Third Country Fishing (Enforcement) Order 1998 (S.I. No. 269 of 1998).

This Order, which replaces and revokes the Third Country Fishing (Enforcement) Order 1997, as amended, provides for the enforcement of certain enforceable restrictions and other obligations relating to sea fishing laid down in Community Council Regulations No. 46/98 and 48/98, which authorize fishing in certain specified areas within member states' fishery limits for specified descriptions of fish by vessels of third countries namely Norway and the Faeroe Islands, in 1998. They contain requirements concerning fishing quotas and authorized zones, methods of fishing, the holding of licences and observance of licence conditions, the keeping of log books, the making of radio reports and similar matters. The Order makes breaches of specified articles of the Community Regulations which are set out in column 1 of the Schedule to the Order, offences for the purposes of United Kingdom law where they occur within British fishery limits (art. 3). The offences created by the Order may be tried summarily or on indictment. On conviction on indictment, the master, owner and charterer, if any, of an offending vessel will be liable to an unlimited fine. On summary conviction, the master, owner and charterer (if any) will be liable to a fine not exceeding the amount specified in relation to the offence in column 4 of the Schedule. The level of the maximum summary fine in respect of offences relating to fishing without or in excess of quota, or in unauthorized waters, methods of fishing, the keeping of logbooks and the observance of licence conditions is £50,000.