1. U.S. Code
  2. title 16
  3. chapter 38
  4. subchapter III
  5. § 1826j

Collapse to view only § 1826j. Illegal, unreported, or unregulated fishing

§ 1821. Foreign fishing
(a) In generalAfter February 28, 1977, no foreign fishing is authorized within the exclusive economic zone, or for anadromous species or Continental Shelf fishery resources beyond the exclusive economic zone, unless such foreign fishing—
(1) is authorized under subsections (b) or (c) or section 1824(e) of this title, or under a permit issued under section 1824(d) of this title;
(2) is not prohibited under subsection (f); and
(3) is conducted under, and in accordance with, a valid and applicable permit issued pursuant to section 1824 of this title.
(b) Existing international fishery agreementsForeign fishing described in subsection (a) may be conducted pursuant to an international fishery agreement (subject to the provisions of section 1822(b) or (c) of this title), if such agreement—
(1) was in effect on April 13, 1976; and
(2) has not expired, been renegotiated, or otherwise ceased to be of force and effect with respect to the United States.
(c) Governing international fishery agreementsForeign fishing described in subsection (a) may be conducted pursuant to an international fishery agreement (other than a treaty) which meets the requirements of this subsection if such agreement becomes effective after application of section 1823 of this title. Any such international fishery agreement shall hereafter in this chapter be referred to as a “governing international fishery agreement”. Each governing international fishery agreement shall acknowledge the exclusive fishery management authority of the United States, as set forth in this chapter. It is the sense of the Congress that each such agreement shall include a binding commitment, on the part of such foreign nation and its fishing vessels, to comply with the following terms and conditions:
(1) The foreign nation, and the owner or operator of any fishing vessel fishing pursuant to such agreement, will abide by all regulations promulgated by the Secretary pursuant to this chapter, including any regulations promulgated to implement any applicable fishery management plan or any preliminary fishery management plan.
(2) The foreign nation, and the owner or operator of any fishing vessel fishing pursuant to such agreement, will abide by the requirement that—
(A) any officer authorized to enforce the provisions of this chapter (as provided for in section 1861 of this title) be permitted—
(i) to board, and search or inspect, any such vessel at any time,
(ii) to make arrests and seizures provided for in section 1861(b) of this title whenever such officer has reasonable cause to believe, as a result of such a search or inspection, that any such vessel or any person has committed an act prohibited by section 1857 of this title, and
(iii) to examine and make notations on the permit issued pursuant to section 1824 of this title for such vessel;
(B) the permit issued for any such vessel pursuant to section 1824 of this title be prominently displayed in the wheelhouse of such vessel;
(C) transponders, or such other appropriate position-fixing and identification equipment as the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating determines to be appropriate, be installed and maintained in working order on each such vessel;
(D) United States observers required under subsection (h) be permitted to be stationed aboard any such vessel and that all of the costs incurred incident to such stationing, including the costs of data editing and entry and observer monitoring, be paid for, in accordance with such subsection, by the owner or operator of the vessel;
(E) any fees required under section 1824(b)(10) of this title be paid in advance;
(F) agents be appointed and maintained within the United States who are authorized to receive and respond to any legal process issued in the United States with respect to such owner or operator; and
(G) responsibility be assumed, in accordance with any requirements prescribed by the Secretary, for the reimbursement of United States citizens for any loss of, or damage to, their fishing vessels, fishing gear, or catch which is caused by any fishing vessel of that nation;
and will abide by any other monitoring, compliance, or enforcement requirement related to fishery conservation and management which is included in such agreement.
(3) The foreign nation and the owners or operators of all of the fishing vessels of such nation shall not, in any year, harvest an amount of fish which exceeds such nation’s allocation of the total allowable level of foreign fishing, as determined under subsection (e).
(4) The foreign nation will—
(A) apply, pursuant to section 1824 of this title, for any required permits;
(B) deliver promptly to the owner or operator of the appropriate fishing vessel any permit which is issued under that section for such vessel;
(C) abide by, and take appropriate steps under its own laws to assure that all such owners and operators comply with, section 1824(a) of this title and the applicable conditions and restrictions established under section 1824(b)(7) of this title; and
(D) take, or refrain from taking, as appropriate, actions of the kind referred to in subsection (e)(1) in order to receive favorable allocations under such subsection.
(d) Total allowable level of foreign fishing
(e) Allocation of allowable level
(1)
(A) The Secretary of State, in cooperation with the Secretary, may make allocations to foreign nations from the total allowable level of foreign fishing which is permitted with respect to each fishery subject to the exclusive fishery management authority of the United States.
(B) From the determinations made under subparagraph (A), the Secretary of State shall compute the aggregate of all of the fishery allocations made to each foreign nation.
(C) The Secretary of State shall initially release to each foreign nation for harvesting up to 50 percent of the allocations aggregate computed for such nation under subparagraph (B), and such release of allocation shall be apportioned by the Secretary of State, in cooperation with the Secretary, among the individual fishery allocations determined for that nation under subparagraph (A). The basis on which each apportionment is made under this subparagraph shall be stated in writing by the Secretary of State.
(D) After the initial release of fishery allocations under subparagraph (C) to a foreign nation, any subsequent release of an allocation for any fishery to such nation shall only be made—
(i) after the lapse of such period of time as may be sufficient for purposes of making the determination required under clause (ii); and
(ii) if the Secretary of State and the Secretary, after taking into account the size of the allocation for such fishery and the length and timing of the fishing season, determine in writing that such nation is complying with the purposes and intent of this paragraph with respect to such fishery.
If the foreign nation is not determined under clause (ii) to be in such compliance, the Secretary of State shall reduce, in a manner and quantity he considers to be appropriate (I) the remainder of such allocation, or (II) if all of such allocation has been released, the next allocation of such fishery, if any, made to such nation.
(E) The determinations required to be made under subparagraphs (A) and (D)(ii), and the apportionments required to be made under subparagraph (C), with respect to a foreign nation shall be based on—
(i) whether, and to what extent, such nation imposes tariff barriers or nontariff barriers on the importation, or otherwise restricts the market access, of both United States fish and fishery products, particularly fish and fishery products for which the foreign nation has requested an allocation;
(ii) whether, and to what extent, such nation is cooperating with the United States in both the advancement of existing and new opportunities for fisheries exports from the United States through the purchase of fishery products from United States processors, and the advancement of fisheries trade through the purchase of fish and fishery products from United States fishermen, particularly fish and fishery products for which the foreign nation has requested an allocation;
(iii) whether, and to what extent, such nation and the fishing fleets of such nation have cooperated with the United States in the enforcement of United States fishing regulations;
(iv) whether, and to what extent, such nation requires the fish harvested from the exclusive economic zone for its domestic consumption;
(v) whether, and to what extent, such nation otherwise contributes to, or fosters the growth of, a sound and economic United States fishing industry, including minimizing gear conflicts with fishing operations of United States fishermen, and transferring harvesting or processing technology which will benefit the United States fishing industry;
(vi) whether, and to what extent, the fishing vessels of such nation have traditionally engaged in fishing in such fishery;
(vii) whether, and to what extent, such nation is cooperating with the United States in, and making substantial contributions to, fishery research and the identification of fishery resources; and
(viii) such other matters as the Secretary of State, in cooperation with the Secretary, deems appropriate.
(2)
(A) For the purposes of this paragraph—
(i) The term “certification” means a certification made by the Secretary that nationals of a foreign country, directly or indirectly, are conducting fishing operations or engaging in trade or taking which diminishes the effectiveness of the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling. A certification under this section shall also be deemed a certification for the purposes of section 1978(a) of title 22.
(ii) The term “remedial period” means the 365-day period beginning on the date on which a certification is issued with respect to a foreign country.
(B) If the Secretary issues a certification with respect to any foreign country, then each allocation under paragraph (1) that—
(i) is in effect for that foreign country on the date of issuance; or
(ii) is not in effect on such date but would, without regard to this paragraph, be made to the foreign country within the remedial period;
shall be reduced by the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary, by not less than 50 percent.
(C) The following apply for purposes of administering subparagraph (B) with respect to any foreign country:
(i) If on the date of certification, the foreign country has harvested a portion, but not all, of the quantity of fish specified under any allocation, the reduction under subparagraph (B) for that allocation shall be applied with respect to the quantity not harvested as of such date.
(ii) If the Secretary notified the Secretary of State that it is not likely that the certification of the foreign country will be terminated under section 1978(d) of title 22 before the close of the period for which an allocation is applicable or before the close of the remedial period (whichever close first occurs) the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary, shall reallocate any portion of any reduction made under subparagraph (B) among one or more foreign countries for which no certification is in effect.
(iii) If the certification is terminated under such section 1978(d) of title 22 during the remedial period, the Secretary of State shall return to the foreign country that portion of any allocation reduced under subparagraph (B) that was not reallocated under clause (ii); unless the harvesting of the fish covered by the allocation is otherwise prohibited under this chapter.
(iv) The Secretary may refund or credit, by reason of reduction of any allocation under this paragraph, any fee paid under section 1824 of this title.
(D) If the certification of a foreign country is not terminated under section 1978(d) of title 22 before the close of the last day of the remedial period, the Secretary of State—
(i) with respect to any allocation made to that country and in effect (as reduced under subparagraph (B)) on such last day, shall rescind, effective on and after the day after such last day, any unharvested portion of such allocation; and
(ii) may not thereafter make any allocation to that country under paragraph (1) until the certification is terminated.
(f) Reciprocity
(g) Preliminary fishery management plansThe Secretary, when notified by the Secretary of State that any foreign nation has submitted an application under section 1824(b) of this title shall prepare a preliminary fishery management plan for any fishery covered by such application if the Secretary determines that no fishery management plan for that fishery will be prepared and implemented, pursuant to subchapter IV, before March 1, 1977. To the extent practicable, each such plan—
(1) shall contain a preliminary description of the fishery and a preliminary determination as to—
(A) the optimum yield from such fishery;
(B) when appropriate, the capacity and extent to which United States fish processors will process that portion of such optimum yield that will be harvested by vessels of the United States; and
(C) the total allowable level of foreign fishing with respect to such fishery;
(2) shall require each foreign fishing vessel engaged or wishing to engage in such fishery to obtain a permit from the Secretary;
(3) shall require the submission of pertinent data to the Secretary, with respect to such fishery, as described in section 1853(a)(5) of this title; and
(4) may, to the extent necessary to prevent irreversible effects from overfishing, with respect to such fishery, contain conservation and management measures applicable to foreign fishing which—
(A) are determined to be necessary and appropriate for the conservation and management of such fishery,
(B) are consistent with the national standards, the other provisions of this chapter, and other applicable law, and
(C) are described in section 1853(b)(2), (3), (4), (5), and (7) of this title.
Each preliminary fishery management plan shall be in effect with respect to foreign fishing for which permits have been issued until a fishery management plan is prepared and implemented, pursuant to subchapter IV, with respect to such fishery. The Secretary may, in accordance with section 553 of title 5, also prepare and promulgate interim regulations with respect to any such preliminary plan. Such regulations shall be in effect until regulations implementing the applicable fishery management plan are promulgated pursuant to section 1855 of this title.
(h) Full observer coverage program
(1)
(A) Except as provided in paragraph (2), the Secretary shall establish a program under which a United States observer will be stationed aboard each foreign fishing vessel while that vessel is engaged in fishing within the exclusive economic zone.
(B) The Secretary shall by regulation prescribe minimum health and safety standards that shall be maintained aboard each foreign fishing vessel with regard to the facilities provided for the quartering of, and the carrying out of observer functions by, United States observers.
(2) The requirement in paragraph (1) that a United States observer be placed aboard each foreign fishing vessel may be waived by the Secretary if he finds that—
(A) in a situation where a fleet of harvesting vessels transfers its catch taken within the exclusive economic zone to another vessel, aboard which is a United States observer, the stationing of United States observers on only a portion of the harvesting vessel fleet will provide a representative sampling of the by-catch of the fleet that is sufficient for purposes of determining whether the requirements of the applicable management plans for the by-catch species are being complied with;
(B) in a situation where the foreign fishing vessel is operating under a Pacific Insular Area fishing agreement, the Governor of the applicable Pacific Insular Area, in consultation with the Western Pacific Council, has established an observer coverage program or other monitoring program that the Secretary, in consultation with the Western Pacific Management Council, determines is adequate to monitor harvest, bycatch, and compliance with the laws of the United States by vessels fishing under the agreement;
(C) the time during which a foreign fishing vessel will engage in fishing within the exclusive economic zone will be of such short duration that the placing of a United States observer aboard the vessel would be impractical; or
(D) for reasons beyond the control of the Secretary, an observer is not available.
(3) Observers, while stationed aboard foreign fishing vessels, shall carry out such scientific, compliance monitoring, and other functions as the Secretary deems necessary or appropriate to carry out the purposes of this chapter; and shall cooperate in carrying out such other scientific programs relating to the conservation and management of living resources as the Secretary deems appropriate.
(4) In addition to any fee imposed under section 1824(b)(10) of this title and section 1980(e) of title 22 with respect to foreign fishing for any year after 1980, the Secretary shall impose, with respect to each foreign fishing vessel for which a permit is issued under such section 1824 of this title, a surcharge in an amount sufficient to cover all the costs of providing a United States observer aboard that vessel. The failure to pay any surcharge imposed under this paragraph shall be treated by the Secretary as a failure to pay the permit fee for such vessel under section 1824(b)(10) of this title. All surcharges collected by the Secretary under this paragraph shall be deposited in the Foreign Fishing Observer Fund established by paragraph (5).
(5) There is established in the Treasury of the United States the Foreign Fishing Observer Fund. The Fund shall be available to the Secretary as a revolving fund for the purpose of carrying out this subsection. The Fund shall consist of the surcharges deposited into it as required under paragraph (4). All payments made by the Secretary to carry out this subsection shall be paid from the Fund, only to the extent and in the amounts provided for in advance in appropriation Acts. Sums in the Fund which are not currently needed for the purposes of this subsection shall be kept on deposit or invested in obligations of, or guaranteed by, the United States.
(6) If at any time the requirement set forth in paragraph (1) cannot be met because of insufficient appropriations, the Secretary shall, in implementing a supplementary observer program:
(A) certify as observers, for the purposes of this subsection, individuals who are citizens or nationals of the United States and who have the requisite education or experience to carry out the functions referred to in paragraph (3);
(B) establish standards of conduct for certified observers equivalent to those applicable to Federal personnel;
(C) establish a reasonable schedule of fees that certified observers or their agents shall be paid by the owners and operators of foreign fishing vessels for observer services; and
(D) monitor the performance of observers to ensure that it meets the purposes of this chapter.
(i) Recreational fishing
(Pub. L. 94–265, title II, § 201, Apr. 13, 1976, 90 Stat. 337; Pub. L. 95–354, § 4(1)–(4), Aug. 28, 1978, 92 Stat. 519, 520; Pub. L. 96–61, § 3(a), Aug. 15, 1979, 93 Stat. 407; Pub. L. 96–118, § 5, Nov. 16, 1979, 93 Stat. 860; Pub. L 96–561, title II, §§ 230, 231(a), 236, Dec. 22, 1980, 94 Stat. 3296, 3297, 3299; Pub. L. 97–453, § 2(a), Jan. 12, 1983, 96 Stat. 2481; Pub. L. 98–623, title IV, § 404(1), (2), Nov. 8, 1984, 98 Stat. 3408; Pub. L. 99–386, title II, § 206(a), Aug. 22, 1986, 100 Stat. 823; Pub. L. 99–659, title I, §§ 101(c)(2), 103(a), Nov. 14, 1986, 100 Stat. 3707, 3708; Pub. L. 101–627, title I, § 104, Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 4439; Pub. L. 102–251, title III, § 301(d), Mar. 9, 1992, 106 Stat. 63; Pub. L. 103–236, title I, § 139(24), Apr. 30, 1994, 108 Stat. 399; Pub. L. 104–297, title I, § 105(a), Oct. 11, 1996, 110 Stat. 3563; Pub. L. 109–479, § 5, title IV, § 404(a), Jan. 12, 2007, 120 Stat. 3578, 3632.)

