Fisheries Act, 1980

Election of members of regional boards.

12.—(1) Elections of members of a regional board, other than members appointed by the Minister under section 10 of this Act, shall in each election year be held in accordance with this Act as regards each fisheries region and each such election shall be conducted in accordance with this Act and regulations under this section.

(2) (a) Where a person is for the time being the holder of two or more licences issued under this Act the holding of any of which would under this Act, apart from this subsection, entitle him to vote at an election of members of a particular regional board, notwithstanding the fact that he is such a holder he shall be entitled to vote once and once only at the election.

(b) Where a person is for the time being a rate-payer who is entitled to vote at an election of members of a particular regional board and is either or both—

(i) the holder of any licence issued under, the Fisheries Acts, 1959 to 1980, the holding of which would under this Act, apart from this subsection, entitle him to vote at an election of members of that regional board,

(ii) registered in a Register of Trout, Coarse Fish and Sea Anglers and thereby entitled so to vote,

notwithstanding the fact that he is both such a rate-payer and such a holder, or as the case may be such a holder and so registered, he shall be entitled to vote once and once only at the election.

(c) Where a person is for the time being registered in a Register of Trout, Coarse Fish and Sea Anglers and is the holder of any licence issued under the Fisheries Acts, 1959 to 1980, the holding of which would under this Act, apart from this subsection, entitle him to vote at an election of members of that regional board, notwithstanding the fact that he is so registered he shall be entitled to vote once and once only at the election.

(3) (a) The Minister may make such regulations as he thinks proper in relation to elections under this section of members of regional boards.

(b) Without prejudice to the generality of paragraph (a) of this subsection, regulations under this subsection may provide for—

(i) the nomination of different classes of candidates for election as members of regional boards and for the election of such candidates by different classes of electors,

(ii) postal voting at elections under this section of members of regional boards.

(4) Where regulations under this section which are for the time being in force provide for the nomination of different classes of candidates for election as members of regional boards, subject to the provisions of this Act apart from this subsection, a person shall be entitled to be nominated as a candidate of one class, and one class only, at an election to which the regulations apply.

(5) The Minister shall by order fix the year in which elections of members of regional boards are first to be held under this Act.