Ed. 1978
(also in ed. 1985)
AN ACT TO MAKE PROVISION FOR THE DEMARCATION OF THE MARINE SPACES
APPERTAINING TO FIJI, DECLARING THE RIGHTS OF FIJI IN RELATION THERETO; TO REGULATE THE
EXPLOITATION OF THE RESOURCES THEREOF AND OTHER ACTIVITIES THEREIN AND TO MAKE FURTHER
PROVISION FOR THE REGULATION OF FISHING
[21st April, 1978]
PART I-PRELIMINARY
Short title
1. This Act may be cited as the Marine Spaces Act.
Interpretation
2.-(1) In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires-
"archipelagic waters" means the archipelagic water of Fiji, as defined in
section 4;
"baseline" means the line from which the width of the territorial sea is
measured;
"conservation and management" includes all rules, regulations, methods and
measures which are-
(a) required to rebuild, restore or maintain, or which are useful in rebuilding,
restoring or maintaining, any fishery resource or the marine environment; and
(b) designed to assure that-
(i) a supply of food and other products may be taken, and that recreational benefits
may be obtained, on a continuing basis;
(ii) irreversible or long-term adverse effects on fishery resources or the marine
environment are avoided; and
(iii) there will be a multiplicity of options available with respect to future uses of
these resources;
"exclusive economic zone" means the exclusive zone of Fiji as defined in
section 6;
"Fiji archipelago" means all islands forming part of Fiji, other than the
Island of Rotuma and its Dependencies and the island of Ceva-i-Ra;
"Fiji fisheries waters" means all waters appertaining to Fiji and includes
all internal waters, archipelagic waters, territorial seas and all waters within the
exclusive economic zone;
"Fiji fishing vessel" means any fishing vessel which is registered in Fiji or
the operations of which are based on a place in Fiji and which is wholly owned by,
or is under exclusive charter to, a natural person who is a resident of, or a company
incorporated in, Fiji;
"fish" includes all forms of aquatic animal life except sedentary species as
described in paragraph (b) of the definition of "natural resources" in section 2
of the Continental Shelf Act;
(Cap. 149.)
"fishery" means any one or more stocks of fish and plant which can be
treated as a unit for the purposes of conservation and management and which are identified
on the basis of geographical, scientific, technical, recreational and economic
characteristics, and includes any fishing for any such stocks;
Amended by 15 of 1978, s. 2)
"fishery resource" means any fishery, any stock of fish, any species of
fish and any habitat of fish;
"fishing" means the catching, taking or harvesting of fish, including any,
operations at sea in support of, or in preparation for, any such activity;
"fishing vessel" means any boat, craft, ship or other vessel which is used
for, equipped to be used for, or of a type normally used for-
(a) fishing; or
(b) aiding or assisting any other boat, craft, ship or vessel at sea in the performance
of any activity relating to fishing, including, but not limited to, preparation,
processing, refrigeration, storage, supply or transportation;
"foreign fishing vessel" means any fishing vessel other than a Fiji fishing
vessel;
"internal waters" means the internal waters of Fiji, as defined in section 3;
"island" means a naturally formed area of land which is surrounded by and
above water at mean high-water spring tides;
"licensee" means the holder of a licence issued under the provisions of
section 14;
"low-water line" means the line of low water at mean low-water spring tides
as depicted on the largest scale nautical chart of the area produced by any authority and
for the time being held and used by the Minister responsible for marine affairs;
"master", in the case of any fishing vessel, means the person for the time
being having charge of that vessel;
"mile" means the international nautical mile of one thousand eight hundred
and fifty-two metres as depicted on official charts;
(Amended by 15 of 1978, s. 2.)
"Minister" means the Minister responsible for fisheries matters;
"owner", in relation to a fishing vessel, means any person or body of persons
whether incorporated or not by whom the vessel is owned and includes any charterer,
sub-charterer, lessee or sub-lessee of the vessel;
"Rotuma archipelago" means the island of Rotuma and its dependencies;
"stock of fish" means a species, sub-species, geographical grouping or other
category of fish which can be treated as a unit;
"territorial seas" means the territorial seas of Fiji as defined in section 5;
"total allowable catch", with respect to the yield from any fishery, means
the amount of fish that will produce from the fishery the maximum sustainable yield, as
qualified by any relevant economic or environmental factors and taking into account
fishing patterns, the interdependence of stocks of fish, and any generally recommended
sub-regional, regional, or global standards.
