19Evidentiary certificates

19 Evidentiary certificates

(1) The Minister or a person authorized in writing by him or her to give certificates under this section may give a certificate: (a) that, at a time specified in the certificate, a vessel specified in the certificate was, or was not, an Australian vessel; (b) that an area specified in the certificate is in the Convention area, or is in a part of the Convention area specified in the certificate; (c) that, at a time specified in the certificate, an area specified in the certificate was part of the Australian fishing zone; (d) that, at a time specified in the certificate, a person specified in the certificate was, or was not, the holder of a permit authorizing the person, in the Convention area, or in a part of the Convention area specified in the certificate, to harvest marine organisms of a kind or kinds specified in the certificate; or (e) that, at a time specified in the certificate, a person specified in the certificate was, or was not, the holder of a permit authorizing the person, in the Convention area, or in a part of the Convention area specified in the certificate, to carry out research with respect to marine organisms of a kind or kinds specified in the certificate. (2) A person giving a certificate under paragraph (1)(d) or (e) that a person was, at a time specified in the certificate, the holder of a permit may, in the certificate, certify that conditions specified in the certificate were the conditions to which the permit was subject at the time so specified. (3) In proceedings for an offence against this Act, a certificate given under this section is prima facie evidence of the matters specified in the certificate. (4) For the purposes of this section, a writing purporting to be a certificate under this section shall, unless the contrary is proved, be deemed to be such a certificate and to have been duly given.