Violations; fines and forfeitures; application of related laws

16 U.S.C. § 957
in effect
Sign in to generate a plain English summaryAsk Belisarius Agent
(a) Fishing violationsIt shall be unlawful for any master or other person in charge of a fishing vessel of the United States to engage in fishing in violation of any regulation adopted pursuant to section 955 of this title or for any person knowingly to ship, transport, purchase, sell, offer for sale, import, export, or have in custody, possession, or control any fish taken or retained in violation of such regulations. (b) Failures to keep required records; failures to stop upon being hailed; refusals to permit inspectionsIt shall be unlawful for the master or any person in charge of any fishing vessel of the United States or any person on board such vessel to fail to make, keep, or furnish any catch returns, statistical records, or other reports as are required by regulations adopted pursuant to this chapter to be made, kept, or furnished; or to fail to stop upon being hailed by a duly authorized official of the United States; or to refuse to permit the duly authorized officials of the United States or authorized officials of the commissions to board such vessel or inspect its catch, equipment, books, documents, records, or other articles or question the persons on board in accordance with the provisions of this chapter, or the convention, as the case may be. (c) Import violationsIt shall be unlawful for any person to import, in violation of any regulation adopted pursuant to section 955 of this title, from any country, any fish in any form of those species subject to regulation pursuant to a recommendation of the commission, or any tuna in any form not under regulation but under investigation by the commission, during the period such fish have been denied entry in accordance with the provisions of section 955 of this title. In the case of any fish as described in this subsection offered for entry into the United States, the Secretary of Commerce shall require proof satisfactory to him that such fish is not ineligible for such entry under the terms of section 955 of this title. (d) Fines for subsection (a) violationsAny person violating any provisions of subsection (a) of this section shall be fined not more than $25,000, and for a subsequent violation of any provisions of said subsection (a) shall be fined not more than $50,000. (e) Fines for subsection (b) violationsAny person violating any provision of subsection (b) of this section shall be fined not more than $1,000, and for a subsequent violation of any provision of subsection (b) shall be fined not more than $5,000. (f) Fines for subsection (c) violationsAny person violating any provision of subsection (c) of this section shall be fined not more than $100,000. (g) ForfeituresAll fish taken or retained in violation of subsection (a) of this section, or the monetary value thereof, may be forfeited. (h) Application of related lawsAll provisions of law relating to the seizure, judicial forfeiture, and condemnation of a cargo for violation of the customs laws, the disposition of such cargo or the proceeds from the sale thereof, and the remission or mitigation of such forfeitures shall apply to seizures and forfeitures incurred, or alleged to have been incurred, under the provisions of this chapter, insofar as such provisions of law are applicable and not inconsistent with the provisions of this chapter. (i) Additional prohibitions and enforcementFor prohibitions relating to this chapter and enforcement of this chapter, see section 1826g of this title.

Starting a business? Corpus forms LLCs in all 50 states and DC.