§7805 Enforcement

Summary

The Secretary and the Secretary of the department that runs the Coast Guard must enforce this chapter and any rules or permits under it. They can let officers do the enforcing, including officers from federal or state agencies that agree to help. Any officer they authorize has the same powers and duties as if section 311 of the Magnuson‑Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1861) were part of this chapter. They must stop violations using the same tools and authority as if sections 308–311 of the Magnuson‑Stevens Act (16 U.S.C. 1858–1861) were part of this chapter. People who break this chapter face the same penalties and have the same legal protections as in the Magnuson‑Stevens Act (16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.). Federal district courts handle cases under this rule. For Hawaii and nearby Pacific possessions, the proper court is the U.S. District Court for the District of Hawaii, except Guam and Wake Island go to the District of Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands go to the District of the Northern Mariana Islands. Each violation is a separate offense and can be treated as happening in the district where it first occurred or in other districts allowed by law; offenses not in any district follow the venue rules in section 3238 of title 18.