WHAT THE LAW DOINCongress, in plain words

The law › Title 16, Conservation › Chapter 38

16 U.S.C. 1861: Enforcement

Created in 1976 by Public Law 94-265. Changed by 9 later laws. No bill we track in this Congress changes it.

11 other sections of the Code cite this one, including 16 U.S.C. 1821, 16 U.S.C. 1824, 16 U.S.C. 1826g, 16 U.S.C. 1857, 16 U.S.C. 1859.

This Congress

No bill we track in the 119th Congress changes this section.

    How it got here

    2016

    • Pub. L. 114–120, in introductory provisions, substituted "In the case of Hawaii or any possession of the United States in the Pacific Ocean, the appropriate court is the United States District Court for the District of Hawaii, except that in the case of Guam and Wake Island, the approp… (Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2015) Law text · (d)

    2007

    • Pub. L. 109–479, §111(a)(1)–(3), added cl. (vi). (Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Reauthorization Act of 2006) Law text · (b)
    • Pub. L. 109–479, §111(a)(4), (5), added subsecs. (h) and (i) and redesignated former subsec. (h) as (j). (Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Reauthorization Act of 2006) Law text · (h), (i), (j)

    1996

    • Pub. L. 104–297, §115(a)(2), inserted ", and except that in the case of the Northern Mariana Islands, the appropriate court is the United States District Court for the District of the Northern Mariana Islands" after "District of Hawaii". (Sustainable Fisheries Act) Law text · (d)
    • Pub. L. 104–297, §115(a)(1), which directed substitution of "Guam or any" for "Guam, any Commonwealth, territory, or", was executed by making the substitution for "Guam, and any Commonwealth, territory, or", to reflect the probable intent of Congress. (Sustainable Fisheries Act) Law text · (d)
    • Pub. L. 104–297, §115(b)(1), substituted "marine resource law" for "fishery resource law" in introductory provisions and in subpars. (A) and (B). (Sustainable Fisheries Act) Law text · (e)
    • Pub. L. 104–297, §115(b)(2), inserted "of not less than 20 percent of the penalty collected or $20,000, whichever is the lesser amount," after "reward". (Sustainable Fisheries Act) Law text · (e)
    • Pub. L. 104–297, §115(b)(3), added subpar. (E) and struck out former subpar. (E) which read as follows: "claims of parties in interest to property disposed of under section 1612(b) of title 19 or under other provisions of the customs laws, as made applicable by section 1860(c) of… (Sustainable Fisheries Act) Law text · (e)
    • Pub. L. 104–297, §115(c), amended par. (2) generally. Prior to amendment, par. (2) read as follows: "Any person assessed a civil penalty for, or convicted of, any violation of this chapter shall be liable for the cost incurred in storage, care, and maintenance of any fish or other p… (Sustainable Fisheries Act) Law text · (e)
    • Pub. L. 104–297, §115(d), added subsec. (g). Former subsec. (g) redesignated (h). (Sustainable Fisheries Act) Law text · (g)
    • Pub. L. 104–297, §115(d), redesignated subsec. (g) as (h). (Sustainable Fisheries Act) Law text · (h)
    • Pub. L. 104–297, §115(e), which directed amendment of subsec. (i)(1) by substituting "1821(b) or (c) of this title, or section 1824(d) of this title," for "1821(b), (c) of this title,", was executed by making the substitution for "1821(b) or (c) of this title" in subsec. (h)(1) to r… (Sustainable Fisheries Act) Law text · (h)

    1992

    • Pub. L. 102–567 added subsec. (f) and redesignated former subsec. (f) as (g). · (f), (g)

    1990

    • Pub. L. 101–627 amended subsec. (e) generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (e) read as follows: "Notwithstanding any other provision of law, after September 30, 1986, the Secretary or the Secretary of the Treasury may pay from sums received as fines, penalties, or forfeitures of proper… · (e)

    1986

    • Pub. L. 99–659, §101(c)(2), substituted "exclusive economic zone" for "fishery conservation zone". · (b)
    • Pub. L. 99–659, §109(b), added subsec. (e) and redesignated former subsec. (e) as (f). · (e), (f)

    1983

    • Pub. L. 97–453, §15(c), struck out provision that the Secretaries were to report annually on June 30, to each committee of the Congress listed in section 1823(b) of this title and to the Councils, on the degree and extent of known and estimated compliance with the provisions of this ch… · (a)
    • Pub. L. 97–453, §13(1), designated existing provisions as par. (1). · (b)
    • Pub. L. 97–453, §13(2), (3), redesignated former par. (1) as subpar. (A) and, in subpar. (A) as redesignated, redesignated former subpars. (A) to (E) as cls. (i) to (v), respectively. · (b)
    • Pub. L. 97–453, §13(2), redesignated former pars. (2) and (3) as subpars. (B) and (C), respectively. · (b), (C)
    • Pub. L. 97–453, §13(4), added par. (2). · (b)

    1980

    • Pub. L. 96–470 substituted "annually on June 30" for "semiannually" and inserted "during the preceding calendar year" after "with the provisions of this chapter". · (a)

    Text, outline and history from the official U.S. Code (2024 edition) on GovInfo, published by the Office of the Law Revision Counsel. Changes made after that edition appear under This Congress.