Prohibitions

(1) No person shall import, export or process for export or domestic consumption or attempt to import, export or process for export or domestic consumption– (a) any fish or fishery product that is tainted, decomposed or unwholesome or otherwise fails to meet the requirements of these Regulations; or (b) live oysters, clams, mussels or other molluscs or raw products derived from live oysters, clams, mussels or other molluscs or raw products, whether frozen or unfrozen, unless the Managing Director, in consultation with the Minister, is satisfied on the basis of information submitted to the Authority that the waters from which such shellfish are taken and the premises in which they are handled and processed are of such a nature as will ensure that the shellfish are wholesome. 228 (2) No person shall import into Belize or attempt to import into Belize any fish unless– (a) the identity of the establishment at which the fish or fishery product is packed and the day, month and year of packing are legibly marked on one end of the carton or case in which the containers of fish or fishery products are shipped; (b) in the case of high-risk products, a list indicating the establishment and the number of containers for each production code is provided to an Inspector on request; (c) each container has a label on which the name of the country of origin is clearly identified; and (d) that person is the holder of a valid import permit; and (e) written notification of each shipment of fish or fishery product to be imported or that is imported is provided to an Inspector either prior to the importation or within 48 hours following the importation. (3) The notification referred to in subregulation (2)(e) shall set out, in respect of each shipment of fish or fishery product imported or to be imported into Belize and each type of fish or fishery product contained in that shipment– (a) the quantity; (b) the producer; (c) the country of origin; (d) the place where the fish or fishery product shall be held or stored on its entry into Belize; and (e) the name, address and telephone number of the importer importing the fish or fishery product into Belize as declared to Belize Customs, the import permit number of the importer and if applicable, of the agent providing the notification. (4) Subject to subregulation (5), no person shall move or attempt to move fish or fishery product that has been imported into Belize from the place indicated in the notification referred to in subregulation (2)(e) unless– (a) unless an Inspector determines the fish or fishery product meets the requirements of the Belize Agricultural Health Authority (Food Safety) 2001, and these Regulations; or (b) the person is notified by an Inspector that the fish or fishery product does not need to be inspected. (5) A person may, with the permission of an Inspector, move fish or fishery product that has been imported into Belize from the place indicated in the notification referred to in subregulation (2)(e) to a place specified by the Inspector. (6) No person shall import into Belize or attempt to import into Belize any canned fish unless the cans are embossed or otherwise permanently marked in a code that identifies the name of the establishment and day, month and year of processing. (7) No person shall import, process or export from Belize any of the following species230 (a) poisonous fish of the following families– (i) Tetraodontidae; (ii) Molidae; (iii) Diodontidae; (iv) Canthigasteridae; and (b) fishery products containing biotoxins such as ciguatera toxins or muscle-paralysing toxins. Self- investigation.