Title 16ConservationRelease 119-73

§5606 Prohibited acts and enforcement

Title 16 › Chapter CHAPTER 76— - NORTHWEST ATLANTIC FISHERIES CONVENTION › § 5606

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Makes it illegal for people or vessels under U.S. jurisdiction to do six things: break rules made under this law or international measures the U.S. follows; refuse to let authorized officers board a fishing vessel for searches or inspections; attack, block, scare, or otherwise interfere with those officers; resist a lawful arrest for these offenses; buy, sell, move, or keep fish taken in violation of these rules; or help someone avoid arrest when you know they committed one of these acts. See section 1826g for more prohibitions.

Full Legal Text

Title 16, §5606

Conservation — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)It is unlawful for any person or vessel that is subject to the jurisdiction of the United States—
(1)to violate any regulation issued under this chapter or any measure that is legally binding on the United States under the Convention;
(2)to refuse to permit any authorized enforcement officer to board a fishing vessel that is subject to the person’s control for purposes of conducting any search, investigation, or inspection in connection with the enforcement of this chapter, any regulation issued under this chapter, or any measure that is legally binding on the United States under the Convention;
(3)forcibly to assault, resist, oppose, impede, intimidate, or interfere with any authorized enforcement 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;
(5)to ship, transport, offer for sale, sell, purchase, import, export, or have custody, control, or possession of, any fishery resources taken or retained in violation of this section; or
(6)to interfere with, delay, or prevent, by any means, the apprehension or arrest of another person, knowing that the other person has committed an act prohibited by this section.
(b)For additional prohibitions relating to this chapter and enforcement of this chapter, see section 1826g of this title.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2016—Subsec. (a)(5). Pub. L. 114–327 substituted “fishery resources” for “fish”. 2015—Pub. L. 114–81, § 111(1), in section catchline, substituted “and

Enforcement

” for “and penalties”. Subsec. (a)(2), (3). Pub. L. 114–81, § 111(2), (3), inserted “, investigation,” before “or inspection”. Subsecs. (b) to (f). Pub. L. 114–81, § 111(4), added subsec. (b) and struck out former subsecs. (b) to (f), which related to civil penalty, criminal penalty, civil forfeitures,

Enforcement

, and jurisdiction of courts. 1998—Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 105–384 substituted “section” for “sections”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Transfer of Functions

For transfer of authorities, functions, personnel, and assets of the Coast Guard, including the authorities and functions of the Secretary of Transportation relating thereto, to the Department of Homeland Security, and for treatment of related references, see section 468(b), 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. § 5606

Title 16Conservation

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73