25.— (1) A person who assaults a sea-fisheries protection officer in exercise of any power conferred on a sea-fisheries protection officer under this Part or Part 4 of the Act of 2003 commits an offence and is liable—

(a) on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding €5,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months, or to both, or

(b) on conviction on indictment, to a fine or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 5 years, or to both.

(2) If a person assaults a sea-fisheries protection officer in the exercise of his or her powers under this Part or the Act of 2003 the officer or another sea-fisheries protection officer may (being a member of the Defence Forces or Garda Síochána or an officer of Customs and Excise) arrest, without warrant, the person and, if that officer is not a member of the Garda Síochána, shall, as soon as practicable, deliver the person into the custody of a member of the Garda Síochána to be dealt with according to law.

(3) Section 15(1) of the Act of 1994 is amended by deleting “sea-fisheries protection officer”.