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Title 16 — ConservationRelease 119-73

§3375 Enforcement

Title 16 › Chapter CHAPTER 53— - CONTROL OF ILLEGALLY TAKEN FISH AND WILDLIFE › § 3375

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary, the Secretary of Transportation, or the Secretary of the Treasury must enforce these rules. They can work with other federal agencies, states, or Indian tribes. Authorized officers may carry guns. They can arrest without a warrant for crimes they see happen, or for felonies if they have a reasonable belief the person did it. A warrant is needed for a felony that was not seen and only involves moving, buying, or selling fish, wildlife, or plants taken in violation of a State law. They can search and seize, follow Attorney General guidelines, and use subpoenas and warrants (including those under Rule 41). They may stop and inspect any ship, vehicle, aircraft, or container arriving to or leaving the United States and ask for origin or reexport papers. Seized fish, wildlife, plants, or other items must be held until court cases are finished or a forfeiture action starts, or the owner can post a bond if the Secretary allows. Federal district courts handle cases under these rules, and judges or magistrates can issue the needed warrants on a showing of probable cause. Starting in fiscal year 1983, money from fines and forfeitures must pay rewards to people whose tips lead to arrests, convictions, civil penalties, or forfeitures, and must pay reasonable costs to anyone who temporarily cares for seized fish, wildlife, or plants while cases are pending. The amount of any reward is set by the appropriate Secretary. Federal, State, or local officers and employees cannot get these payments for work done as part of their jobs.

Full Legal Text

Title 16, §3375

Conservation — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The provisions of this chapter and any regulations issued pursuant thereto shall be enforced by the Secretary, the Secretary of Transportation, or the Secretary of the Treasury. Such Secretary may utilize by agreement, with or without reimbursement, the personnel, services, and facilities of any other Federal agency or any State agency or Indian tribe for purposes of enforcing this chapter.
(b)Any person authorized under subsection (a) to enforce this chapter may carry firearms; may, when enforcing this chapter, make an arrest without a warrant, in accordance with any guidelines which may be issued by the Attorney General, for any offense under the laws of the United States committed in the person’s presence, or for the commission of any felony under the laws of the United States, if the person has reasonable grounds to believe that the person to be arrested has committed or is committing a felony; may search and seize, with or without a warrant, in accordance with any guidelines which may be issued by the Attorney General; 11 So in original. The semicolon probably should be a colon. Provided, That an arrest for a felony violation of this chapter that is not committed in the presence or view of any such person and that involves only the transportation, acquisition, receipt, purchase, or sale of fish or wildlife or plants taken or possessed in violation of any law or regulation of any State shall require a warrant; may make an arrest without a warrant for a misdemeanor violation of this chapter if he has reasonable grounds to believe that the person to be arrested is committing a violation in his presence or view; and may execute and serve any subpena, arrest warrant, search warrant issued in accordance with rule 41 of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, or other warrant of civil or criminal process issued by any officer or court of competent jurisdiction for enforcement of this chapter. Any person so authorized, in coordination with the Secretary of the Treasury, may detain for inspection and inspect any vessel, vehicle, aircraft, or other conveyance or any package, crate, or other container, including its contents, upon the arrival of such conveyance or container in the United States or the customs waters of the United States from any point outside the United States or such customs waters, or, if such conveyance or container is being used for exportation purposes, prior to departure from the United States or the customs waters of the United States. Such person may also inspect and demand the production of any documents and permits required by the country of natal origin, birth, or reexport of the fish or wildlife. Any fish, wildlife, plant, property, or item seized shall be held by any person authorized by the Secretary pending disposition of civil or criminal proceedings, or the institution of an action in rem for forfeiture of such fish, wildlife, plants, property, or item pursuant to section 3374 of this title; except that the Secretary may, in lieu of holding such fish, wildlife, plant, property, or item, permit the owner or consignee to post a bond or other surety satisfactory to the Secretary.
(c)The several district courts of the United States, including the courts enumerated in section 460 of title 28, shall have jurisdiction over any actions arising under this chapter. The venue provisions of title 18 and title 28 shall apply to any actions arising under this chapter. The judges of the district courts of the United States and the United States magistrate judges may, within their respective jurisdictions, upon proper oath or affirmation showing probable cause, issue such warrants or other process as may be required for enforcement of this chapter and any regulations issued thereunder.
(d)Beginning in fiscal year 1983, the Secretary or the Secretary of the Treasury shall pay, from sums received as penalties, fines, or forfeitures of property for any violation of this chapter or any regulation issued hereunder (1) a reward to any person who furnishes information which leads to an arrest, a criminal conviction, civil penalty assessment, or forfeiture of property for any violation of this chapter or any regulation issued hereunder, and (2) the reasonable and necessary costs incurred by any person in providing temporary care for any fish, wildlife, or plant pending the disposition of any civil or criminal proceeding alleging a violation of this chapter with respect to that fish, wildlife, or plant. The amount of the reward, if any, is to be designated by the Secretary or the Secretary of the Treasury, as appropriate. Any officer or employee of the United States or any State or local government who furnishes information or renders service in the performance of his official duties is ineligible for payment under this subsection.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

This chapter, referred to in text, was in the original “this Act”, meaning Pub. L. 97–79, Nov. 16, 1981, 95 Stat. 1073, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 3371 of this title and Tables. Rule 41 of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, referred to in subsec. (b), is set out in the Appendix to Title 18, Crimes and Criminal Procedure.

Amendments

1988—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 100–653 substituted “may, when enforcing this chapter, make an arrest without a warrant, in accordance with any guidelines which may be issued by the Attorney General, for any offense under the laws of the United States committed in the person’s presence, or for the commission of any felony under the laws of the United States, if the person has reasonable grounds to believe that the person to be arrested has committed or is committing a felony; may search and seize, with or without a warrant, in accordance with any guidelines which may be issued by the Attorney General;” for “may make an arrest without a warrant for any felony violation of this chapter if he has reasonable grounds to believe that the person to be arrested has committed or is committing such violation:”. 1984—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 98–327, in first sentence, substituted a comma for “a reward” after “shall pay”, inserted “(1) a reward” before “to any person”, and added cl. (2).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Change of Name

“United States magistrate judges” substituted for “United States magistrates” in subsec. (c) pursuant to section 321 of Pub. L. 101–650, set out as a note under section 631 of Title 28, Judiciary and Judicial Procedure.

Transfer of Functions

For

Transfer of Functions

of the Secretary of Agriculture relating to agricultural import and entry inspection activities under this chapter to the Secretary of Homeland Security, and for treatment of related references, see section 231, 551(d), 552(d), and 557 of Title 6, Domestic Security, and the Department of Homeland Security Reorganization Plan of November 25, 2002, as modified, set out as a note under section 542 of Title 6.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

16 U.S.C. § 3375

Title 16 — Conservation

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73