Powers of entry and search

(1) In the course of the enforcement and administration of this Act, a Fisheries Officer, at any time may– (a) stop, enter, board or examine any vessel or vehicle, or enter and examine any premises or place, or examine any record, document, article, and any gear, apparatus, device, or contents of any kind therein; (b) stop a person and examine any record, document, article, container, gear, apparatus, device, or fish in the possession of that person; (c) pass across any land; or (d) board, and inspect any fishing vessel in any port located in Belize. (2) If a Fisheries Officer suspects, on reasonable grounds that– (a) an offence is being or has been committed against this Act; and (b) concealed or located or held in any vessel, vehicle, conveyance of any kind, premises, place, parcel, package, record, or thingFisheries Resources [CAP. 210 53 (i) any fish taken or object used or intended to be used in contravention of this Act; (ii) any record or information required by or under this Act to be kept, completed, or provided; or (iii) any article, record, document, or item which there is reasonable ground to believe will be evidence as to the commission of an offence against this Act, then, for the purpose of the enforcement of this Act, he may at any reasonable time enter or pass across any land in order to enter, examine, and search any such premises or place, or any such vessel, vehicle, or conveyance of any kind (by stopping or opening where necessary), and may examine and search (by stopping or opening where necessary) any such parcel, package, record, or thing. (3) A Fisheries Officer may detain a person, vessel, vehicle, conveyance of any kind, parcel, package, record, document, article, gear, apparatus, device, container, fish, or object for such period as is reasonably necessary to enable the fishery officer to carry out an examination or search under this section, Provided that where an examination or search is to be carried out over a period of days, the Fisheries Administrator shall ensure that the vessel, vehicle, conveyance of any kind, parcel, package, record, document, article, gear, apparatus, device, container, fish, or object is secured and preserved, as the case may be.