CITE AS: 16 USC 1821

§ 1822. International fishery agreements
(a) NegotiationsThe Secretary of State—
(1) shall renegotiate treaties as provided for in subsection (b);
(2) shall negotiate governing international fishery agreements described in section 1821(c) of this title;
(3) may negotiate boundary agreements as provided for in subsection (d);
(4) shall, upon the request of and in cooperation with the Secretary, initiate and conduct negotiations for the purpose of entering into international fishery agreements—
(A) which allow fishing vessels of the United States equitable access to fish over which foreign nations assert exclusive fishery management authority, and
(B) which provide for the conservation and management of anadromous species and highly migratory species; and
(5) may enter into such other negotiations, not prohibited by subsection (c), as may be necessary and appropriate to further the purposes, policy, and provisions of this chapter.
(b) Treaty renegotiation
(c) International fishery agreementsNo international fishery agreement (other than a treaty) which pertains to foreign fishing within the exclusive economic zone (or within the area that will constitute such zone after February 28, 1977), or for anadromous species or Continental Shelf fishery resources beyond such zone or area—
(1) which is in effect on June 1, 1976, may thereafter be renewed, extended, or amended; or
(2) may be entered into after May 31, 1976;
by the United States unless it is in accordance with the provisions of section 1821(c) of this title or section 1824(e) of this title.
(d) Boundary negotiations
(e) Highly migratory species agreements
(1) EvaluationThe Secretary of State, in cooperation with the Secretary, shall evaluate the effectiveness of each existing international fishery agreement which pertains to fishing for highly migratory species. Such evaluation shall consider whether the agreement provides for—
(A) the collection and analysis of necessary information for effectively managing the fishery, including but not limited to information about the number of vessels involved, the type and quantity of fishing gear used, the species of fish involved and their location, the catch and bycatch levels in the fishery, and the present and probable future condition of any stock of fish involved;
(B) the establishment of measures applicable to the fishery which are necessary and appropriate for the conservation and management of the fishery resource involved;
(C) equitable arrangements which provide fishing vessels of the United States with (i) access to the highly migratory species that are the subject of the agreement and (ii) a portion of the allowable catch that reflects the traditional participation by such vessels in the fishery;
(D) effective enforcement of conservation and management measures and access arrangements throughout the area of jurisdiction; and
(E) sufficient and dependable funding to implement the provisions of the agreement, based on reasonable assessments of the benefits derived by participating nations.
(2) Access negotiations
(3) ReportsThe Secretary of State shall report to the Congress—
(A) within 12 months after November 28, 1990, on the results of the evaluation required under paragraph (1), together with recommendations for addressing any inadequacies identified; and
(B) within six months after November 28, 1990, on the results of the access negotiations required under paragraph (2).
(4) Negotiation
(5) South Pacific tuna treaty
(f) NonrecognitionIt is the sense of the Congress that the United States Government shall not recognize the claim of any foreign nation to an exclusive economic zone (or the equivalent) beyond such nation’s territorial sea, to the extent that such sea is recognized by the United States, if such nation—
(1) fails to consider and take into account traditional fishing activity of fishing vessels of the United States;
(2) fails to recognize and accept that highly migratory species are to be managed by applicable international fishery agreements, whether or not such nation is a party to any such agreement; or
(3) imposes on fishing vessels of the United States any conditions or restrictions which are unrelated to fishery conservation and management.
(g) Fishery agreement with Russia
(1) The Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary, is authorized to negotiate and conclude a fishery agreement with Russia of a duration of no more than 3 years, pursuant to which—
(A) Russia will give United States fishing vessels the opportunity to conduct traditional fisheries within waters claimed by the United States prior to the conclusion of the Agreement between the United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on the Maritime Boundary, signed June 1, 1990, west of the maritime boundary, including the western special area described in Article 3(2) of the Agreement;
(B) the United States will give fishing vessels of Russia the opportunity to conduct traditional fisheries within waters claimed by the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics prior to the conclusion of the Agreement referred to in subparagraph (A), east of the maritime boundary, including the eastern special areas described in Article 3(1) of the Agreement;
(C) catch data shall be made available to the government of the country exercising fisheries jurisdiction over the waters in which the catch occurred; and
(D) each country shall have the right to place observers on board vessels of the other country and to board and inspect such vessels.
(2) Vessels operating under a fishery agreement negotiated and concluded pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be subject to regulations and permit requirements of the country in whose waters the fisheries are conducted only to the extent such regulations and permit requirements are specified in that agreement.
(3) The Secretary of Commerce may promulgate such regulations, in accordance with section 553 of title 5, as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of any fishery agreement negotiated and concluded pursuant to paragraph (1).
(h) Bycatch reduction agreements
(1) The Secretary of State, in cooperation with the Secretary, shall seek to secure an international agreement to establish standards and measures for bycatch reduction that are comparable to the standards and measures applicable to United States fishermen for such purposes in any fishery regulated pursuant to this chapter for which the Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of State, determines that such an international agreement is necessary and appropriate.
(2) An international agreement negotiated under this subsection shall be—
(A) consistent with the policies and purposes of this chapter; and
(B) subject to approval by Congress under section 1823 of this title.
(Pub. L. 94–265, title II, § 202, Apr. 13, 1976, 90 Stat. 339; Pub. L. 99–659, title I, § 101(c)(2), Nov. 14, 1986, 100 Stat. 3707; Pub. L. 101–627, title I, §§ 105(a), 120(a), Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 4439, 4459; Pub. L. 102–251, title III, § 301(e), Mar. 9, 1992, 106 Stat. 63; Pub. L. 104–297, title I, § 105(b), Oct. 11, 1996, 110 Stat. 3564; Pub. L. 117–328, div. S, title II, § 205(b)(1)(A), Dec. 29, 2022, 136 Stat. 5270.)

