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Title 22 — Foreign Relations and IntercourseRelease 119-73not60

§1980b Sanctions for Imposition of Conditions on U.s. Fishing Vessel Found Inconsistent with International Law

Title 22 › Chapter 25— PROTECTION OF VESSELS ON THE HIGH SEAS AND IN TERRITORIAL WATERS OF FOREIGN COUNTRIES › § 1980b

Last updated Apr 5, 2026|Official source

Summary

If the Secretary of State finds a country has put conditions on U.S. fishing vessels that the United States thinks break international law, the Secretary must tell the President. The President must then order federal agencies to put similar conditions on fishing vessels from that country. "Fishing vessel" is defined in 46 U.S.C. 2101(12). Congress expects the U.S. response to match the foreign country's actions.

Full Legal Text

Title 22, §1980b

Foreign Relations and Intercourse — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)If the Secretary of State finds that the government of any nation imposes conditions on the operation or transit of United States fishing vessels which the United States regards as being inconsistent with international law or an international agreement, the Secretary of State shall certify that fact to the President.
(b)Upon receipt of a certification under subsection (a), the President shall direct the heads of Federal agencies to impose similar conditions on the operation or transit of fishing vessels registered under the laws of the nation which has imposed conditions on United States fishing vessels.
(c)For the purposes of this section, the term “fishing vessel” has the meaning given that term in section 2101(12) of title 46.
(d)It is the sense of the Congress that any action taken by any Federal agency under subsection (b) should be commensurate with any conditions certified by the Secretary of State under subsection (a).

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2018—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 115–232 substituted “section 2101(12)” for “section 2101(11a)”.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

22 U.S.C. § 1980b

Title 22 — Foreign Relations and Intercourse

Last Updated

Apr 5, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60