Title 16ConservationRelease 119-73

§916j Allocation of responsibility for administration and enforcement

Title 16 › Chapter CHAPTER 14— - REGULATION OF WHALING › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER II— - WHALING CONVENTION ACT › § 916j

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary of Commerce must run and enforce the rules in this part, the international convention, and the Commission’s rules unless some other part says otherwise. The Secretary can make rules needed to carry out those obligations and, with the Secretary of State’s agreement, work with officials from other countries that are party to the convention. When U.S.-jurisdiction whale-hunting vessels are involved, the Secretary of the Treasury has the main enforcement role and works with the Secretary of Commerce. The Secretary of Commerce can also let officers and employees of coastal states enforce the convention and these rules. If given that authority, those state officers act as federal law-enforcement officers for this part.

Full Legal Text

Title 16, §916j

Conservation — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The Secretary of Commerce is authorized and directed to administer and enforce all of the provisions of this subchapter and regulations issued pursuant thereto and all of the provisions of the convention and of the regulations of the Commission, except to the extent otherwise provided for in this subchapter, in the convention, or in the regulations of the Commission. In carrying out such functions he is authorized to adopt such regulations as may be necessary to carry out the purposes and objectives of the convention, the regulations of the Commission, this subchapter, and with the concurrence of the Secretary of State, to cooperate with the duly authorized officials of the government of any party to the convention.
(b)Enforcement activities under the provisions of this subchapter relating to vessels engaged in whaling and subject to the jurisdiction of the United States primarily shall be the responsibility of the Secretary of the Treasury in cooperation with the Secretary of Commerce.
(c)The Secretary of Commerce may authorize officers and employees of the coastal States of the United States to enforce the provisions of the convention, or of the regulations of the Commission, or of this subchapter, or of the regulations of the Secretary of Commerce. When so authorized such officers and employees may function as Federal law-enforcement officers for the purposes of this subchapter.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Executive Documents

Transfer of Functions

to Secretary of Commerce from Secretary of the Interior by Reorg. Plan No. 4 of 1970, see note set out under section 916 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

16 U.S.C. § 916j

Title 16Conservation

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73