CITE AS: 16 USC 1822

§ 1823. Congressional oversight of international fishery agreements
(a) In general
(b) Referral to committees
(c) Congressional procedures
(1) Rules of the House of Representatives and Senate
The provisions of this section are enacted by the Congress—
(A) as an exercise of the rulemaking power of the House of Representatives and the Senate, respectively, and they are deemed a part of the rules of each House, respectively, but applicable only with respect to the procedure to be followed in that House in the case of fishery agreement resolutions described in paragraph (2), and they supersede other rules only to the extent that they are inconsistent therewith; and
(B) with full recognition of the constitutional right of either House to change the rules (so far as they relate to the procedure of that House) at any time, and in the same manner and to the same extent as in the case of any other rule of that House.
(2) “Fishery agreement resolution” defined
For purposes of this subsection, the term “fishery agreement resolution” refers to a joint resolution of either House of Congress—
(A) the effect of which is to prohibit the entering into force and effect of any governing international fishery agreement, bycatch reduction agreement, or Pacific Insular Area fishery agreement the text of which is transmitted to the Congress pursuant to subsection (a); and
(B) which is reported from the Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries of the House of Representatives or the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation or the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate, not later than 45 days after the date on which the document described in subsection (a) relating to that agreement is transmitted to the Congress.
(3) Placement on calendar
(4) Floor consideration in the House
(A) A motion in the House of Representatives to proceed to the consideration of any fishery agreement resolution shall be highly privileged and not debatable. An amendment to the motion shall not be in order, nor shall it be in order to move to reconsider the vote by which the motion is agreed to or disagreed to.
(B) Debate in the House of Representatives on any fishery agreement resolution shall be limited to not more than 10 hours, which shall be divided equally between those favoring and those opposing the resolution. A motion further to limit debate shall not be debatable. It shall not be in order to move to recommit any fishery agreement resolution or to move to reconsider the vote by which any fishery agreement resolution is agreed to or disagreed to.
(C) Motions to postpone, made in the House of Representatives with respect to the consideration of any fishery agreement resolution, and motions to proceed to the consideration of other business, shall be decided without debate.
(D) All appeals from the decisions of the Chair relating to the application of the Rules of the House of Representatives to the procedure relating to any fishery agreement resolution shall be decided without debate.
(E) Except to the extent specifically provided in the preceding provisions of this subsection, consideration of any fishery agreement resolution shall be governed by the Rules of the House of Representatives applicable to other bills and resolutions in similar circumstances.
(5) Floor consideration in the Senate
(A) A motion in the Senate to proceed to the consideration of any fishery agreement resolution shall be privileged and not debatable. An amendment to the motion shall not be in order, nor shall it be in order to move to reconsider the vote by which the motion is agreed to or disagreed to.
(B) Debate in the Senate on any fishery agreement resolution and on all debatable motions and appeals in connection therewith shall be limited to not more than 10 hours. The time shall be equally divided between, and controlled by, the majority leader and the minority leader or their designees.
(C) Debate in the Senate on any debatable motion or appeal in connection with any fishery agreement resolution shall be limited to not more than 1 hour, to be equally divided between, and controlled by, the mover of the motion or appeal and the manager of the resolution, except that if the manager of the resolution is in favor of any such motion or appeal, the time in opposition thereto shall be controlled by the minority leader or his designee. The majority leader and the minority leader, or either of them, may allot additional time to any Senator during the consideration of any debatable motion or appeal, from time under their control with respect to the applicable fishery agreement resolution.
(D) A motion in the Senate to further limit debate is not debatable. A motion to recommit any fishery agreement resolution is not in order.
(Pub. L. 94–265, title II, § 203, Apr. 13, 1976, 90 Stat. 340; Pub. L. 103–437, § 6(x), Nov. 2, 1994, 108 Stat. 4587; Pub. L. 104–297, title I, § 105(c), Oct. 11, 1996, 110 Stat. 3564.)

