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Title 16, ConservationRelease 119-110

§916j Allocation of Responsibility for Administration and Enforcement

Title 16 › CHAPTER 14 — REGULATION OF WHALING › SUBCHAPTER II — WHALING CONVENTION ACT › § 916j

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary of Commerce must run and enforce the rules under this law, the international convention, and the Commission’s regulations, unless another part says someone else is in charge. The Secretary can make rules needed to meet the convention’s goals and, with the Secretary of State’s agreement, can work with officials from other countries. The Secretary of the Treasury is mainly in charge of enforcing rules for U.S. whaling vessels, with help from Commerce. The Secretary of Commerce can also let coastal-state officers enforce these rules and act as federal law-enforcement officers when authorized.

Full Legal Text

Title 16, §916j

Conservation, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Administration and general enforcement
The Secretary of Commerce is authorized and directed to administer and enforce all of the provisions of this subchapter and regulations issued pursuant thereto and all of the provisions of the convention and of the regulations of the Commission, except to the extent otherwise provided for in this subchapter, in the convention, or in the regulations of the Commission. In carrying out such functions he is authorized to adopt such regulations as may be necessary to carry out the purposes and objectives of the convention, the regulations of the Commission, this subchapter, and with the concurrence of the Secretary of State, to cooperate with the duly authorized officials of the government of any party to the convention.
(b)Enforcement relating to whaling vessels
Enforcement activities under the provisions of this subchapter relating to vessels engaged in whaling and subject to the jurisdiction of the United States primarily shall be the responsibility of the Secretary of the Treasury in cooperation with the Secretary of Commerce.
(c)Enforcement by officers and employees of coastal States
The Secretary of Commerce may authorize officers and employees of the coastal States of the United States to enforce the provisions of the convention, or of the regulations of the Commission, or of this subchapter, or of the regulations of the Secretary of Commerce. When so authorized such officers and employees may function as Federal law-enforcement officers for the purposes of this subchapter.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Executive Documents

Transfer of Functions

to Secretary of Commerce from Secretary of the Interior by Reorg. Plan No. 4 of 1970, see note set out under section 916 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

16 U.S.C. § 916j

Title 16, Conservation

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110