(1) The officer authorised under sub-section (8) of section 9 may,—
(a) enter into any hatchery and fish farm to ensure the quality of the fish seed produced and to examine the condition of the available 'brood stock';
(b) take the sample of any fish seed of any notified species or variety from,—
(i) any hatchery or fish seed farm or any person selling or offering to sell such fish seed; or
(ii) any person who is in the course of conveying or is delivering or preparing to deliver such fish seed to a purchaser or consignee; or
(iii) a purchaser or consignee after the delivery of such fish seed to him;
(c) send such sample for analysis to the laboratory for the area, from which area such sample has been taken;
(d) enter and search at all reasonable time with such assistance, as he considers necessary, in any place in which he has sufficient reason to believe that any offence under this Act has been committed by a person and may order m writing, the person in possession of any seed in respect of which the offence has been or is being committed, not to dispose of any stock of such fish seed for a particular period not exceeding thirty days;
(e) examine any record or register or document or any other stolen property found out from any area mentioned in clause (d) and seize the same if he has reason to believe that the same may be given as evidence for the commission of an offence punishable under this Act: and 42
(f) break open the container containing the fish seed of any notified species or variety and collect such fish seed from hatchery, pond or fish farm where such fish seed is kept for sale:
Provided that the power to collect aquaculture seed from any hatchery or fish farm or pond shall be exercised only after the owner or the possessor of the hatchery, fish farm or pond, on being called upon to produce the aquaculture seed from the hatchery or fish farm or pond, hesitates being present in the premises thereof.
(2) Any person from whom the sample of fish seed of any notified item, or variety is taken under plause (b) of sub-section (1), shall be paid at the rate of the prevailing market value of such fish seed.
CHAPTER IV REGISTRATION AND GRANT OF LICENCE