CITE AS: 16 USC 1823

§ 1824. Permits for foreign fishing
(a) In general
(b) Applications and permits under governing international fishery agreements
(1) Eligibility; duration
(2) Forms
(3) ContentsAny application made under this subsection shall specify—
(A) the name and official number or other identification of each fishing vessel for which a permit is sought, together with the name and address of the owner thereof;
(B) the tonnage, hold capacity, speed, processing equipment, type and quantity of fishing gear, and such other pertinent information with respect to characteristics of each such vessel as the Secretary may require;
(C) each fishery in which each such vessel wishes to fish;
(D) the estimated amount of tonnage of fish which will be caught, taken, or harvested in each such fishery by each such vessel during the time the permit is in force;
(E) the amount or tonnage of United States harvested fish, if any, which each such vessel proposes to receive at sea from vessels of the United States;
(F) the ocean area in which, and the season or period during which, such fishing will be conducted; and
(G) all applicable vessel safety standards imposed by the foreign country, and shall include written certification that the vessel is in compliance with those standards;
and shall include any other pertinent information and material which the Secretary may require.
(4) Transmittal for actionUpon receipt of any application which complies with the requirements of paragraph (3), the Secretary of State shall publish a notice of receipt of the application in the Federal Register. Any such notice shall summarize the contents of the applications from each nation included therein with respect to the matters described in paragraph (3). The Secretary of State shall promptly transmit—
(A) such application, together with his comments and recommendations thereon, to the Secretary;
(B) a copy of the application to the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating; and
(C) a copy or a summary of the application to the appropriate Council.
(5) Action by Council
(6) Approval
(A) After receipt of any application transmitted under paragraph (4)(A), the Secretary shall consult with the Secretary of State and, with respect to enforcement, with the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating. The Secretary, after taking into consideration the views and recommendations of such Secretaries, and any comments submitted by any Council under paragraph (5), may approve, subject to subparagraph (B), the application, if he determines that the fishing described in the application will meet the requirements of this chapter, or he may disapprove all or any portion of the application.
(B)
(i) In the case of any application which specifies that one or more foreign fishing vessels propose to receive at sea United States harvested fish from vessels of the United States, the Secretary may approve the application unless the Secretary determines, on the basis of the views, recommendations, and comments referred to in subparagraph (A) and other pertinent information, that United States fish processors have adequate capacity, and will utilize such capacity, to process all United States harvested fish from the fishery concerned.
(ii) The amount or tonnage of United States harvested fish which may be received at sea during any year by foreign fishing vessels under permits approved under this paragraph may not exceed that portion of the optimum yield of the fishery concerned which will not be utilized by United States fish processors.
(iii) In deciding whether to approve any application under this subparagraph, the Secretary may take into account, with respect to the foreign nation concerned, such other matters as the Secretary deems appropriate.
(7) Establishment of conditions and restrictionsThe Secretary shall establish conditions and restrictions which shall be included in each permit issued pursuant to any application approved under paragraph (6) or subsection (d) and which must be complied with by the owner or operator of the fishing vessel for which the permit is issued. Such conditions and restrictions shall include the following:
(A) All of the requirements of any applicable fishery management plan, or preliminary fishery management plan, and any applicable Federal or State fishing regulations.
(B) The requirement that no permit may be used by any vessel other than the fishing vessel for which it is issued.
(C) The requirements described in section 1821(c)(1), (2), and (3) of this title.
(D) If the permit is issued other than pursuant to an application approved under paragraph (6)(B) or subsection (d), the restriction that the foreign fishing vessel may not receive at sea United States harvested fish from vessels of the United States.
(E) If the permit is issued pursuant to an application approved under paragraph (6)(B), the maximum amount or tonnage of United States harvested fish which may be received at sea from vessels of the United States.
(F) Any other condition and restriction related to fishery conservation and management which the Secretary prescribes as necessary and appropriate.
(8) Notice of approvalThe Secretary shall promptly transmit a copy of each application approved under paragraph (6) and the conditions and restrictions established under paragraph (7) to—
(A) the Secretary of State for transmittal to the foreign nation involved;
(B) the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating; and
(C) any Council which has authority over any fishery specified in such application.
(9) Disapproval of applications
(10) Fees
(A) Fees shall be paid to the Secretary by the owner or operator of any foreign fishing vessel for which a permit has been issued pursuant to this section. The Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of State, shall establish a schedule of reasonable fees that shall apply nondiscriminatorily to each foreign nation.
(B) Amounts collected by the Secretary under this paragraph shall be deposited in the general fund of the Treasury.
(11) Issuance of permits
(c) Registration permits
(d) Transshipment permits
(1) Authority to issue permitsThe Secretary may issue a transshipment permit under this subsection which authorizes a vessel other than a vessel of the United States to engage in fishing consisting solely of transporting fish or fish products at sea from a point within the exclusive economic zone or, with the concurrence of a State, within the boundaries of that State, to a point outside the United States to any person who—
(A) submits an application which is approved by the Secretary under paragraph (3); and
(B) pays a fee imposed under paragraph (7).
(2) Transmittal
(3) Approval of applicationThe Secretary may approve, in consultation with the appropriate Council or Marine Fisheries Commission, an application for a permit under this section if the Secretary determines that—
(A) the transportation of fish or fish products to be conducted under the permit, as described in the application, will be in the interest of the United States and will meet the applicable requirements of this chapter;
(B) the applicant will comply with the requirements described in section 1821(c)(2) of this title with respect to activities authorized by any permit issued pursuant to the application;
(C) the applicant has established any bonds or financial assurances that may be required by the Secretary; and
(D) no owner or operator of a vessel of the United States which has adequate capacity to perform the transportation for which the application is submitted has indicated to the Secretary an interest in performing the transportation at fair and reasonable rates.
(4) Whole or partial approval
(5) Failure to approve application
(6) Conditions and restrictions
(7) Fees
(e) Pacific Insular Areas
(1) Negotiation of Pacific Insular Area fishery agreementsThe Secretary of State, with the concurrence of the Secretary and in consultation with any appropriate Council, may negotiate and enter into a Pacific Insular Area fishery agreement to authorize foreign fishing within the exclusive economic zone adjacent to a Pacific Insular Area—
(A) in the case of American Samoa, Guam, or the Northern Mariana Islands, at the request and with the concurrence of, and in consultation with, the Governor of the Pacific Insular Area to which such agreement applies; and
(B) in the case of a Pacific Insular Area other than American Samoa, Guam, or the Northern Mariana Islands, at the request of the Western Pacific Council.
(2) Agreement terms and conditionsA Pacific Insular Area fishery agreement—
(A) shall not be considered to supersede any governing international fishery agreement currently in effect under this chapter, but shall provide an alternative basis for the conduct of foreign fishing within the exclusive economic zone adjacent to Pacific Insular Areas;
(B) shall be negotiated and implemented consistent only with the governing international fishery agreement provisions of this subchapter specifically made applicable in this subsection;
(C) may not be negotiated with a nation that is in violation of a governing international fishery agreement in effect under this chapter;
(D) shall not be entered into if it is determined by the Governor of the applicable Pacific Insular Area with respect to agreements initiated under paragraph (1)(A), or the Western Pacific Council with respect to agreements initiated under paragraph (1)(B), that such an agreement will adversely affect the fishing activities of the indigenous people of such Pacific Insular Area;
(E) shall be valid for a period not to exceed three years and shall only become effective according to the procedures in section 1823 of this title; and
(F) shall require the foreign nation and its fishing vessels to comply with the requirements of paragraphs (1), (2), (3) and (4)(A) of section 1821(c) of this title, section 1821(d) of this title, and section 1821(h) of this title.
(3) Permits for foreign fishing
(A) Application for permits for foreign fishing authorized under a Pacific Insular Areas fishing agreement shall be made, considered and approved or disapproved in accordance with paragraphs (3), (4), (5), (6), (7)(A) and (B), (8), and (9) of subsection (b), and shall include any conditions and restrictions established by the Secretary in consultation with the Secretary of State, the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating, the Governor of the applicable Pacific Insular Area, and the appropriate Council.
(B) If a foreign nation notifies the Secretary of State of its acceptance of the requirements of this paragraph, paragraph (2)(F), and paragraph (5), including any conditions and restrictions established under subparagraph (A), the Secretary of State shall promptly transmit such notification to the Secretary. Upon receipt of any payment required under a Pacific Insular Area fishing agreement, the Secretary shall thereupon issue to such foreign nation, through the Secretary of State, permits for the appropriate fishing vessels of that nation. Each permit shall contain a statement of all of the requirements, conditions, and restrictions established under this subsection which apply to the fishing vessel for which the permit is issued.
(4) Marine conservation plans
(A) Prior to entering into a Pacific Insular Area fishery agreement, the Western Pacific Council and the appropriate Governor shall develop a 3-year marine conservation plan detailing uses for funds to be collected by the Secretary pursuant to such agreement. Such plan shall be consistent with any applicable fishery management plan, identify conservation and management objectives (including criteria for determining when such objectives have been met), and prioritize planned marine conservation projects. Conservation and management objectives shall include, but not be limited to—
(i) Pacific Insular Area observer programs, or other monitoring programs, that the Secretary determines are adequate to monitor the harvest, bycatch, and compliance with the laws of the United States by foreign fishing vessels that fish under Pacific Insular Area fishing agreements;
(ii) conduct of marine and fisheries research, including development of systems for information collection, analysis, evaluation, and reporting;
(iii) conservation, education, and enforcement activities related to marine and coastal management, such as living marine resource assessments, habitat monitoring and coastal studies;
(iv) grants to the University of Hawaii for technical assistance projects by the Pacific Island Network, such as education and training in the development and implementation of sustainable marine resources development projects, scientific research, and conservation strategies; and
(v) western Pacific community-based demonstration projects under section 112(b) of the Sustainable Fisheries Act and other coastal improvement projects to foster and promote the management, conservation, and economic enhancement of the Pacific Insular Areas.
(B) In the case of American Samoa, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands, the appropriate Governor, with the concurrence of the Western Pacific Council, shall develop the marine conservation plan described in subparagraph (A) and submit such plan to the Secretary for approval. In the case of other Pacific Insular Areas, the Western Pacific Council shall develop and submit the marine conservation plan described in subparagraph (A) to the Secretary for approval.
(C) If a Governor or the Western Pacific Council intends to request that the Secretary of State renew a Pacific Insular Area fishery agreement, a subsequent 3-year plan shall be submitted to the Secretary for approval by the end of the second year of the existing 3-year plan.
(5) Reciprocal conditions
(6) Use of payments by American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana IslandsAny payments received by the Secretary under a Pacific Insular Area fishery agreement for American Samoa, Guam, or the Northern Mariana Islands shall be deposited into the United States Treasury and then covered over to the Treasury of the Pacific Insular Area for which those funds were collected. Amounts deposited in the Treasury of a Pacific Insular Area shall be available, without appropriation or fiscal year limitation, to the Governor of the Pacific Insular Area—
(A) to carry out the purposes of this subsection;
(B) to compensate (i) the Western Pacific Council for mutually agreed upon administrative costs incurred relating to any Pacific Insular Area fishery agreement for such Pacific Insular Area, and (ii) the Secretary of State for mutually agreed upon travel expenses for no more than 2 Federal representatives incurred as a direct result of complying with paragraph (1)(A); and
(C) to implement a marine conservation plan developed and approved under paragraph (4).
(7) Western Pacific Sustainable Fisheries FundThere is established in the United States Treasury a Western Pacific Sustainable Fisheries Fund into which any payments received by the Secretary under a Pacific Insular Area fishery agreement and any funds or contributions received in support of conservation and management objectives under a marine conservation plan for any Pacific Insular Area other than American Samoa, Guam, or the Northern Mariana Islands shall be deposited. The Western Pacific Sustainable Fisheries Fund shall be made available, without appropriation or fiscal year limitation, to the Secretary, who shall provide such funds only to—
(A) the Western Pacific Council for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this subsection, including implementation of a marine conservation plan approved under paragraph (4);
(B) the Secretary of State for mutually agreed upon travel expenses for no more than 2 Federal representatives incurred as a direct result of complying with paragraph (1)(B); and
(C) the Western Pacific Council to meet conservation and management objectives in the State of Hawaii if monies remain in the Western Pacific Sustainable Fisheries Fund after the funding requirements of subparagraphs (A) and (B) have been satisfied.
Amounts deposited in such fund shall not diminish funding received by the Western Pacific Council for the purpose of carrying out other responsibilities under this chapter.
(8) Use of fines and penalties
(Pub. L. 94–265, title II, § 204, Apr. 13, 1976, 90 Stat. 342; Pub. L. 95–354, § 4(5)–(8), Aug. 28, 1978, 92 Stat. 520, 521; Pub. L. 96–470, title I, § 111(b), title II, § 208, Oct. 19, 1980, 94 Stat. 2239, 2245; Pub. L. 96–561, title II, § 232, Dec. 22, 1980, 94 Stat. 3298; Pub. L. 97–453, § 3, Jan. 12, 1983, 96 Stat. 2483; Pub. L. 99–272, title VI, § 6021, Apr. 7, 1986, 100 Stat. 123; Pub. L. 99–659, title I, §§ 101(c)(2), 102, 103(b), Nov. 14, 1986, 100 Stat. 3707, 3709; Pub. L. 101–627, title I, §§ 106, 120(b), Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 4440, 4459; Pub. L. 102–251, title III, § 301(f), Mar. 9, 1992, 106 Stat. 64; Pub. L. 104–297, title I, § 105(d), Oct. 11, 1996, 110 Stat. 3564; Pub. L. 109–479, § 6, title IV, § 404(b), Jan. 12, 2007, 120 Stat. 3579, 3632.)

CITE AS: 16 USC 1824

§ 1825. Import prohibitions
(a) Determinations by Secretary of StateIf the Secretary of State determines that—
(1) he has been unable, within a reasonable period of time, to conclude with any foreign nation an international fishery agreement allowing fishing vessels of the United States equitable access to fisheries over which that nation asserts exclusive fishery management authority, including fisheries for tuna species, as recognized by the United States, in accordance with fishing activities of such vessels, if any, and under terms not more restrictive than those established under sections 1821(c) and (d) and 1824(b)(7) and (10) of this title, because such nation has (A) refused to commence negotiations, or (B) failed to negotiate in good faith;
(2) any foreign nation is not allowing fishing vessels of the United States to engage in fishing for tuna species in accordance with an applicable international fishery agreement, whether or not such nation is a party thereto;
(3) any foreign nation is not complying with its obligations under any existing international fishery agreement concerning fishing by fishing vessels of the United States in any fishery over which that nation asserts exclusive fishery management authority; or
(4) any fishing vessel of the United States, while fishing in waters beyond any foreign nation’s territorial sea, to the extent that such sea is recognized by the United States, is seized by any foreign nation—
(A) in violation of an applicable international fishery agreement;
(B) without authorization under an agreement between the United States and such nation; or
(C) as a consequence of a claim of jurisdiction which is not recognized by the United States;
he shall certify such determination to the Secretary of the Treasury.
(b) ProhibitionsUpon receipt of any certification from the Secretary of State under subsection (a), the Secretary of the Treasury shall immediately take such action as may be necessary and appropriate to prohibit the importation into the United States—
(1) of all fish and fish products from the fishery involved, if any; and
(2) upon recommendation of the Secretary of State, such other fish or fish products, from any fishery of the foreign nation concerned, which the Secretary of State finds to be appropriate to carry out the purposes of this section.
(c) Removal of prohibition
(d) DefinitionsAs used in this section—
(1) The term “fish” includes any highly migratory species.
(2) The term “fish products” means any article which is produced from or composed of (in whole or in part) any fish.
(Pub. L. 94–265, title II, § 205, Apr. 13, 1976, 90 Stat. 345; Pub. L. 101–627, title I, § 105(b)(1), Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 4440.)

