(1)The Ministry may cause local or other inquiries to be held or investigations to be made in relation to the fisheries of Northern Ireland or any of them and the best means to be adopted for the management, conservation, protection or improvement thereof, or in relation to the operation of this Act.
(2)This section shall not be construed as empowering the Ministry to cause inquiries to be held or investigations to be made in any case in relation to which the Foyle[F1 Carlingford and Irish Lights] Commission is authorised to hold inquiries under section 80 of the Foyle Fisheries Act (Northern Ireland) 1952 [1952 c.5] .
F2[(3)Without prejudice to subsection (1), the Department may, with respect to any fish farm for which a fish culture licence under section 11 is in force (including any fishery for which a shell-fish fishery licence is also in force), make such inquiries and examination by an inspector or otherwise, and require from the holder of the licence such information, as the Department considers necessary or proper, and the holder of the licence shall afford all facilities for such inquiries and examination, and give such information, accordingly.
(4)Without prejudice to any provision of Part XI, for the purpose of an examination under subsection (3) an officer authorised in writing in that behalf by the Department, on production if so required of his credentials, may at any reasonable time—
(a)enter any place specified in a fish culture licence under section 11 authorising the operation of a fish farm and any area specified in a shell-fish fishery licence; and
(b)examine that place or land within that area and all fish, buildings, structures, rafts, trays, devices and things found there; and
(c)obtain, take away and dispose of samples (which shall be marked, labelled or otherwise made capable of identification) of any fish, or of any water or other substance, found there;
and the holder of the licence shall afford to such an officer facilities for the exercise by him of any right conferred by this subsection.]
Where the Ministry is required under any provision of this Act to cause a public inquiry or public meeting to be held, sufficient notice of that inquiry or meeting shall be deemed to be given if, not less than fourteen days before the holding of the inquiry or meeting, notice of the time and place at which the inquiry or meeting is to be held, and of the matters to be inquired into or considered thereat, is given by advertisement inserted in one or more than one newspaper circulating in the district where the inquiry or meeting is to be held.