(2) For the purposes of this Act, permanent harbour works that form an integral part of
a harbour system shall be treated as forming part of the coast.
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PART II-MARINE SPACES
Internal waters
3.-(1) Except where closing lines are drawn under the provisions of subsection (2)
the outer limits of the internal waters of Fiji shall be a line drawn along the low-water
line of the coast of each island, provided nevertheless that in the case of islands
situated on atolls or islands having fringing reefs the line shall be drawn along the
seaward low-water line of the reef.
(2) The Minister responsible for Foreign Affairs may, in accordance with the rules of
international law, declare, by reference to physical features marked on official charts or
to lists of geographical co-ordinates specifying the geodetic datum, the points between
which closing lines are to be drawn for the purpose of determining the outer limits of the
internal waters of Fiji in the case of mouths of rivers, bays and permanent harbour works.
(3) Where closing lines are drawn under the provisions of subsection (2) the internal
waters of Fiji shall include all waters on the landward side of those closing lines.
Archipelagic waters
4.-(1) The archipelagic waters of Fiji comprise all areas of sea contained within
the baselines established under the provisions of this section.
(2) The Minister responsible for Foreign Affairs, in accordance with the rules of
international law may by order declare, by reference to physical features marked on
official charts or to lists of geographical co-ordinates specifying the geodetic datum,
the points between which straight baselines are to be drawn for the purpose of determining
the outermost limits of the archipelagic waters of Fiji and the innermost limits of the
territorial sea of the Fiji archipelago and the Rotuma archipelago.
(Amended by 15 of 1978, s. 3.)
Territorial seas
5.-(1) The territorial seas of Fiji comprise all areas of sea having as
their innermost limits the baselines established under the provisions of this section and
as their outermost limits a line measured seaward from those baselines every point of
which is at a distance of twelve miles from the nearest point of the baselines.
(2) Where archipelagic baselines are drawn under the provisions of section 4,
those baselines shall be the baselines from which the breadth of the territorial sea of
the Fiji archipelago and the Rotuma archipelago shall be measured.
(Amended by 15 of 1978, s. 5.)
(3) In all other cases the baseline from which the breadth of the territorial sea is
measured is the line determining the outer limits of the internal waters of Fiji drawn
under the provisions of section 3.
Exclusive economic zone
6.-(1) Subject to the following provisions of this section, the exclusive
economic zone of Fiji comprises all areas of sea having, as their innermost limits the
outermost limits of the territorial seas, and, as their outermost limits, a line
drawn seaward from the baselines every point of which is at a distance of 200 miles
from the nearest point of the appropriate baseline.
(2) The Minister responsible for Foreign Affairs may by order, for the purpose of
implementing any international agreement or the award of any international body, or
other-wise, declare that the outer limits of the exclusive economic zone of Fiji extend to
such line, any point of which may be at a distance of less than 200 miles from the nearest
point of the appropriate baseline, as may be specified in such order.
(3) Where the median line, as defined in subsection (4), is less than 200 miles from
the nearest baseline, and no other line is for the time being specified under the
provisions of subsection (2), the outer limits of the exclusive economic zone of Fiji
extend to the median line.
(4) The median line is a line every point of which is equidistant from the nearest
points of the baselines from which the breadth of the territorial seas of Fiji and of any
opposite or adjacent State or territory are measured.
Continental Shelf Act to apply
7. All areas of seabed and the subsoil thereof contained within the exclusive
economic zone of Fiji are deemed to form part of the continental shelf of Fiji for the
purposes of the Continental Shelf Act, and to be subject to the provisions of that Act as
if they were areas designated under the provisions of subsection (2) of section 3
of that Act.
(Cap. 149.)
Charts and publicity
8.-(1) The Minister responsible for Foreign Affairs shall cause all closing lines,
baselines and other lines drawn under the provisions of this Act for the purpose of
determining the limits of the internal waters, territorial seas and exclusive economic
zone of Fiji to be clearly indicated on charts of a scale or scales adequate for them to
be readily determined and shall give due publicity to such charts by notice in the Gazette
and shall cause a copy of each such chart to be deposited with the Secretary-General of
the United Nations.
(2) In any proceedings in any court, a certificate purporting to be signed by the
Director of Marine that any specified nautical chart of any area is the largest scale
nautical chart of that area produced by any authority and for the time being held by the
Minister responsible for marine affairs shall be admissible in evidence of the matters
stated in the certificate.
