Title 16 › Chapter 31— MARINE MAMMAL PROTECTION › Subchapter IV— INTERNATIONAL DOLPHIN CONSERVATION PROGRAM › § 1412
The Secretary of State, working with the Secretary, must get a binding international agreement to create an International Dolphin Conservation Program. The program must limit dolphin deaths in the purse seine fishery for yellowfin tuna in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean so total deaths each year do not go over 5,000, and must work to reduce deaths toward zero by setting yearly limits. It must set per-stock, per-year limits through calendar year 2000 at between 0.2 percent and 0.1 percent of the minimum population estimate as calculated, revised, or approved by the Secretary, and starting in calendar year 2001 at a level less than or equal to 0.1 percent of that minimum population estimate. If a limit is broken, dolphin sets must stop for that fishing year (for the overall limit) or sets on the affected stocks and any mixed schools must stop (for the per-stock limits). The agreement must fund scientific reviews in 1998 and 2000 to check progress and make recommendations. It must also set a maximum yearly dolphin death limit per vessel that fits the overall limits and offer incentives to captains to keep reducing dolphin deaths with the goal of ending them.
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Conservation — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
Legislative History
Reference
Citation
16 U.S.C. § 1412
Title 16 — Conservation
Last Updated
Apr 5, 2026
Release point: 119-73not60