§6907 Cooperation in carrying out convention

Summary

The Secretary can work with U.S. government agencies, public or private groups here or abroad, and with officials of other governments (through the Secretary of State) to carry out duties under this law. Federal agencies must help when the Secretary asks, by running science programs and giving staff and facilities. The Secretary and the Commission may run or approve fishing trips and biological experiments for science at any time and must carry out other duties the convention requires. A State’s control of the U.S. territorial sea stays the same unless the Secretary makes rules under section 6905(a) and follows steps to apply them inside that State. Those rules can apply if the Secretary notifies the State, the State does not ask for a formal hearing, and the Secretary decides the State either has not, within a reasonable time, put the Commission’s recommendations into law or has laws that are less strict or not effectively enforced. The Secretary’s rules stay in effect until the State is enforcing measures that are at least as strict. If the State asks for a hearing, the Secretary won’t apply the rules unless the hearing record supports the same findings. The Secretary will keep reviewing State laws and enforcement to make sure this happens.