Sea Fish Industry Act 1970

5 Powers of Authority

(1) For the purpose of their general functions of reorganising, developing and regulating the white fish industry, the Authority shall have power to do all or any of the following things:—

(a) to carry on research and experiment either alone or in collaboration with others and for that purpose provide or acquire, equip and operate vessels or plants, and to give financial assistance to others carrying on research or experiment;

(b) to encourage persons engaged in the white fish industry to make voluntary arrangements on a co-operative basis for the selling of white fish or the buying of materials and other requisites for the industry (including in particular gear, fuel and stores for vessels to which this Part of this Act applies), and to give financial or other assistance in bringing any such arrangements into operation or in continuing or extending any such arrangements;

(c) to undertake as agents, in any locality in which the Authority think it necessary so as to secure proper provision for the needs of the fishing industry, the first sale of white fish landed in Great Britain and, where it appears to the Authority likely to promote efficiency and economy, to undertake as principals the buying and selling of such materials and requisites as aforesaid;

(d) to promote the export of white fish by establishing, or by encouraging and giving financial or other assistance for the establishment of, selling agencies and storage facilities outside the United Kingdom, and by other means;

(e) to provide or acquire and equip vessels to which this Part of this Act applies to be operated under charter from the Authority;

(f) to provide or acquire, equip or operate plants for processing white fish in Great Britain or for making ice in Great Britain in any locality in which the Authority think it necessary so as to secure proper provision for the needs of the fishing industry ;

(g) to give financial assistance by way of loan to others to meet capital expenditure incurred in providing, acquiring, reconditioning or improving—

(i) vessels to which this Part of this Act applies or their gear, or

(ii) plants for processing white fish in Great Britain;

(h) to give financial assistance by way of loan to others to meet capital expenditure incurred in providing, acquiring, reconditioning or improving plants for making ice in Great Britain, if the Authority think it necessary to give such assistance to promote the interests of the fishing industry ;

(i) to give financial assistance by way of grant for the maintenance while taking a course of specialised training or education of persons engaged or employed in the white fish industry or intending to be so;

(j) to encourage, by means of publicity and by advice and instruction, the improvement of conditions in the white fish industry and the greater consumption of white fish.

(2) For the purpose of their general functions of reorganising, developing and regulating the white fish industry, the Authority may take or acquire shares or similar interests in any company where a substantial part of the company's business consists or is to consist in carrying on any activities which the Authority have power to carry on under subsection (1) above or in operating vessels to which this Part of this Act applies for the catching or processing of white fish or for transporting white fish or the products of white fish.

(3) The Authority may themselves operate any vessel for catching or processing white fish or for transporting white fish or the products of white fish where they acquire control of the vessel under or in consequence of any agreement relating to financial assistance given or to be given by them and they are for the time being unable to dispose of the vessel or make other arrangements on terms satisfactory to them.