Legal character of marine spaces
9.-(1) The sovereignty of Fiji extends beyond its land territory and internal
waters over its archipelagic waters and territorial seas and to the airspace thereover as
well as to the seabed and subsoil thereunder.
(2) Within the exclusive economic zone Fiji has sovereign rights for the purpose of
exploring and exploiting, conserving and managing the natural resources, whether living or
non-living of the seabed and subsoil and the superjacent waters.
(3) The exercise by Fiji of its sovereignty and sovereign rights under the provisions
of this section is subject to the rules of international law.
Rights of other States in marine spaces
10.-(1) Subject to the provisions of subsections (2), (3), (4) and (5), ships and
aircraft of all States shall, in accordance with the rules of international law,
have the right of innocent passage through and over the territorial seas and
archipelagic waters.
(2) The Minister responsible for Foreign Affairs may, in accordance with the rules of
international law, by order, designate sealanes and air routes, suitable for the
continuous and expeditious passage of foreign ships and aircraft, through and over the
archipelagic waters and the adjacent territorial seas, and may also prescribe traffic
separation schemes for the purpose of ensuring the safe passage of ships through narrow
channels in such sealanes.
(3) In such sealanes and air routes all ships and aircraft may, in accordance with the
rules of international law, enjoy the right of navigation and overflight, in their normal
modes, for the purpose of continuous, expeditious and unobstructed transit through and
over the archipelagic waters and the adjacent territorial seas, from one part of the
exclusive economic zone to another part of the exclusive economic zone.
(4) Until such time as sealanes or air routes are designated under the provisions of
subsection (2) the rights of navigation and overflight referred to in subsection (3) may
be exercised through and over all routes normally used for international navigation and
overflight.
(5) The rights of navigation and overflight referred to in subsection (3) are subject
to all laws of Fiji made in accordance with the rules of international law.
(6) Subject to the provisions of this Act and of any other written law made in
accordance with the relevant rules of international law, all States and their nationals
shall enjoy, in the exclusive economic zone, the high seas freedom of navigation and
overflight and of the laying of submarine cables and pipelines, and all other
internationally lawful uses of the sea related to those freedoms, compatible with the
rules of international law.
General regulations in exclusive economic zone
11. Where no other provision is for the time being made in any other written law
for any such purpose, the Minister responsible for Foreign Affairs may make regulations,
in accordance with the rules of international law, for all or any of the following
purposes:-
(a) regulating the conduct of scientific research within the exclusive economic zone;
(b) regulating the exploration and exploitation of the exclusive economic zone for the
production of energy from the waters, currents and winds, and for other economic purposes;
(c) regulating the construction, operation and use of artificial islands, installations
and structures within the exclusive economic zone, including, but not confined to, the
establishment of safety zones around islands, installations and structures;
(d) prescribing measures for the protection and preservation of the marine environment
of the exclusive economic zone; and
(e) providing for such other matters as are necessary or expedient to give
effect to Fiji's rights and obligations in relation to the exclusive economic zone
or are necessary to give full effect to the provisions of this Act, other than matters in
respect of which regulations may be made under the provisions of section 22.
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PART III-MANAGEMENT AND CONSERVATION OF FISHERIES
Application of Fisheries Act
12.-(1) The archipelagic waters and the waters comprised in the exclusive economic
zone shall be part of Fiji fisheries waters as defined in subsection (1) of section 2
of the Fisheries Act and, subject to the provisions of subsection (2), the provisions of
that Act shall apply accordingly within the archipelagic waters and the exclusive economic
zone.
(Cap. 158.)
(2) Notwithstanding any other provision in this section or in the Fisheries Act the
provisions of that Act relating to the obtaining of licences to take fish or to the
registration of fishing vessels shall not apply to the fishing activities of foreign
fishing vessels or their crews in the exclusive economic zone.
(Cap. 158)
Calculation and apportionment of allowable catch by foreign fishing
vessels
13.-(1) The Minister shall from time to time determine on the basis of the best
available information-
(a) the total allowable catch in respect of every fishery within the exclusive economic
zone; and
(b) the portion of that catch which Fiji's fishing vessel have the capacity to harvest.
(2) Where the Minister has determined, in respect of the total allowable catch for a
fishery within the exclusive economic zone, the portion that Fiji fishing vessels have the
capacity to harvest, the remaining portion shall constitute the allowable catch for that
fishery for foreign fishing vessels.
