PART 2FIRST SALE OF FISHERIES PRODUCTS

Registration of sellers of fisheries products8.

(1)

A registered seller of fisheries products is authorised for the purposes of Chapter II of Title V of the Control Regulation (control of marketing: post-landing activities), so far as that seller sells first sale fisheries products by way of competitive bidding at a registered auction.

(2)

Any person may apply to the Scottish Ministers to be registered as a registered seller of fisheries products.

(3)

Such an application must be in writing and must also—

(a)

be made in such form and manner;

(b)

include such information and undertakings; and

(c)

be delivered to such address,

as the Scottish Ministers may specify in a notice or from time to time require.

(4)

Having considered the application, the Scottish Ministers may—

(a)

register the applicant unconditionally;

(b)

register the applicant subject to such conditions as they consider appropriate; or

(c)

refuse the application.

(5)

The Scottish Ministers must notify the applicant in writing—

(a)

whether or not the application has been approved; and

(b)

where the application has been approved—

(i)

of any conditions that may be attached to the registration under paragraph (4)(b); and

(ii)

of the registration number allocated to the applicant for the purposes of this Part.

(6)

The Scottish Ministers must publish the fact that a person is a registered seller of fisheries products in such manner as they see fit.

(7)

A registered seller of fisheries products commits an offence if that seller fails to comply with any—

(a)

condition to which the registration of that seller is subject; or

(b)

undertaking provided in the application for registration.

(8)

A person commits an offence if that person, in an application under this article—

(a)

makes a statement which is false or misleading in a material way, knowing the statement to be false or misleading;

(b)

makes a statement which is false or misleading in a material way, being reckless as to whether the statement is false or misleading; or

(c)

intentionally fails to disclose any material information.

(9)

The registration of a registered seller of fisheries products may be suspended where, in the view of the Scottish Ministers, the registered seller of fisheries products has not—

(a)

complied with a condition of registration; or

(b)

complied with any requirement of Article 62, 63, 64, 66 or 67 of the Control Regulation.