Title 16 — ConservationRelease 119-73
§973e Criminal offenses
Title 16 › Chapter CHAPTER 16C— - SOUTH PACIFIC TUNA FISHING › § 973e
Summary
Doing acts barred by 973c(a)(6), (8), (9), or (10) is a crime punishable by up to a $50,000 fine or up to 6 months in jail, or both. If a dangerous weapon is used, or an authorized officer or Treaty observer on duty is injured or put in fear of imminent harm, the penalty rises to up to a $100,000 fine or up to 10 years in jail. Federal district courts handle these cases.
Full Legal Text
Title 16, §973e
Conservation — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)A person is guilty of a criminal offense if he or she commits any act prohibited by paragraph (6), (8), (9), or (10) of section 973c(a) of this title.
(b)Any offense described in subsection (a) of this section is punishable by a fine of not more than $50,000, or imprisonment for not more than 6 months, or both; except that if in the commission of any such offense the person uses a dangerous weapon, engages in conduct that causes bodily injury to any Authorized Officer, Authorized Party Officer, or observer under the Treaty in the conduct of their duties, or places any such Authorized Officer, Authorized Party Officer, or observer in fear of imminent bodily injury, the offense is punishable by a fine of not more than $100,000 or imprisonment for not more than 10 years, or both.
(c)The district courts of the United States shall have jurisdiction over any offense described in this section.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
Amendments
2025—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 119–60 substituted “paragraph (6), (8), (9), or (10) of section 973c(a)” for “section 973c(a)(8), (10), (11), or (12)”.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
16 U.S.C. § 973e
Title 16 — Conservation
Last Updated
Apr 6, 2026
Release point: 119-73