(3) The Minister may from time to time apportion, among countries other than Fiji, the
allowable catch for foreign fishing vessels in respect of any fishery within the exclusive
economic zone, as determined under subsection (2).
(4) In making an apportionment under subsection (3), the Minister may take into account
the following considerations:-
(a) whether the fishing vessels of countries to which the apportionment applies have
engaged habitually in fishing within the exclusive economic zone;
(b) whether such countries have co-operated with Fiji in fisheries research and in the
identification of fish stocks within the exclusive economic zone;
(c) whether such countries have co-operated with Fiji in the conservation and
management of fisheries resources within the exclusive economic zone, and in the
enforcement of Fiji law relating to such resources;
(d) the terms of any relevant international agreement;
(e) such other matters as the Minister determines to be relevant.
Licensing of foreign fishing vessels
14.-(1) Subject to the provisions of subsection (2) the Minister may grant
and issue licences authorising foreign fishing vessels to fish in the exclusive
economic zone.
(2) In the exercise of his powers under the provisions of this section the Minister
shall ensure to the extent of the information available to him that-
(a) the catch that all foreign fishing vessels licensed under this section are
for the time being authorised to harvest from any fishery within the exclusive economic
zone does not exceed the allowable catch for foreign fishing vessels for that fishery
calculated under subsection (2) of section 13;
(b) the catch that all foreign fishing vessels of a particular country licensed under
this section are for the time being authorised to harvest from any fishery within the
exclusive economic zone does not exceed the apportionment made under subsection (3) of
section 13 for that fishery in respect of that country.
(3) A licence issued under the provisions of this section shall on payment by the
applicant of the prescribed fee, be issued to the owner in respect of a specific boat to
be identified by name in the licence and may authorise fishing generally or may confer
limited authority by reference to all or any of the following limitations and conditions,
namely as to-
(a) the area within which fishing is authorised;
(b) the periods, times or particular voyages during which fishing is authorised;
(c) the descriptions and quantities of fish which may be taken;
(d) the methods by which fish may be taken;
(e) the type of fishing gear which may be used and the stowage of that gear when not in
use;
(f) the use, transfer, transhipment, landing and processing of fish taken;
(g) entry by the vessel into Fiji ports;
(h) the compensation payable in the event of any loss or damage caused by the vessel to
other fishing boats, gear or catches or to any fish stocks or to other Fiji interests;
(i) statistical and other information required to be given relating to the operations
of the vessel including catch and effort statistics and vessel position reports;
(j) the conduct of fisheries research programmes;
(k) the training of Fiji personnel in the methods of fishing employed by the vessel and
the transfer to Fiji of fisheries technology;
(l) the production of the licence on demand by any fisheries officer;
(m) the markings and other means of identification of the vessel;
(n) the placing of Fiji observers on the vessel;
(o) the carrying on board the vessel of specified nautical charts;
(p) the installation and maintenance in working order on the vessel of position fixing
or other identification equipment;
(q) compliance by the vessel with directions and instructions of Fiji ships or
aircraft; and
(r) such other conditions as the Minister considers necessary or expedient for the
regulation of fishing or the conservation and management of fisheries.
Suspension and cancellation of licences
15.-(1) Where the Minister is satisfied that-
(a) any foreign fishing vessel in respect of which a licence has been granted under
section 14 is being or has been used for fishing within the exclusive economic zone
in contravention of any conditions of the licence or any Fiji law relating to fishing; or
(b) the master, licensee or any crew member of a foreign fishing vessel has been
convicted of an offence against this Act, or against any regulations made under the
provisions of this Act, or against any other Fiji law relating to fishing,
he may suspend the licence for such period as he shall specify, or cancel the licence.
(2) Where the Minister determines that it is necessary or expedient for the proper
regulation of fishing within the exclusive economic zone to do so, he may vary the
conditions of or suspend any licence or licences for such period as he shall specify, or
he may cancel any licence or licences.
(3) No determination, variation, suspension, cancellation, or other action of the
Minister under subsection (2) shall be reviewable by any court of law.
(4) While a licence is suspended under this section, it shall have no effect.
Licensing offences
16.-(1) If any foreign fishing vessel that is not licensed under the provisions of
section 14 is used for the purpose of fishing within the exclusive economic zone,
the owner and the master of the vessel are each guilty of an offence and liable on
conviction to a fine not exceeding one hundred thousand dollars each.
