§ 1372. — Prohibitions.
[Laws in effect as of January 24, 2002]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
January 24, 2002 and December 19, 2002]
[CITE: 16USC1372]
TITLE 16--CONSERVATION
CHAPTER 31--MARINE MAMMAL PROTECTION
SUBCHAPTER II--CONSERVATION AND PROTECTION OF MARINE MAMMALS
Sec. 1372. Prohibitions
(a) Taking
Except as provided in sections 1371, 1373, 1374, 1379, 1381, 1383,
1383a, and 1387 of this title and subchapter V of this chapter, it is
unlawful--
(1) for any person subject to the jurisdiction of the United
States or any vessel or other conveyance subject to the jurisdiction
of the United States to take any marine mammal on the high seas;
(2) except as expressly provided for by an international treaty,
convention, or agreement to which the United States is a party and
which was entered into before the effective date of this subchapter
or by any statute implementing any such treaty, convention, or
agreement--
(A) for any person or vessel or other conveyance to take any
marine mammal in waters or on lands under the jurisdiction of
the United States; or
(B) for any person to use any port, harbor, or other place
under the jurisdiction of the United States to take or import
marine mammals or marine mammal products; and
(3) for any person, with respect to any marine mammal taken in
violation of this subchapter, to possess that mammal or any product
from that mammal;
(4) for any person to transport, purchase, sell, export, or
offer to purchase, sell, or export any marine mammal or marine
mammal product--
(A) that is taken in violation of this chapter; or
(B) for any purpose other than public display, scientific
research, or enhancing the survival of a species or stock as
provided for under subsection 1374(c) of this title; and
(5) for any person to use, in a commercial fishery, any means or
methods of fishing in contravention of any regulations or
limitations, issued by the Secretary for that fishery to achieve the
purposes of this chapter.
(b) Importation of pregnant or nursing mammals; depleted species or
stock; inhumane taking
Except pursuant to a permit for scientific research, or for
enhancing the survival or recovery of a species or stock, issued under
section 1374(c) of this title, it is unlawful to import into the United
States any marine mammal if such mammal was--
(1) pregnant at the time of taking;
(2) nursing at the time of taking, or less than eight months
old, whichever occurs later;
(3) taken from a species or population stock which the Secretary
has, by regulation published in the Federal Register, designated as
a depleted species or stock; or
(4) taken in a manner deemed inhumane by the Secretary.
Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraphs (1) and (2), the Secretary
may issue a permit for the importation of a marine mammal, if the
Secretary determines that such importation is necessary for the
protection or welfare of the animal.
(c) Importation of illegally taken mammals
It is unlawful to import into the United States any of the
following:
(1) Any marine mammal which was--
(A) taken in violation of this subchapter; or
(B) taken in another country in violation of the law of that
country.
(2) Any marine mammal product if--
(A) the importation into the United States of the marine
mammal from which such product is made is unlawful under
paragraph (1) of this subsection; or
(B) the sale in commerce of such product in the country of
origin of the product is illegal;
(3) Any fish, whether fresh, frozen, or otherwise prepared, if
such fish was caught in a manner which the Secretary has proscribed
for persons subject to the jurisdiction of the United States,
whether or not any marine mammals were in fact taken incident to the
catching of the fish.
(d) Nonapplicability of prohibitions
Subsections (b) and (c) of this section shall not apply--
(1) in the case of marine mammals or marine mammal products, as
the case may be, to which subsection (b)(3) of this section applies,
to such items imported into the United States before the date on
which the Secretary publishes notice in the Federal Register of his
proposed rulemaking with respect to the designation of the species
or stock concerned as depleted; or
(2) in the case of marine mammals or marine mammal products to
which subsection (c)(1)(B) or (c)(2)(B) of this section applies, to
articles imported into the United States before the effective date
of the foreign law making the taking or sale, as the case may be, of
such marine mammals or marine mammal products unlawful.
(e) Retroactive effect
This chapter shall not apply with respect to any marine mammal taken
before the effective date of this chapter, or to any marine mammal
product consisting of, or composed in whole or in part of, any marine
mammal taken before such date.
