) cooperate in the and management of highly migratory fish stocks as appropriate with other States and high seas areas and participate in appropriate sub- 18 regional, regional and organizations or arrangement relating to (i) participate in the planning and execution of projects, programs or other activities related to fisheries or fishing, or the exploration of the non-living resources of the high seas; (j) perform such other duties and functions as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of the high seas fisheries; and (k) perform such other duties and functions as may be necessary to carry out the purposes and provisions of this Act.