CITE AS: 16 USC 1825

§ 1826. Large-scale driftnet fishing
(a) Short title
(b) Findings
The Congress finds that—
(1) the continued widespread use of large-scale driftnets beyond the exclusive economic zone of any nation is a destructive fishing practice that poses a threat to living marine resources of the world’s oceans, including but not limited to the North and South Pacific Ocean and the Bering Sea;
(2) the use of large-scale driftnets is expanding into new regions of the world’s oceans, including the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea;
(3) there is a pressing need for detailed and reliable information on the number of seabirds, sea turtles, nontarget fish, and marine mammals that become entangled and die in actively fished large-scale driftnets and in large-scale driftnets that are lost, abandoned, or discarded;
(4) increased efforts, including reliable observer data and enforcement mechanisms, are needed to monitor, assess, control, and reduce the adverse impact of large-scale driftnet fishing on living marine resources;
(5) the nations of the world have agreed in the United Nations, through General Assembly Resolution Numbered 44–225, approved December 22, 1989, by the General Assembly, that a moratorium should be imposed by June 30, 1992, on the use of large-scale driftnets beyond the exclusive economic zone of any nation;
(6) the nations of the South Pacific have agreed to a moratorium on the use of large-scale driftnets in the South Pacific through the Convention for the Prohibition of Fishing with Long Driftnets in the South Pacific, which was agreed to in Wellington, New Zealand, on November 29, 1989;
(7) increasing population pressures and new knowledge of the importance of living marine resources to the health of the global ecosystem demand that greater responsibility be exercised by persons fishing or developing new fisheries beyond the exclusive economic zone of any nation; and
(8) within the exclusive economic zone, large-scale driftnet fishing that deploys nets with large mesh sizes causes significant entanglement and mortality of living marine resources, including myriad protected species, despite limitations on the lengths of such nets.
(c) Policy
It is declared to be the policy of the Congress in this section that the United States should—
(1) implement the moratorium called for by the United Nations General Assembly in Resolution Numbered 44–225;
(2) support the Tarawa Declaration and the Wellington Convention for the Prohibition of Fishing with Long Driftnets in the South Pacific;
(3) secure a permanent ban on the use of destructive fishing practices, and in particular large-scale driftnets, by persons or vessels fishing beyond the exclusive economic zone of any nation; and
(4) prioritize the phase out of large-scale driftnet fishing in the exclusive economic zone and promote the development and adoption of alternative fishing methods and gear types that minimize the incidental catch of living marine resources.
(d) International agreements
The Secretary, through the Secretary of State and the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating, shall seek to secure international agreements to implement immediately the findings, policy, and provisions of this section, and in particular an international ban on large-scale driftnet fishing. The Secretary, through the Secretary of State, shall include, in any agreement which addresses the taking of living marine resources of the United States, provisions to ensure that—
(1) each large-scale driftnet fishing vessel of a foreign nation that is party to the agreement, including vessels that may operate independently to develop new fishing areas, which operate beyond the exclusive economic zone of any nation, is included in such agreement;
(2) each large-scale driftnet fishing vessel of a foreign nation that is party to the agreement, which operates beyond the exclusive economic zone of any nation, is equipped with satellite transmitters which provide real-time position information accessible to the United States;
(3) statistically reliable monitoring by the United States is carried out, through the use of on-board observers or through dedicated platforms provided by foreign nations that are parties to the agreement, of all target and nontarget fish species, marine mammals, sea turtles, and sea birds entangled or killed by large-scale driftnets used by fishing vessels of foreign nations that are parties to the agreement;
(4) officials of the United States have the right to board and inspect for violations of the agreement any large-scale driftnet fishing vessels operating under the flag of a foreign nation that is party to the agreement at any time while such vessel is operating in designated areas beyond the exclusive economic zone of any nation;
(5) all catch landed or transshipped at sea by large-scale driftnet fishing vessels of a foreign nation that is a party to the agreement, and which are operated beyond the exclusive economic zone of any nation, is reliably monitored and documented;
(6) time and area restrictions are imposed on the use of large-scale driftnets in order to prevent interception of anadromous species;
(7) all large-scale driftnets used are constructed, insofar as feasible, with biodegradable materials which break into segments that do not represent a threat to living marine resources;
(8) all large-scale driftnets are marked at appropriate intervals in a manner that conclusively identifies the vessel and flag nation responsible for each such driftnet;
(9) the taking of nontarget fish species, marine mammals, sea turtles, seabirds, and endangered species or other species protected by international agreements to which the United States is a party is minimized and does not pose a threat to existing fisheries or the long-term health of living marine resources; and
(10) definitive steps are agreed upon to ensure that parties to the agreement comply with the spirit of other international agreements and resolutions concerning the use of large-scale driftnets beyond the exclusive economic zone of any nation.
(e) Effect on sovereign rights
(f) “Living marine resources” defined
(i)1
1 So in original. See Codification note below.
Fishing gear transition program
(1) In general
(2) Permissible uses
Any permit holder receiving a grant under paragraph (1) may use such funds only for the purpose of covering—
(A) any fee originally associated with a permit authorizing participation in a large-scale driftnet fishery, if such permit is surrendered for permanent revocation, and such permit holder relinquishes any claim associated with the permit;
(B) a forfeiture of fishing gear associated with a permit described in subparagraph (A); or
(C) the purchase of alternative gear with minimal incidental catch of living marine resources, if the fishery participant is authorized to continue fishing using such alternative gears.
(3) Certification
(Pub. L. 94–265, title II, § 206, as added Pub. L. 95–6, § 3(1), Feb. 21, 1977, 91 Stat. 15; amended Pub. L. 99–659, title I, § 101(c)(2), Nov. 14, 1986, 100 Stat. 3707; Pub. L. 101–627, title I, § 107(a), Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 4441; Pub. L. 104–297, title I, § 105(f), Oct. 11, 1996, 110 Stat. 3569; Pub. L. 117–328, div. S, title I, §§ 103, 104, title II, § 205(b)(1)(B), Dec. 29, 2022, 136 Stat. 5259, 5270.)

CITE AS: 16 USC 1826

§ 1826a. Denial of port privileges and sanctions for high seas large-scale driftnet fishing
(a) Denial of port privileges
(1) Publication of list
(2) Denial of port privileges
The Secretary of Homeland Security shall, in accordance with international law—
(A) withhold or revoke the clearance required by section 60105 of title 46 for any large-scale driftnet fishing vessel of a nation that receives a negative certification under section 1826j(d) or 1826k(c) of this title, or fishing vessels of a nation that has been listed pursuant to section 1826j(b) of this title or section 1826k(a) of this title in 2 or more consecutive reports for the same type of fisheries activity, as described under section 1826h of this title, until a positive certification has been received;
(B) withhold or revoke the clearance required by section 60105 of title 46 for fishing vessels of a nation that has been listed pursuant to section 1826j(a) or 1826k(a) of this title in 2 or more consecutive reports as described under section 1826h of this title; and
(C) deny entry of that vessel to any place in the United States and to the navigable waters of the United States, except for the purposes of inspecting such vessel, conducting an investigation, or taking other appropriate enforcement action.
(3) Notification of nation
Before the publication of a list of nations under paragraph (1), the Secretary of State shall notify each nation included on that list regarding—
(A) the effect of that publication on port privileges of vessels of that nation under paragraph (1); and
(B) any sanctions or requirements, under this Act or any other law, that may be imposed on that nation if nationals or vessels of that nation continue to conduct large-scale driftnet fishing beyond the exclusive economic zone of any nation after December 31, 1992.
(b) Sanctions
(1) Identifications
(A) Initial identifications
Not later than January 10, 1993, the Secretary of Commerce shall—
(i) identify each nation whose nationals or vessels are conducting large-scale driftnet fishing beyond the exclusive economic zone of any nation; and
(ii) notify the President and that nation of the identification under clause (i).
(B) Additional identifications
At any time after January 10, 1993, whenever the Secretary of Commerce has reason to believe that the nationals or vessels of any nation are conducting large-scale driftnet fishing beyond the exclusive economic zone of any nation, the Secretary of Commerce shall—
(i) identify that nation; and
(ii) notify the President and that nation of the identification under clause (i).
(2) Consultations
(3) Prohibition on imports of fish and fish products and sport fishing equipment
(A) Prohibition
The President—
(i) upon receipt of notification of the identification of a nation under paragraph (1)(A) or a negative certification under section 1826j(d) of this title or section 1826k(c) of this title; or
(ii) if the consultations with the government of a nation under paragraph (2) are not satisfactorily concluded within ninety days, shall direct the Secretary of the Treasury to prohibit the importation into the United States of fish and fish products and sport fishing equipment (as that term is defined in section 4162 of title 26) from that nation.
(B) Implementation of prohibition
(C) Public notice of prohibition
(4) Additional economic sanctions
(A) Determination of effectiveness of sanctions
Not later than six months after the date the Secretary of Commerce identifies a nation under paragraph (1) or issues a negative certification under section 1826j(d) of this title or section 1826k(c) of this title, the Secretary shall determine whether—
(i) any prohibition established under paragraph (3) is insufficient to cause that nation to terminate large-scale driftnet fishing conducted by its nationals and vessels beyond the exclusive economic zone of any nation, or to address the offending activities for which a nation received a negative certification under section 1826j(d) or 1826k(c) of this title; or
(ii) that nation has retaliated against the United States as a result of that prohibition.
(B) Certification
(C) Effect of certification
(Pub. L. 102–582, title I, § 101, Nov. 2, 1992, 106 Stat. 4901; Pub. L. 109–479, title IV, § 403(b)(1), Jan. 12, 2007, 120 Stat. 3632; Pub. L. 114–81, title I, § 102(a), Nov. 5, 2015, 129 Stat. 656; Pub. L. 117–263, div. K, title CXIII, § 11336, Dec. 23, 2022, 136 Stat. 4101.)

