Obstruction of fisheries officers or observers

Every person who– (a) fails to facilitate by all reasonable means the safe boarding of a vessel or the entry into or inspection of premises by a fishery officer or an observer in the performance of his duties; (b) refuses to allow a search to be made that is authorized by or under the Act; (c) refuses, fails or neglects to comply with a lawful request of a fishery officer or observer; (d) when lawfully required to state his name and place of abode to a fishery officer, refuses or fails to do so or states a false name and place of abode to the fishery officer or observer; (e) when lawfully required by a fishery officer or to give gives information which to his knowledge is false, incorrect or misleading in any material respect; (f) uses abusive or threatening language or insulting gestures or behaves in a threatening No. 39] High Seas Fishing 13 Obstruction or insulting manner towards a fishery officer or observer who is carrying out his duties or exercising his powers under the Act, or towards any person lawfully acting under a fishery officer’s instructions or in his aid; (g) assaults, delays, intimidates, kidnaps, or obstructs a fishery officer or observer who is 80 carrying out his duties or exercising his powers under the Act, or any person lawfully acting under a fishery officer’s instructions or in his aid; (h) incites or encourages another person to assault, resist, intimidate or obstruct a fishery officer or observer who is carrying out his duties or exercising his powers under the Act, or any person lawfully acting under a fishery officer’s instructions or in his aid; (i) fails to take all reasonable measures to ensure the safety of, or otherwise interferes with, a fishery officer or observer as appropriate in the performance of his duties or fails to embark or disembark an observer at the required time or in the required place; (j) impersonates or falsely represents himself to be a fishery officer, or to be a person lawfully acting under a fishery officer’s instructions or in his aid; (k) fails to sail a seized vessel to the nearest port if directed to do so by a fishery officer and fails to take responsibility for the safety of all those on board; (l) in any other manner obstructs or hinders a fishery officer or observer in the exercise of his powers, duties or functions under the Act; or (m) is in breach of any other duty to a fishery officer or observer as required; Commits an offence. 81