Observer program

(1) An observer program shall be established by the BHSFU for the purpose of collecting and reporting reliable and accurate for scientific, management and compliance purposes including– (a) the species, quantity, size, age and condition of fish taken; (b) the methods by which, the areas in which, and the depths at which, fish are taken; (c) the effects of fishing methods on fish and the environment; (d) all aspects of the operation of any vessel; (e) processing, transportation, transshipment, storage, or disposal of any fish; and (f) any other matter that may assist the Director to obtain, analyse or verify information for the purposes of scientific, management, and compliance purposes. (2) The Director, in coordination with the observer program providers, may give directions to each observer in accordance with the purposes of the observer programme, including placing an observer on any vessel used for fishing, transshipment, and 74 the transportation and landing of fish or any other fishing related activity. (3) The management of BHSFOP may be contracted in whole or in part to any private or public organization that: (a) is willing and has the capacity to manage the (b) agrees to operate the observer program including training, certification, authorization and deployment of fisheries observers to collect data as outlined in subregulation (1) above and any other information related to and compliance with relevant conservation and management measures aboard Belize flagged vessels operating on the high seas and EEZs of other States and to perform such other functions as required by the Act; (c) under the guidance of the Director, agrees to prepare or periodically update a management plan for at sea-observations; and (d) agrees to comply with any other requirements consistent with the purposes of the observer (4) Where the BHSFOP has contracted out the management responsibility to a third party under subregulation (3), there shall be established a legally binding agreement between the BHSFU and such third party that details the duration, terms and conditions for the management of the fisheries in a specified area.