CITE AS: 16 USC 1826a

§ 1826b. Duration of denial of port privileges and sanctions

Any denial of port privileges or sanction under section 1826a of this title with respect to a nation shall remain in effect until such time as the Secretary of Commerce certifies to the President and the Congress that such nation has terminated large-scale driftnet fishing by its nationals and vessels beyond the exclusive economic zone of any nation or effectively addressed the offending activities for which the nation received a negative certification under 1826j(d) 1

1 So in original. Probably should be preceded by “section”.
or 1826k(c) of this title.

(Pub. L. 102–582, title I, § 102, Nov. 2, 1992, 106 Stat. 4903; Pub. L. 109–479, title IV, § 403(b)(2), Jan. 12, 2007, 120 Stat. 3632; Pub. L. 114–81, title I, § 102(b), Nov. 5, 2015, 129 Stat. 656.)

CITE AS: 16 USC 1826b

§ 1826c. Definitions
In sections 1826a to 1826c of this title, the following definitions apply:
(1) Fish and fish products
(2) Large-scale driftnet fishing
(A) In general
(B) Exception
(3) Large-scale driftnet fishing vessel
The term “large-scale driftnet fishing vessel” means any vessel which is—
(A) used for, equipped to be used for, or of a type which is normally used for large-scale driftnet fishing; or
(B) used for aiding or assisting one or more vessels at sea in the performance of large-scale driftnet fishing, including preparation, supply, storage, refrigeration, transportation, or processing.
(Pub. L. 102–582, title I, § 104, Nov. 2, 1992, 106 Stat. 4903.)

CITE AS: 16 USC 1826c

§ 1826d. Prohibition

The United States, or any agency or official acting on behalf of the United States, may not enter into any international agreement with respect to the conservation and management of living marine resources or the use of the high seas by fishing vessels that would prevent full implementation of the global moratorium on large-scale driftnet fishing on the high seas, as such moratorium is expressed in Resolution 46/215 of the United Nations General Assembly.

(Pub. L. 104–43, title VI, § 603, Nov. 3, 1995, 109 Stat. 392.)

CITE AS: 16 USC 1826d

§ 1826e. Negotiations

The Secretary of State, on behalf of the United States, shall seek to enhance the implementation and effectiveness of the United Nations General Assembly resolutions and decisions regarding the moratorium on large-scale driftnet fishing on the high seas through appropriate international agreements and organizations.

(Pub. L. 104–43, title VI, § 604, Nov. 3, 1995, 109 Stat. 392.)

CITE AS: 16 USC 1826e

§ 1826f. Certification

The Secretary of State shall determine in writing prior to the signing or provisional application by the United States of any international agreement with respect to the conservation and management of living marine resources or the use of the high seas by fishing vessels that the prohibition contained in section 1826d of this title will not be violated if such agreement is signed or provisionally applied.

(Pub. L. 104–43, title VI, § 605, Nov. 3, 1995, 109 Stat. 392.)

CITE AS: 16 USC 1826f

§ 1826g. Enforcement
(a) In general
(b) Acts to which section appliesThis section applies to—
(1) the Pacific Salmon Treaty Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3631 et seq.);
(2) the Dolphin Protection Consumer Information Act (16 U.S.C. 1385);
(3) the Tuna Conventions Act of 1950 (16 U.S.C. 951 et seq.);
(4) the North Pacific Anadromous Stocks Act of 1992 (16 U.S.C. 5001 et seq.);
(5) the Atlantic Tunas Convention Act of 1975 (16 U.S.C. 971 et seq.);
(6) the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Convention Act of 1995 (16 U.S.C. 5601 et seq.);
(7) the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Convention Implementation Act (16 U.S.C. 6901 et seq.);
(8) the Antigua Convention Implementing Act of 2015; and
(9) the Ensuring Access to Pacific Fisheries Act.
(c) Administration and enforcement
(1) In general
(2) International cooperation
(d) Special rules
(1) Additional enforcement authority
(2) Disclosure of enforcement information
(A) In generalThe Secretary, subject to the data confidentiality provisions in section 402 of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1881a), may disclose, as necessary and appropriate, information, including information collected under joint authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.) and the Atlantic Tunas Convention Act of 1975 (16 U.S.C. 71 et seq.) or the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Convention Implementation Act (16 U.S.C. 6901 et seq.) or other statutes implementing international fishery agreements, to any other Federal or State government agency, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the secretariat or equivalent of an international fishery management organization or arrangement made pursuant to an international fishery agreement, or a foreign government, if—
(i) such government, organization, or arrangement has policies and procedures to protect such information from unintended or unauthorized disclosure; and
(ii) such disclosure is necessary—(I) to ensure compliance with any law or regulation enforced or administered by the Secretary;(II) to administer or enforce any international fishery agreement to which the United States is a party;(III) to administer or enforce a binding conservation measure adopted by any international organization or arrangement to which the United States is a party;(IV) to assist in any investigative, judicial, or administrative enforcement proceeding in the United States; or(V) to assist in any law enforcement action undertaken by a law enforcement agency of a foreign government, or in relation to a legal proceeding undertaken by a foreign government to the extent the enforcement action is consistent with rules and regulations of a regional fisheries management organization (as that term is defined by the United Nation’s 1
1 So in original.
Food and Agriculture Organization Agreement on Port State Measures to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing) of which the United States is a member, or the Secretary has determined that the enforcement action is consistent with the requirements under Federal law for enforcement actions with respect to illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing.
(B) Data confidentiality provisions not applicableThe data confidentiality provisions of section 402 of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1881a) shall not apply with respect to this Act with respect to—
(i) any obligation of the United States to share information under a regional fisheries management organization (as that term is defined by the United Nation’s 1 Food and Agriculture Organization Agreement on Port State Measures to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing) of which the United States is a member; or
(ii) any information collected by the Secretary regarding foreign vessels.
(e) Prohibited actsIt is unlawful for any person—
(1) to violate any provision of this Act or any regulation or permit issued pursuant to this Act;
(2) to refuse to permit any officer authorized to enforce the provisions of this Act to board, search, or inspect a vessel, subject to such person’s control for the purposes of conducting any search, investigation, or inspection in connection with the enforcement of this Act, any regulation promulgated under this Act, or any Act to which this section applies;
(3) to forcibly assault, resist, oppose, impede, intimidate, or interfere with any such authorized officer in the conduct of any search, investigation, or inspection described in paragraph (2);
(4) to resist a lawful arrest for any act prohibited by this section or any Act to which this section applies;
(5) to interfere with, delay, or prevent, by any means, the apprehension, arrest, or detection of another person, knowing that such person has committed any act prohibited by this section or any Act to which this section applies; or
(6) to forcibly assault, resist, oppose, impede, intimidate, sexually harass, bribe, or interfere with—
(A) any observer on a vessel under this Act or any Act to which this section applies; or
(B) any data collector employed by the National Marine Fisheries Service or under contract to any person to carry out responsibilities under this Act or any Act to which this section applies.
(f) Civil penalty
(g) Criminal penalty
(h) Utilization of Federal agency assets
(Pub. L. 104–43, title VI, § 606, Nov. 3, 1995, 109 Stat. 392; Pub. L. 114–81, title I, § 101(a)(1), Nov. 5, 2015, 129 Stat. 650; Pub. L. 114–327, title IV, § 401(a), Dec. 16, 2016, 130 Stat. 1994.)

CITE AS: 16 USC 1826g

§ 1826h. Biennial report on international compliance
(a) In generalThe Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of State, shall provide to Congress, by not later than 2 years after January 12, 2007, and every 2 years thereafter, on June 1 of that year a report that includes—
(1) the state of knowledge on the status of international living marine resources shared by the United States or subject to treaties or agreements to which the United States is a party, including a list of all such fish stocks classified as overfished, overexploited, depleted, endangered, or threatened with extinction by any international or other authority charged with management or conservation of living marine resources;
(2) a list of nations that have been identified under section 1826j(a) or 1826k(a) of this title, including the specific offending activities and any subsequent actions taken pursuant to section 1826j or 1826k of this title;
(3) a description of efforts taken by nations on those lists to comply take appropriate corrective action consistent with sections 1826j and 1826k of this title, and an evaluation of the progress of those efforts, including steps taken by the United States to implement those sections and to improve international compliance;
(4) progress at the international level, consistent with section 1826i of this title, to strengthen the efforts of international fishery management organizations to end illegal, unreported, or unregulated fishing; and
(5) steps taken by the Secretary at the international level to adopt international measures comparable to those of the United States to reduce impacts of fishing and other practices on protected living marine resources, if no international agreement to achieve such goal exists, or if the relevant international fishery or conservation organization has failed to implement effective measures to end or reduce the adverse impacts of fishing practices on such species.
(b) Additional informationIn addition to the information described in paragraphs (1) through (5) of subsection (a), the report shall include—
(1) a description of the actions taken to carry out the provisions of section 1826 of this title, including—
(A) an evaluation of the progress of those efforts, the impacts on living marine resources, including available observer data, and specific plans for further action;
(B) a list and description of any new fisheries developed by nations that conduct, or authorize their nationals to conduct, large-scale driftnet fishing beyond the exclusive economic zone of any nation; and
(C) a list of the nations that conduct, or authorize their nationals to conduct, large-scale driftnet fishing beyond the exclusive economic zone of any nation in a manner that diminishes the effectiveness of or is inconsistent with any international agreement governing large-scale driftnet fishing to which the United States is a party or otherwise subscribes; and
(2) a description of the actions taken to carry out the provisions of section 1822(h) of this title.
(c) Certification
(Pub. L. 104–43, title VI, § 607, as added Pub. L. 109–479, title IV, § 403(a), Jan. 12, 2007, 120 Stat. 3626; amended Pub. L. 114–81, title I, § 101(i)(1), Nov. 5, 2015, 129 Stat. 655; Pub. L. 114–327, title IV, § 401(b), Dec. 16, 2016, 130 Stat. 1994; Pub. L. 117–328, div. S, title II, § 205(b)(2), Dec. 29, 2022, 136 Stat. 5270.)