(f) Commercial taking of whales
It is unlawful for any person or vessel or other conveyance to take
any species of whale incident to commercial whaling in waters subject to
the jurisdiction of the United States.
(Pub. L. 92-522, title I, Sec. 102, Oct. 21, 1972, 86 Stat. 1032; Pub.
L. 93-205, Sec. 13(e)(3), Dec. 28, 1973, 87 Stat. 903; Pub. L. 95-136,
Sec. 4, Oct. 18, 1977, 91 Stat. 1167; Pub. L. 97-58, Sec. 3(a), Oct. 9,
1981, 95 Stat. 981; Pub. L. 100-711, Secs. 2(b), 5(b), (e)(2), Nov. 23,
1988, 102 Stat. 4763, 4769, 4771; Pub. L. 102-587, title III,
Sec. 3004(a)(1), Nov. 4, 1992, 106 Stat. 5067; Pub. L. 103-238,
Secs. 5(a), 13(c), 24(c)(9), Apr. 30, 1994, 108 Stat. 536, 558, 566.)
References in Text
The effective date of this subchapter, referred to in subsec.
(a)(2), means the effective date of title I of Pub. L. 92-522. See
section 4 of Pub. L. 92-522, set out as an Effective Date note under
section 1361 of this title.
The effective date of this chapter referred to in subsec. (e), means
the effective date of Pub. L. 92-522. See section 4 of Pub. L. 92-522,
set out as an Effective Date note under section 1361 of this title.
Amendments
1994--Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 103-238, Sec. 24(c)(9), which directed
technical amendment to reference to subchapter V of this chapter in
introductory provisions to reflect renumbering of corresponding title of
original act, could not be executed to text because of prior amendment
by section 13(c) of Pub. L. 103-238. See below.
Pub. L. 103-238, Sec. 13(c), in introductory provisions inserted
reference to section 1387 of this title and made technical amendment to
reference to subchapter V of this chapter to reflect renumbering of
corresponding title of original act.
Subsec. (a)(2)(B). Pub. L. 103-238, Sec. 5(a)(1), substituted ``to
take or import'' for ``for any purpose in any way connected with the
taking or importation of''.
Subsec. (a)(4). Pub. L. 103-238, Sec. 5(a)(2), substituted ``export,
or offer to purchase, sell, or export'' for ``or offer to purchase or
sell'' and ``product--'' for ``product; and'' and added subpars. (A) and
(B).
1992--Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 102-587 inserted ``or subchapter V of
this chapter'' in introductory provisions.
1988--Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 100-711, Sec. 2(b), substituted ``1383,
and 1383a'' for ``and 1383''.
Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 100-711, Sec. 5(e)(2), substituted ``research,
or for enhancing the survival or recovery of a species or stock,'' for
``research''.
Pub. L. 100-711, Sec. 5(b), inserted sentence at end authorizing
Secretary to issue permit for importation of marine mammal.
1981--Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 97-58, Sec. 3(a)(1), inserted reference
to section 1379 of this title in the enumeration of sections preceding
par. (1), redesignated par. (4) as (5), and revised as pars. (3) and (4)
the provisions of former par. (3) amending those provisions so as to
make it illegal for any person to possess a marine mammal, or any
product from that mammal, and for any person to transport, purchase,
sell, or offer to purchase or sell any marine mammal or marine mammal
product.
Subsec. (b)(3). Pub. L. 97-58, Sec. 3(a)(2), struck out ``or which
has been listed as an endangered species or threatened species pursuant
to the Endangered Species Act of 1973'' after ``designated as a depleted
species or stock''.
Subsec. (d)(1). Pub. L. 97-58, Sec. 3(b)(3), struck out ``or
endangered'' after ``concerned as depleted''.
1977--Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 95-136 added subsec. (f).
1973--Subsec. (b)(3). Pub. L. 93-205 substituted ``an endangered
species or threatened species pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of
1973'' for ``endangered under the Endangered Species Conservation Act of
1969''.
Effective Date of 1973 Amendment
Amendment by Pub. L. 93-205 effective Dec. 28, 1973, see section 16
of Pub. L. 93-205, set out as an Effective Date note under section 1531
of this title.
Section Referred to in Other Sections
This section is referred to in sections 1371, 1374, 1536 of this
title.
