Title 16ConservationRelease 119-73not60

§668b Enforcement Provisions

Title 16 › Chapter 5A— PROTECTION AND CONSERVATION OF WILDLIFE › Subchapter II— PROTECTION OF BALD AND GOLDEN EAGLES › § 668b

Last updated Apr 5, 2026|Official source

Summary

Authorized employees of the Department of the Interior can arrest people without a warrant if they see them breaking these rules. They can take those people to court, carry out court orders and warrants, and, when allowed by law, search places with or without a warrant. The Secretary of the Interior can make agreements with state fish and wildlife agencies and give state officers authority to help enforce the rules. Federal judges and magistrate judges can issue warrants if a proper oath shows probable cause. Bald and golden eagles, and their parts, nests, or eggs, taken or handled in violation of these rules, and any equipment or vehicles used to do that (like guns, traps, boats, cars, or planes), can be seized and turned over to the United States. Laws about seizing and forfeiting vessels under customs law apply when they make sense and do not conflict. Powers given by customs law to Treasury officers for these matters are carried out by the Secretary of the Interior or people the Secretary names.

Full Legal Text

Title 16, §668b

Conservation — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Any employee of the Department of the Interior authorized by the Secretary of the Interior to enforce the provisions of this subchapter may, without warrant, arrest any person committing in his presence or view a violation of this subchapter or of any permit or regulations issued hereunder and take such person immediately for examination or trial before an officer or court of competent jurisdiction; may execute any warrant or other process issued by an officer or court of competent jurisdiction for the enforcement of the provisions of this subchapter; and may, with or without a warrant, as authorized by law, search any place. The Secretary of the Interior is authorized to enter into cooperative agreements with State fish and wildlife agencies or other appropriate State authorities to facilitate enforcement of this subchapter, and by said agreements to delegate such enforcement authority to State law enforcement personnel as he deems appropriate for effective enforcement of this subchapter. Any judge of any court established under the laws of the United States, and any United States magistrate judge may, within his respective jurisdiction, upon proper oath or affirmation showing probable cause, issue warrants in all such cases.
(b)All bald or golden eagles, or parts, nests, or eggs thereof, taken, possessed, sold, purchased, bartered, offered for sale, purchase, or barter, transported, exported, or imported contrary to the provisions of this subchapter, or of any permit or regulation issued hereunder, and all guns, traps, nets, and other equipment, vessels, vehicles, aircraft, and other means of transportation used to aid in the taking, possessing, selling, purchasing, bartering, offering for sale, purchase, or barter, transporting, exporting, or importing of any bird, or part, nest, or egg thereof, in violation of this subchapter or of any permit or regulation issued hereunder shall be subject to forfeiture to the United States.
(c)All provisions of law relating to the seizure, forfeiture, and condemnation of a vessel for violation of the customs laws, the disposition of such vessel or the proceeds from the sale thereof, and the remission or mitigation of such forfeitures, shall apply to the seizures and forfeitures incurred, or alleged to have been incurred, under the provisions of this subchapter, insofar as such provisions of law are applicable and not inconsistent with the provisions of this subchapter: Provided, That all powers, rights, and duties conferred or imposed by the customs laws upon any officer or employee of the Treasury Department shall, for the purposes of this subchapter, be exercised or performed by the Secretary of the Interior or by such persons as he may designate.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1972—Pub. L. 92–535 substituted provisions relating to

Enforcement

of this subchapter including arrest, without warrant, issuance and execution of warrants and process, search, forfeiture, and applicability of certain customs laws, for provisions incorporating provisions of section 706 in haec verba.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Change of Name

“United States magistrate judge” substituted for “United States magistrate” in subsec. (a) pursuant to section 321 of Pub. L. 101–650, set out as a note under section 631 of Title 28, Judiciary and Judicial Procedure. Previously, “United States magistrate” substituted for “United States commissioner” in subsec. (a) pursuant to Pub. L. 90–578. See chapter 43 (§ 631 et seq.) of Title 28.

Executive Documents

Enforcement

functions of Secretary or other official in Department of the Interior related to compliance with this subchapter with respect to pre-

Construction

,

Construction

, and initial operation of transportation system for Canadian and Alaskan natural gas transferred to Federal Inspector, Office of Federal Inspector for Alaska Natural Gas Transportation System, until first anniversary of date of initial operation of Alaska Natural Gas Transportation System, see Reorg. Plan No. 1 of 1979, §§ 102(e), 203(a), 44 F.R. 33663, 33666, 93 Stat. 1373, 1376, effective July 1, 1979, set out in the Appendix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employees. Office of Federal Inspector for the Alaska Natural Gas Transportation System abolished and functions and authority vested in Inspector transferred to Secretary of Energy by section 3012(b) of Pub. L. 102–486, set out as an Abolition of Office of Federal Inspector note under section 719e of Title 15, Commerce and Trade. Functions and authority vested in Secretary of Energy subsequently transferred to Federal Coordinator for Alaska Natural Gas Transportation Projects by section 720d(f) of Title 15.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

16 U.S.C. § 668b

Title 16Conservation

Last Updated

Apr 5, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60