CITE AS: 16 USC 1826h

§ 1826i. Action to strengthen international fishery management organizations
(a) In generalThe Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of State, and in cooperation with relevant fishery management councils and any relevant advisory committees, shall take actions to improve the effectiveness of international fishery management organizations, or arrangements made pursuant to an international fishery agreement, in conserving and managing fish stocks under their jurisdiction. These actions shall include—
(1) urging international fishery management organizations to which the United States is a member—
(A) to incorporate multilateral market-related measures against member or nonmember governments whose vessels engage in illegal, unreported, or unregulated fishing;
(B) to seek adoption of lists that identify fishing vessels and vessel owners engaged in illegal, unreported, or unregulated fishing that can be shared among all members and other international fishery management organizations;
(C) to seek international adoption of a centralized vessel monitoring system in order to monitor and document capacity in fleets of all nations involved in fishing in areas under an international fishery management organization’s jurisdiction;
(D) to increase use of observers and technologies needed to monitor compliance with conservation and management measures established by the organization, including vessel monitoring systems and automatic identification systems;
(E) to seek adoption of stronger port state controls in all nations, particularly those nations in whose ports vessels engaged in illegal, unreported, or unregulated fishing land or transship fish; and
(F) to adopt shark conservation measures, including measures to prohibit removal of any of the fins of a shark (including the tail) and discarding the carcass of the shark at sea;
(2) urging international fishery management organizations to which the United States is a member, as well as all members of those organizations, to adopt and expand the use of market-related measures to combat illegal, unreported, or unregulated fishing, including—
(A) import prohibitions, landing restrictions, or other market-based measures needed to enforce compliance with international fishery management organization measures, such as quotas and catch limits;
(B) import restrictions or other market-based measures to prevent the trade or importation of fish caught by vessels identified multilaterally as engaging in illegal, unreported, or unregulated fishing; and
(C) catch documentation and certification schemes to improve tracking and identification of catch of vessels engaged in illegal, unreported, or unregulated fishing, including advance transmission of catch documents to ports of entry;
(3) seeking to enter into international agreements that require measures for the conservation of sharks, including measures to prohibit removal of any of the fins of a shark (including the tail) and discarding the carcass of the shark at sea, that are comparable to those of the United States, taking into account different conditions; and
(4) urging other nations at bilateral, regional, and international levels, including the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora and the World Trade Organization to take all steps necessary, consistent with international law, to adopt measures and policies that will prevent fish or other living marine resources harvested by vessels engaged in illegal, unreported, or unregulated fishing from being traded or imported into their nation or territories.
(b) Disclosure of information
(1) In general
(2) ExceptionsThe data confidentiality provisions in section 402 of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1881a) shall not apply with respect to this Act—
(A) for obligations of the United States to share information under a regional fisheries management organization (as that term is defined by the United Nation’s 1
1 So in original.
Food and Agriculture Organization Agreement on Port State Measures to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing) of which the United States is a member; or
(B) to any information collected by the Secretary regarding foreign vessels.
(c) IUU vessel listsThe Secretary may—
(1) develop, maintain, and make public a list of vessels and vessel owners engaged in illegal, unreported, or unregulated fishing or fishing-related activities in support of illegal, unreported, or unregulated fishing, including vessels or vessel owners identified by an international fishery management organization or arrangement made pursuant to an international fishery agreement, that—
(A) the United States is party to; or
(B) the United States is not party to, but whose procedures and criteria in developing and maintaining a list of such vessels and vessel owners are substantially similar to such procedures and criteria adopted pursuant to an international fishery agreement to which the United States is a party; and
(2) take appropriate action against listed vessels and vessel owners, including action against fish, fish parts, or fish products from such vessels, in accordance with applicable United States law and consistent with applicable international law, including principles, rights, and obligations established in applicable international fishery management agreements and trade agreements.
(d) Regulations
(Pub. L. 104–43, title VI, § 608, as added Pub. L. 109–479, title IV, § 403(a), Jan. 12, 2007, 120 Stat. 3627; amended Pub. L. 111–348, title I, § 102(a), Jan. 4, 2011, 124 Stat. 3668; Pub. L. 114–81, title I, § 101(b), Nov. 5, 2015, 129 Stat. 653.)

CITE AS: 16 USC 1826i

§ 1826j. Illegal, unreported, or unregulated fishing
(a) Identification
(1) Identification for actions of fishing vessels
The Secretary shall, based on a cumulative compilation and analysis of data collected and provided by international fishery management organizations and other nations and organizations, identify, and list in the report under section 1826h of this title, a nation if any fishing vessel of that nation is engaged, or has been engaged at any point during the preceding 3 years, in illegal, unreported, or unregulated fishing—
(A) that undermines the effectiveness of measures required by an international fishery management organization, taking into account whether the relevant international fishery management organization has failed to implement effective measures to end the illegal, unreported, or unregulated fishing activity by that nation or the nation is not a party to, or does not maintain cooperating status with, such organization; or
(B) where no international fishery management organization exists with a mandate to regulate the fishing activity in question.
(2) For actions of a nation
The Secretary shall identify, and list in such report, a nation engaging in or endorsing illegal, unreported, or unregulated fishing. In determining which nations to list in such report, the Secretary shall consider the following:
(A) Any nation that is violating, or has violated at any point during the 3 years preceding the date of the determination, conservation and management measures, including catch and other data reporting obligations and requirements, required under an international fishery management agreement to which the United States is a party.
(B) Any nation that is failing, or has failed in the 3-year period preceding the date of the determination, to effectively address or regulate illegal, unreported, or unregulated fishing within its fleets in any areas where its vessels are fishing.
(C) Any nation that fails to discharge duties incumbent upon it under international law or practice as a flag, port, or coastal state to take action to prevent, deter, and eliminate illegal, unreported, or unregulated fishing.
(D) Any nation that has been identified as producing for export to the United States seafood-related goods through forced labor or oppressive child labor (as those terms are defined in section 11329 of the Don Young Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2022) in the most recent List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor in accordance with the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C. 7101 et seq.).
(3) Application to other entities
(4) Timing
(b) Notification
(c) Consultation
No later than 60 days after submitting a report to Congress under section 1826h of this title, the Secretary, acting through the Secretary of State, shall—
(1) notify nations listed in the report of the requirements of this section;
(2) initiate consultations for the purpose of encouraging such nations to take the appropriate corrective action with respect to the offending activities of their fishing vessels identified in the report; and
(3) notify any relevant international fishery management organization of the actions taken by the United States under this section.
(d) IUU certification procedure
(1) Certification
The Secretary shall establish a procedure, consistent with the provisions of subchapter II of chapter 5 of title 5, for determining if a nation identified under subsection (a) and listed in the report under section 1826h of this title has taken appropriate corrective action with respect to the offending activities identified in the report under section 1826h of this title. The certification procedure shall provide for notice and an opportunity for comment by any such nation. The Secretary shall determine, on the basis of the procedure, and certify to the Congress no later than 90 days after the date on which the Secretary promulgates a final rule containing the procedure, and biennially thereafter in the report under section 1826h of this title—
(A) whether the government of each nation identified under subsection (a) has provided documentary evidence that it has taken corrective action with respect to the offending activities identified in the report; or
(B) whether the relevant international fishery management organization has implemented measures that are effective in ending the illegal, unreported, or unregulated fishing activity by vessels of that nation.
(2) Alternative procedure
The Secretary may establish a procedure to authorize, on a shipment-by-shipment, shipper-by-shipper, or other basis the importation of fish or fish products from a vessel of a nation issued a negative certification under paragraph (1) if the Secretary determines that—
(A) the vessel has not engaged in illegal, unreported, or unregulated fishing under an international fishery management agreement to which the United States is a party; or
(B) the vessel is not identified by an international fishery management organization as participating in illegal, unreported, or unregulated fishing activities.
(3) Effect of certification determination
(A) Effect of negative certification
(B) Effect of positive certification
(e) Illegal, unreported, or unregulated fishing defined
(1) In general
(2) Secretary to define term within legislative guidelines
(3) Guidelines
The Secretary shall include in the definition, at a minimum—
(A) fishing activities that violate conservation and management measures required under an international fishery management agreement to which the United States is a party, including catch limits or quotas, capacity restrictions, bycatch reduction requirements, and shark conservation measures;
(B) overfishing of fish stocks shared by the United States, for which there are no applicable international conservation or management measures or in areas with no applicable international fishery management organization or agreement, that has adverse impacts on such stocks; and
(C) fishing activity that has an adverse impact on seamounts, hydrothermal vents, and cold water corals located beyond national jurisdiction, for which there are no applicable conservation or management measures or in areas with no applicable international fishery management organization or agreement.
(f) Authorization of appropriations
(Pub. L. 104–43, title VI, § 609, as added Pub. L. 109–479, title IV, § 403(a), Jan. 12, 2007, 120 Stat. 3628; amended Pub. L. 111–348, title I, § 102(b), Jan. 4, 2011, 124 Stat. 3669; Pub. L. 114–81, title I, § 101(c), (e), (g)(1), (2), (i)(2)–(4), Nov. 5, 2015, 129 Stat. 654, 655; Pub. L. 114–327, title IV, § 401(c), Dec. 16, 2016, 130 Stat. 1995; Pub. L. 117–263, div. K, title CXIII, § 11337, Dec. 23, 2022, 136 Stat. 4102; Pub. L. 117–328, div. S, title IV, § 401(1), Dec. 29, 2022, 136 Stat. 5274.)

