Title 16 — ConservationRelease 119-73not60

§4003 Definitions

Title 16 › Chapter 60— FISH AND SEAFOOD PROMOTION › § 4003

Last updated Apr 5, 2026|Official source

Summary

Defines key words used in this chapter so people know what they mean. Consumer education means efforts to tell people about eating and using fish and fish products. Council means a seafood promotion council. Fish means fish and other edible sea creatures like shellfish, but not marine mammals or seabirds. Fund means the Fisheries Promotional Fund. Harvester means someone who catches or farms fish to sell. Importer means a person or agent who brings fish or fish products into the United States for business. Marketer means someone who sells fish in stores, restaurants, or wholesale but does not mainly process or pack them. Marketing and promotion means activities to get people to buy or eat fish or to keep markets. Member means someone on the National Council or a council. National Council means the National Fish and Seafood Promotional Council. Person means any individual or business or organization. Processor prepares or packs fish for sale. Receiver owns processing vessels or buys fish directly from harvesters. Research means studies to improve how fish are used, made, or sold. Sector covers six groups: harvesters, importers, marketers, processors, receivers, and consumer-information professionals. Secretary means the Secretary of Commerce or their designee. United States includes the states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, and any other U.S. territory, possession, or commonwealth.

Full Legal Text

Title 16, §4003

Conservation — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

As used in this chapter, the term—

(1)“consumer education” means actions undertaken to inform consumers on matters related to the consumption of fish and fish products;

(2)“council” means a seafood promotional council established under section 4009 of this title;

(3)“fish” means finfish, mollusks, crustaceans, and all other forms of aquatic animal life used for human consumption; the term does not include marine mammals and seabirds;

(4)“Fund” means the Fisheries Promotional Fund established in section 4008 of this title;

(5)“harvester” means any individual who is in the business of catching or growing fish for purposes of sale;

(6)“importer” means any person in the business of importing fish or fish products into the United States from another country for commercial purposes or who acts as an agent, broker, or consignee for any person or nation that produces, processes or markets fish or fish products outside of the United States for sale or other commercial purpose in the United States;

(7)“marketer” means any person who is in the business of selling fish or fish products in the wholesale, retail, or restaurant trade, but whose primary business function is not the processing or packaging of fish or fish products in preparation for sale;

(8)“marketing and promotion” means an activity aimed at encouraging the consumption of fish or fish products or expanding or maintaining commercial markets for fish or fish products;

(9)“member” means any person serving on the National Council or on any council;

(10)“National Council” means the National Fish and Seafood Promotional Council established in section 4004 of this title;

(11)“person” means any individual, group of individuals, partnership, corporation, association, cooperative, or any private entity organized or existing under the laws of the United States or any State, commonwealth, territory or possession of the United States;

(12)“processor” means any person who is in the business of preparing or packaging fish or fish products (including fish of the processor’s own harvesting) for sale;

(13)“receiver” means any person who owns fish processing vessels and any person in the business of acquiring fish directly from harvesters;

(14)“research” means any type of research designed to advance the image, desirability, usage, marketability, production or quality of fish and fish products;

(15)“sector” means—

(A)the sector consisting of harvesters;

(B)the sector consisting of importers;

(C)the sector consisting of marketers;

(D)the sector consisting of processors;

(E)the sector consisting of receivers; or

(F)the consumer sector consisting of persons professionally engaged in the dissemination of information pertaining to the nutritional benefits and preparation of fish and fish products;

(16)“Secretary” means the Secretary of Commerce, or the Secretary’s designee; and

(17)“United States” means the several States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands and any other territory, possession, or commonwealth of the United States.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

16 U.S.C. § 4003

Title 16 — Conservation

Last Updated

Apr 5, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60