(2) If any foreign fishing vessel is used for the purpose of fishing within the
exclusive economic zone in contravention of any of the limitations on or conditions of a
licence issued under the provisions of section 14, the master and licensee of the
vessel are each guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding
twenty-five thousand dollars each.
Fisheries officers
17.-(1) The following persons shall be fisheries officers for the
purpose of this Act, that is to say-
(a) any fisheries officer appointed under the provisions of the Fisheries Act;
(Cap. 158.)
(b) any customs officer appointed under the provisions of the Customs Act;
(Cap. 196.)
(c) any police officer;
(d) any commissioned officer of the Royal Fiji Military Forces;
(e) any person in command or charge of any vessel or aircraft operated by or on behalf
of the Royal Fiji Military Forces; and
(f) any other person appointed as a fisheries officer by the Minister responsible for
fisheries matters.
(2) For the purpose of enforcing the provisions of this Act a fisheries officer may
exercise in relation to any foreign fishing vessel within the limits of Fiji fisheries
waters and in relation to any Fiji fishing vessel outside those limits the following
powers:-
(a) he may go on board that vessel, and for that purpose may require the vessel
to stop and to do anything else which will facilitate the boarding of the vessel;
(b) he may require the attendance before him of the master and other persons on board
and may make any examination or inquiry which appears to him to be necessary for the
purpose of enforcing the provisions of this Act and, in particular-
(i) may search the vessel and examine any fish found on board and the equipment of the
vessel, including the fishing gear, and require persons on board the vessel to do
anything which appears to him to be necessary to facilitate the examination; and
(ii) may require any person on board the vessel to produce any documents relating to
that vessel or the persons on board which are in his custody or possession and take copies
of any such document.
(3) Where any fisheries officer has reasonable cause to believe that an offence against
any of the provisions of section 16 or against any other Fiji law relating to
fishing in the exclusive economic zone has been committed in respect of any foreign
fishing vessel, he may, without warrant-
(a) arrest any person who he has reason to believe has committed such offence; and
(b) where he has reason to believe that any such offence has been committed by the
master or licensee of the vessel, seize and detain a vessel together with all fish found
on board and may take the same and the crew of the vessel to the port which appears to him
to be the nearest convenient port.
(4) Any fisheries officer may exercise the powers conferred on him by this section with
the aid of such assistants as he considers necessary for the purpose.
(5) Where any fishing vessel is detained under the provisions of subsection (3), it
shall be held in the custody of the Crown until a decision is made not to institute
proceedings in respect of the alleged offence or, if such proceedings are commenced the
security required by the provisions of section 19 is given in respect of the
vessel.
(6) All fish detained under the provisions of this section shall be held in the custody
of the Crown in respect of the alleged offences for which it was detained, or, if such
proceedings are instituted, until the proceedings are determined:
Provided that if adequate facilities are not available for the preservation of such
fish pending the completion of the proceedings the Minister may take all steps necessary
for the sale of such fish at its reasonable market value, the net proceeds of such sale to
be paid into a fund to be held by the court in which such proceedings are taken pending
the making of a final order by the court in respect of the forfeiture or otherwise of that
fish.
(7) The decision whether or not to institute proceedings in respect of an alleged
offence for which a foreign fishing vessel is detained under subsection (3) shall be made
as soon as reasonably practicable after the vessel is detained.
(8) The release of a foreign fishing vessel from detention shall not affect any
subsequent forfeiture of the vessel in respect of the conviction of any person for an
offence.
(9) Where a fisheries officer arrests any person under the provisions of subsection (3)
he shall cause that person to be taken as soon as reasonably practicable before a court to
be dealt with in accordance with law.
Forfeiture of vessels, etc.
18. On conviction of the owner, master or licensee of an offence under
section 16, the court may also order the forfeiture to the Crown of
the fishing vessel and any fish, fishing gear, apparatus cargo and stores found therein or
thereon.
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Security for release of foreign fishing vessel
19.-(1) Where any foreign fishing vessel is detained under section 17,
and proceedings are instituted against the master or licensee of the vessel in respect of
the offence for which the vessel has been detained, the master or licensee of the vessel
or any other person having an interest in the vessel may at any time before the
determination of the proceedings apply to the court by which proceedings will be
determined for the release of the vessel on the provisions of security in accordance with
this section.
