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Title 16 — ConservationRelease 119-73

§952 Commissioners

Title 16 › Chapter CHAPTER 16— - TUNA CONVENTIONS › § 952

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Four people will represent the United States on the Commission. The President picks them. The Secretary of State, after talking with the Secretary, supervises them and can remove them. The President must choose people who know about highly migratory fish in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean. One must be an officer or employee of the Department of Commerce. No more than two appointees may live in a State that does not have vessels with a substantial fishery in the Convention area. The Secretary of State, with the Secretary, can name Alternate Commissioners for meetings. Alternates can act with the same powers when a regular Commissioner is absent, and the number of alternates at a meeting cannot exceed the number of absent Commissioners. Commissioners who are not government officers or employees are not federal employees except for injury compensation and tort claims under chapter 81 of title 5 and chapter 171 of title 28. Commissioners and Alternates get no pay. The Secretary of State will pay their travel costs under the Federal Travel Regulations and sections 5701, 5702, 5704 through 5708, and 5731 of title 5, and the Secretary may repay the Secretary of State for those amounts.

Full Legal Text

Title 16, §952

Conservation — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The United States shall be represented on the Commission by four United States Commissioners. The President shall appoint individuals to serve on the Commission. The United States Commissioners shall be subject to supervision and removal by the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary. In making the appointments, the President shall select United States Commissioners from among individuals who are knowledgeable or experienced concerning highly migratory fish stocks in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean, one of whom shall be an officer or employee of the Department of Commerce. Not more than two United States Commissioners may be appointed who reside in a State other than a State whose vessels maintain a substantial fishery in the area of the Convention.
(b)The Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary, may designate from time to time and for periods of time deemed appropriate Alternate United States Commissioners to the Commission. Any Alternate United States Commissioner may exercise, at any meeting of the Commission or of the General Advisory Committee or Scientific Advisory Subcommittee established pursuant to section 953(b) of this title, all powers and duties of a United States Commissioner in the absence of any United States Commissioner appointed pursuant to subsection (a) of this section for whatever reason. The number of such Alternate United States Commissioners that may be designated for any such meeting shall be limited to the number of United States Commissioners appointed pursuant to subsection (a) of this section who will not be present at such meeting.
(c)(1)Individuals serving as United States Commissioners, other than officers or employees of the United States Government, shall not be considered Federal employees except for the purposes of injury compensation or tort claims liability as provided in chapter 81 of title 5 and chapter 171 of title 28.
(2)The United States Commissioners or Alternate Commissioners, although officers of the United States while so serving, shall receive no compensation for their services as United States Commissioners or Alternate Commissioners.
(3)(A)The Secretary of State shall pay the necessary travel expenses of United States Commissioners and Alternate United States Commissioners to meetings of the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission and other meetings the Secretary of State deems necessary to fulfill their duties, in accordance with the Federal Travel Regulations and section 5701, 5702, 5704 through 5708, and 5731 of title 5.
(B)The Secretary may reimburse the Secretary of State for amounts expended by the Secretary of State under this subsection.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2015—Pub. L. 114–81 amended section generally. Prior to amendment, section related to number, appointment, and qualification of United States Commissioners. 2000—Pub. L. 106–562 inserted after first sentence “Individuals serving as such Commissioners shall not be considered to be Federal employees while performing such service, except for purposes of injury compensation or tort claims liability as provided in chapter 81 of title 5 and chapter 171 of title 28.” 1997—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 105–42, which directed the general amendment of section 3(c) of the Tuna Convention Act, was executed by making the amendment to subsec. (c) of this section, to reflect the probable intent of Congress. Prior to amendment, subsec. (c) read as follows: “at least one shall be an officer of the Department of Commerce; and”. 1992—Par. (d). Pub. L. 102–523 added par. (d).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 1997 AmendmentFor

Effective Date

of amendment by Pub. L. 105–42, see section 8 of Pub. L. 105–42, set out as a note under section 1362 of this title. Alternate United States CommissionersFor additional provisions relating to the designation of Alternate United States Commissioners, see section 2672a and 2672b of Title 22, Foreign Relations and Intercourse.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

16 U.S.C. § 952

Title 16 — Conservation

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73