Cap. 425 Art. 21Powers of fisheries protection officers and convention fisheries officers to enforce conventions.

(1) For the purpose of enforcing the provisions of any convention with respect to the conduct or safeguarding of fishing operations to which Malta is a party, a convention fisheries officer may in relation to a local fishing vessel and a fisheries protection officer may in relation to a convention fishing vessel or a foreign fishing vessel exercise anywhere within the convention area outside the fishing waters the powers under article 19:

Provided that, a fisheries protection officer and a conventions fisheries officer may also impose additional enforcement and complementary measures to safeguard the provisions of any convention.

(2) This article does not authorise a fisheries protection officer or convention fisheries officer to do anything not authorised by the convention he purports to enforce nor authorise him to exercise in relation to a vessel of a country which is a party to the convention any power which the government of that country has informed the other parties to the convention is not to be exercised in relation to its fishing vessels.

(3) Any person who on any fishing vessel within the fishing waters or on a local fishing vessel outside those waters, assaults any such officer while exercising any of the powers conferred on him under article 19 or wilfully obstructs such officer in the exercise of any of those powers, shall be guilty of an offence and shall, on conviction, be liable to a fine (multa) of not less than one thousand and two hundred euro (€1,200) but not exceeding six thousand euro (€6,000).

(4) The provisions of subarticle (3) shall apply in relation to things done on a local fishing vessel in a convention area outside the fishing waters by or in relation to a convention fisheries officer who is exercising powers to enforce the provisions of the convention relating to that area as it applies in relation to things done on any fishing vessel within those limits by or in relation to a fisheries protection officer.