(2) On hearing the application the court order the release of foreign fishing vessel on
the execution by any person or persons by the court for the purpose, of a bond in favour
of the Crown in the prescribed form and conditioned in accordance with subsection 4,
in an amount not less than the aggregate of the value of the vessel and the maximum fine
which the defendant will be liable if he is convicted of an offence.
(3) Notwithstanding subsection (2), the court may, where it is satisfied that there are
special circumstances to justify it in doing so, ordered that the bond shall be in
specified amount that is less than the amount required by that subsection.
(4) The condition of the bond shall be that if-
(a) the defendant is found not guilty of the offence; or
(b) the defendant on being convicted of the offence pays in full within fourteen days
after he is convicted the amount of the fine imposed by the court and the foreign fishing
vessel is within that time surrendered to the Crown for forfeiture if so ordered by the
court,
then the bond shall be of no effect, but that otherwise the bond shall remain in full
force and effect.
(5) The amount specified in the bond shall be recoverable in full as a debt due to the
Crown jointly and severally by the person or persons by whom the bond is given unless the
person or persons prove the due performance of the condition on which the bond is
defeasible.
(6) In this section "foreign fishing vessel" includes all equipment on board
the vessel.
Obstruction, etc., of fisheries officer
20. (1) Any person who-
(a) obstructs or hinders any fisheries officer or any person assisting him in the
exercise of any of his powers under this Act; or
(b) fails to comply with any lawful requirement imposed or to answer any lawful enquiry
made by fisheries officer under this Act; or
(c) being on board any fishing vessel being pursued or about to be boarded by a
fisheries officer, throws overboard or destroys any fish, fishing gear or any other thing
whatsoever,
shall be guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding five
thousand dollars.
(2) If an offence under subsection (1) takes place on board or alongside a fishing
vessel, the master of that fishing vessel shall be guilty of a like offence and liable to
a like penalty.
Non-liability of fisheries officers
21. No fisheries officer shall be personally liable in respect of act done or
omitted to be done by him in good faith in the execution or purported execution of this
powers and duties under this Act.
Regulations
22.-(1) The Minister may make regulations for all or any of the following
purposes:-
(a) prescribing the procedure and forms for application for and granting and
renewal of licences under the provisions of this Act;
(b) prescribing the terms and duration licences;
(c) prescribing the forms and licence that may be issued;
(d) prescribing the classes of licences that may be issued which may include different
classes of licences, whether by reference to size of vessel, size of catch, method of
fishing, species of catch or otherwise;
(e) prescribing the fees payable for licences which may include different fees for
different classes of licences;
(f) providing for the production of licences for inspection when required by a
fisheries inspector or other specified authorities;
(g) prescribing conditions under which foreign fishing vessels may fish in the
exclusive economic zone;
(h) prescribing measures for the conservation and management of fisheries resource
within the exclusive economic zone;
(i)prescribing measures for ensuring that foreign fishing vessels comply with the
limitation and conditions of their licences;
(j) prescribing the manner in which and times when fishing gear is to be stowed;
(k) prescribing the form of bonds for the purpose of section 19;
(l) prescribing measures, not inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, for the
regulation of fishing for highly migratory species within Fiji fisheries waters and in the
case of Fiji fishing vessels, beyond the limits of those waters; and
(m) providing for such other matters as appear to him to be necessary for giving full
effect to Fiji's sovereignty or sovereign right over Fiji fisheries waters.
(2) For the purpose of this section the expression "highly migratory species"
means species that in the course of their life cycle migrate over great distances of the
ocean.
Fishing for research and sporting purposes excluded
23. The provisions of this Part shall not apply to nor prohibit or restrict fishing
by foreign fishing vessel for fisheries research or sporting purposes with prior consent
in writing of the Minister and in accordance with such conditions as the Minister may
impose in giving his consent.
PART IV-MISCELLANEOUS
Offences deemed committed in Fiji
24. Any offence against the provisions of this Act that is committed within the
exclusive economic zone shall be deemed to have been committed in Fiji.
Interim measures
25. Pending the entry into force of other provisions of this Act, the Minister may
by order prescribe interim or transitional measures for the conservation and management of
fisheries resources beyond the territorial seas of Fiji and for the limitation of foreign
fishing within an area of two hundred miles from the baselines.
Controlled by the Office of the Prime Minister
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