Title 16, ConservationRelease 119-110

§1423a Prohibitions

Title 16 › CHAPTER 31 — MARINE MAMMAL PROTECTION › SUBCHAPTER VI — POLAR BEARS › § 1423a

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

People under U.S. authority or on U.S. land or in U.S. waters must not take polar bears in ways that break the Agreement or the Commission’s annual limits or other limits. They also must not import, export, possess, move, sell, buy, trade, or offer to trade polar bears or their parts if they were taken illegally. The law also bans selling polar bear gall bile or gall bladders, trying to or hiring someone to break these rules, and breaking rules the Secretary creates to carry this out. For forensic testing or other law enforcement work, the Secretary, federal law officers, and state or local officers authorized by the Secretary may import a polar bear or its parts.

Full Legal Text

Title 16, §1423a

Conservation, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)In general

It is unlawful for any person who is subject to the jurisdiction of the United States or any person in waters or on lands under the jurisdiction of the United States—

(1)to take any polar bear in violation of the Agreement;

(2)to take any polar bear in violation of the Agreement or any annual taking limit or other restriction on the taking of polar bears that is adopted by the Commission pursuant to the Agreement;

(3)to import, export, possess, transport, sell, receive, acquire, or purchase, exchange, barter, or offer to sell, purchase, exchange, or barter any polar bear, or any part or product of a polar bear, that is taken in violation of paragraph (2);

(4)to import, export, sell, purchase, exchange, barter, or offer to sell, purchase, exchange, or barter, any polar bear gall bile or polar bear gall bladder;

(5)to attempt to commit, solicit another person to commit, or cause to be committed, any offense under this subsection; or

(6)to violate any regulation promulgated by the Secretary to implement any of the prohibitions established in this subsection.

(b)Exceptions

For the purpose of forensic testing or any other law enforcement purpose, the Secretary, and Federal law enforcement officials, and any State or local law enforcement official authorized by the Secretary, may import a polar bear or any part or product of a polar bear.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

16 U.S.C. § 1423a

Title 16, Conservation

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110