CITE AS: 16 USC 1826j

§ 1826k. Equivalent conservation measures
(a) Identification
(1) In generalThe Secretary shall identify and list in the report under section 1826h of this title—
(A) a nation if—
(i) any fishing vessel of that nation is engaged, or has been engaged during the 3 years preceding the date of the determination, in fishing activities or practices on the high seas or within the exclusive economic zone of any nation, that have resulted in bycatch of a protected living marine resource; and
(ii) the vessel’s flag state has not adopted, implemented, and enforced a regulatory program governing such fishing designed to end or reduce such bycatch that is comparable in effectiveness to the regulatory program of the United States, taking into account differing conditions; and
(B) a nation if—
(i) any fishing vessel of that nation is engaged, or has engaged during the 3 years preceding the date of the determination, in fishing activities on the high seas or within the exclusive economic zone of another nation that target or incidentally catch sharks; and
(ii) the vessel’s flag state has not adopted, implemented, and enforced a regulatory program to provide for the conservation of sharks, including measures to prohibit removal of any of the fins of a shark, including the tail, before landing the shark in port, that is comparable to that of the United States.
(2) Timing
(b) Consultation and negotiationThe Secretary of State, acting in consultation with the Secretary, shall—
(1) notify, as soon as practicable, the President and nations that are engaged in, or that have any fishing vessels engaged in, fishing activities or practices described in subsection (a), about the provisions of this Act;
(2) initiate discussions as soon as practicable with all foreign nations that are engaged in, or a fishing vessel of which has engaged in, fishing activities described in subsection (a), for the purpose of entering into bilateral and multilateral treaties with such nations to protect such species and to address any underlying failings or gaps that may have contributed to identification under this Act; and
(3) initiate the amendment of any existing international treaty for the protection and conservation of such species to which the United States is a party in order to make such treaty consistent with the purposes and policies of this section.
(c) Conservation certification procedure
(1) DeterminationThe Secretary shall establish a procedure consistent with the provisions of subchapter II of chapter 5 of title 5 for determining whether the government of a harvesting nation identified under subsection (a) and listed in the report under section 1826h of this title—
(A) has provided documentary evidence of the adoption of a regulatory program governing the conservation of the protected living marine resource that is comparable to that of the United States, taking into account different conditions, and which, in the case of pelagic longline fishing, includes mandatory use of circle hooks, careful handling and release equipment, and training and observer programs; and
(B) has established a management plan containing requirements that will assist in gathering species-specific data to support international stock assessments and conservation enforcement efforts for protected living marine resources.
(2) Procedural requirement
(3) Certification
(4) Alternative procedureThe Secretary may establish a procedure to authorize, on a shipment-by-shipment, shipper-by-shipper, or other basis the importation of fish or fish products from a vessel of a nation issued a negative certification under paragraph (1) if the Secretary determines that such imports were harvested by practices that do not result in bycatch of a protected marine species, or were harvested by practices that—
(A) are comparable to those of the United States, taking into account different conditions; and
(B) include the gathering of species specific data that can be used to support international and regional stock assessments and conservation efforts for protected living marine resources.
(5) Effect of certification
(d) International cooperation and assistanceTo the greatest extent possible consistent with existing authority and the availability of funds, the Secretary shall—
(1) provide appropriate assistance to nations identified by the Secretary under subsection (a) and international organizations of which those nations are members to assist those nations in qualifying for certification under subsection (c);
(2) undertake, where appropriate, cooperative research activities on species statistics and improved harvesting techniques, with those nations or organizations;
(3) encourage and facilitate the transfer of appropriate technology to those nations or organizations to assist those nations in qualifying for certification under subsection (c); and
(4) provide assistance to those nations or organizations in designing and implementing appropriate fish harvesting plans.
(e) Protected living marine resource definedIn this section the term “protected living marine resource”—
(1) except as provided in paragraph (2), means nontarget fish, sea turtles, or marine mammals that are protected under United States law or international agreement, including—
(A) the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 (16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.);
(B) the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.);
(C) the Shark Finning Prohibition Act (16 U.S.C. 1822 note); and
(D) the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, done at Washington March 3, 1973 (27 UST 1087; TIAS 8249); but
(2) does not include species, except sharks, managed under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act [16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.], the Atlantic Tunas Convention Act [16 U.S.C. 971 et seq.], or any international fishery management agreement.
(f) Authorization of appropriations
(Pub. L. 104–43, title VI, § 610, as added Pub. L. 109–479, title IV, § 403(a), Jan. 12, 2007, 120 Stat. 3630; amended Pub. L. 111–348, title I, § 102(c)(1), Jan. 4, 2011, 124 Stat. 3669; Pub. L. 114–81, title I, § 101(d), (f), (g)(3), (i)(5), Nov. 5, 2015, 129 Stat. 654, 655; Pub. L. 114–327, title IV, § 401(d), Dec. 16, 2016, 130 Stat. 1995; Pub. L. 117–263, div. K, title CXIII, § 11338, Dec. 23, 2022, 136 Stat. 4103; Pub. L. 117–328, div. S, title IV, § 401(2), Dec. 29, 2022, 136 Stat. 5274.)

CITE AS: 16 USC 1826k

§ 1827. Observer program regarding certain foreign fishing
(a) DefinitionsAs used in this section—
(1) The term “Act of 1976” means the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.).
(2) The term “billfish” means any species of marlin, spearfish, sailfish or swordfish.
(3) The term “Secretary” means the Secretary of Commerce.
(b) Observer programThe Secretary shall establish a program under which a United States observer will be stationed aboard each foreign fishing vessel while that vessel—
(1) is in waters that are within—
(A) the fishery conservation zone established under section 101 of the Act of 1976 [16 U.S.C. 1811],1
1 See References in Text note below.
and
(B) the Convention area as defined in Article I of the International Convention for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas; and
(2) is taking or attempting to take any species of fish if such taking or attempting to take may result in the incidental taking of billfish.
The Secretary may acquire observers for such program through contract with qualified private persons.
(c) Functions of observers
(d) Fees
(e) Fund
(f) Prohibited acts
(1) It is unlawful for any person who is the owner or operator of a foreign fishing vessel to which this section applies—
(A) to violate any regulation issued under subsection (g);
(B) to refuse to pay the fee imposed under subsection (d) after being requested to do so by the Secretary; or
(C) to refuse to permit an individual who is authorized to act as an observer under this section with respect to that vessel to board the vessel for purposes of carrying out observer functions.
(2) Section 308 of the Act of 1976 [16 U.S.C. 1858] (relating to civil penalties) applies to any act that is unlawful under paragraph (1), and for purposes of such application the commission of any such act shall be treated as an act the commission of which is unlawful under section 307 of the Act of 1976 [16 U.S.C. 1857].
(g) Regulations
(Pub. L. 96–339, § 2, Sept. 4, 1980, 94 Stat. 1069; Pub. L. 96–561, title II, § 238(b), Dec. 22, 1980, 94 Stat. 3300; Pub. L. 104–208, div. A, title I, § 101(a) [title II, § 211(b)], Sept. 30, 1996, 110 Stat. 3009, 3009–41.)

CITE AS: 16 USC 1827

§ 1827a. Prohibition on sale of billfish
(a) Prohibition
(b) Penalty
(c) Exemptions for traditional fisheries and markets
(1) Subsection (a) does not apply to billfish caught by US fishing vessels and landed and retained in the State of Hawaii or Pacific Insular Areas as defined in section 1802(35) of this title.
(2) Subsection (a) does not apply to billfish landed by foreign fishing vessels in the Pacific Insular Areas when the foreign caught billfish is exported to non-US markets or retained within Hawaii and the Pacific Insular Areas for local consumption.
(d) Billfish definedIn this section the term “billfish”—
(1) means any fish of the species—
(A) Makaira nigricans (blue marlin);
(B) Kajikia audax (striped marlin);
(C) Istiompax indica (black marlin);
(D) Istiophorus platypterus (sailfish);
(E) Tetrapturus angustirostris (shortbill spearfish);
(F) Kajikia albida (white marlin);
(G) Tetrapturus georgii (roundscale spearfish);
(H) Tetrapturus belone (Mediterranean spearfish); and
(I) Tetrapturus pfluegeri (longbill spearfish); and
(2) does not include the species Xiphias gladius (swordfish).
(Pub. L. 112–183, § 4, Oct. 5, 2012, 126 Stat. 1422; Pub. L. 115–228, § 1, Aug. 2, 2018, 132 Stat. 1628.)

CITE AS: 16 USC 1827a

§ 1828. Foreign fishing incursions
(a) In general
(b) Specific issues to be addressed
The report shall—
(1) focus on areas in the exclusive economic zone where the Coast Guard has failed to detect or interdict such incursions in the 4-fiscal-year period beginning with fiscal year 2000, including such areas in the Western/Central Pacific and the Bering Sea; and
(2) include an evaluation of the potential use of unmanned aircraft and offshore platforms for detecting or interdicting such incursions.
(c) Biennial updates
(Pub. L. 109–241, title VIII, § 804, July 11, 2006, 120 Stat. 563.)

CITE AS: 16 USC 1828

§ 1829. International monitoring and compliance
(a) In general
(b) Specific authorities
In carrying out subsection (a), the Secretary may—
(1) share information on harvesting and processing capacity and illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing on the high seas, in areas covered by international fishery management agreements, and by vessels of other nations within the United States exclusive economic zone, with relevant law enforcement organizations of foreign nations and relevant international organizations;
(2) further develop real time information sharing capabilities, particularly on harvesting and processing capacity and illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing;
(3) participate in global and regional efforts to build an international network for monitoring, control, and surveillance of high seas fishing and fishing under regional or global agreements;
(4) support efforts to create an international registry or database of fishing vessels, including by building on or enhancing registries developed by international fishery management organizations;
(5) enhance enforcement capabilities through the application of commercial or governmental remote sensing technology to locate or identify vessels engaged in illegal, unreported, or unregulated fishing on the high seas, including encroachments into the exclusive economic zone by fishing vessels of other nations;
(6) provide technical or other assistance to developing countries to improve their monitoring, control, and surveillance capabilities; and
(7) support coordinated international efforts to ensure that all large-scale fishing vessels operating on the high seas are required by their flag State to be fitted with vessel monitoring systems no later than December 31, 2008, or earlier if so decided by the relevant flag State or any relevant international fishery management organization.
(Pub. L. 94–265, title II, § 207, as added Pub. L. 109–479, title IV, § 401, Jan. 12, 2007, 120 Stat. 3625.)

CITE AS: 16 USC 1829