Article 9 Failure to comply with directions

A person who fails to comply with a general direction or a special direction is guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 4 on the standard scale.

Paragraph (1) applies to any person designated in a general direction or a special direction and to the master of every vessel to which a general direction or a special direction applies.

In any proceedings for an offence under paragraph (1) it is a defence for the person charged to prove that they took all reasonable precautions and exercised all due diligence to avoid the commission of the offence.