Title 16ConservationRelease 119-73not60

§5009 Unlawful Activities

Title 16 › Chapter 70— NORTH PACIFIC ANADROMOUS STOCKS CONVENTION › § 5009

Last updated Apr 5, 2026|Official source

Summary

Nine actions are illegal for people and fishing boats under U.S. jurisdiction in the Convention area. You cannot fish for anadromous fish, keep or fail to put back any anadromous fish caught by accident while fishing for other species, or have, move, buy, sell, import, or export anadromous fish taken in violation of the Convention or its rules. You must let enforcement officers board your vessel for inspections, and you cannot assault, resist, block, scare, or otherwise interfere with officers doing their job. You also cannot resist arrest, help someone else avoid arrest or detection for these offenses, or break any part of the Convention or its regulations.

Full Legal Text

Title 16, §5009

Conservation — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

It is unlawful for any person or fishing vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States—
(1)to fish for any anadromous fish in the Convention area;
(2)to retain on board any anadromous fish taken incidentally in a fishery directed at nonanadromous fish in the Convention area;
(3)to fail to return immediately to the sea any anadromous fish taken incidentally in a fishery directed at nonanadromous fish in the Convention area;
(4)to ship, transport, offer for sale, sell, purchase, import, export, or have custody, control, or possession of, any anadromous fish taken or retained in violation of the Convention, this chapter, or any regulation issued under this chapter;
(5)to refuse to permit any enforcement officer to board a fishing vessel subject to such person’s control for purposes of conducting any search, investigation, or inspection in connection with the enforcement of the Convention, this chapter, or any regulation issued under this chapter;
(6)to forcibly assault, resist, oppose, impede, intimidate, or interfere with any enforcement officer in the conduct of any search, investigation, or inspection described in paragraph (5);
(7)to resist a lawful arrest or detection for any act prohibited by this section;
(8)to interfere with, delay, or prevent, by any means, the apprehension, arrest, or detection of another person, knowing that such person has committed any act prohibited by this section; or
(9)to violate any provision of the Convention, this chapter, or any regulation issued under this chapter.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Codification Title VIII of Pub. L. 102–567 and Pub. L. 102–587 enacted substantially identical sections. Title VIII of Pub. L. 102–587 was repealed by Pub. L. 106–562.

Amendments

2015—Pars. (5), (6). Pub. L. 114–81 inserted “, investigation,” after “search”.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

16 U.S.C. § 5009

Title 16Conservation

Last Updated

Apr 5, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60