Public Law 119-87 (04/30/2026)

16 U.S.C. § 1151

Definitions

(a)
“Commission” means the North Pacific Fur Seal Commission established pursuant to article V of the Convention.
(b)
“Convention” means the Interim Convention on the Conservation of North Pacific Fur Seals signed at Washington on , as amended by the protocol signed in Washington on ; by the exchange of notes among the party governments which became effective on ; by the protocol signed in Washington on ; and by the protocol signed in Washington on , by the parties.
(c)
“Cure” or “curing” means the performance of those post-harvest activities traditionally performed on the Pribilof Islands, including cooling, washing, removal of blubber, soaking in brine, draining, treating with salt or boric acid, and packing in containers for shipment of fur seal skins.
(d)
“Fur Seal” means the North Pacific Fur Seal, Callorhinus Ursinus.
(e)
“Import” means to land on, bring into, or introduce into, or attempt to land on, bring into, or introduce into, any place subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, whether or not such landing, bringing, or introduction constitutes an importation within the meaning of the customs laws of the United States.
(f)
“Natives of the Pribilof Islands” means any Aleuts who are permanent residents of the Pribilof Islands, or any organization or entity representing such natives.
(g)
“North Pacific Ocean” means the waters of the Pacific Ocean north of the thirtieth parallel of north latitude, including the Bering, Okhotsk, and Japan Seas.
(h)
“Party” or “parties” means the United States of America, Canada, Japan, and Russia (except that as used in subsection (b) of this section, “party” and “parties” refer to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics).
(i)
“Person” means any individual, partnership, corporation, trust, association or any other private entity, or any officer, employee, agent, department, or instrumentality of the Federal Government, of any State or political subdivision thereof, or of any foreign government.
(j)
“Pribilof Islands” means the islands of Saint Paul and Saint George, Walrus and Otter Islands, and Sea Lion Rock.
(k)
“Sealing” means the taking of fur seals.
(l)
“Secretary” means the Secretary of Commerce.
(m)
“Take” or “taking” means to harass, hunt, capture, or kill, or attempt to harass, hunt, capture, or kill.

Pub. L. 89–702, title I, § 10180 Stat. 1091 Pub. L. 98–129, § 297 Stat. 835 Pub. L. 102–251, title III, § 303106 Stat. 65 Pub. L. 103–199, title VI, § 602(1)107 Stat. 2327 (, , ; , , ; , , ; , , .)

Amendment of Section

Pub. L. 102–251, title III106 Stat. 65 , §§ 303, 308, , , 66, provided that, effective on the date on which the Agreement between the United States and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on the Maritime Boundary, signed , enters into force for the United States, with authority to prescribe implementing regulations effective , but with no such regulation to be effective until the date on which the Agreement enters into force for the United States, this section is amended by redesignating subsections (f) to (m) as (g) to (n), respectively, and by inserting after subsection (e) the following new subsection:

(f) “Jurisdiction of the United States” includes jurisdiction over the areas referred to as eastern special areas in Article 3(1) of the Agreement between the United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on the Maritime Boundary, signed June 1, 1990; in particular, those areas east of the maritime boundary, as defined in that Agreement, that lie within 200 nautical miles of the baselines from which the breadth of the territorial sea of Russia is measured but beyond 200 nautical miles of the baselines from which the breadth of the territorial sea of the United States is measured.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

Pub. L. 103–1991993—Subsec. (h). substituted “Russia (except that as used in subsection (b) of this section, ‘party’ and ‘parties’ refer to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics)” for “the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics”.

Pub. L. 98–129section 1152 of this title1983— amended section generally, substituting provisions defining terms, previously defined in former sections 1159 and 1186 of this title, for provisions enumerating the activities prohibited under this chapter. See .

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 1992 Amendment

Pub. L. 102–251section 308 of Pub. L. 102–251section 773 of this titleAmendment by effective on date on which Agreement between United States and Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on the Maritime Boundary, signed , enters into force for United States, with authority to prescribe implementing regulations effective , but with no such regulation to be effective until date on which Agreement enters into force for United States, see , set out as a note under .

Short Title of 2016 Amendment

Pub. L. 114–328, div. C, title XXXV, § 3531130 Stat. 2794

Pub. L. 114–328section 1161 of this title“This subtitle [subtitle B (§§ 3531–3533) of title XXXV of div. C of , amending provisions set out as a note under ] may be cited as the ‘Pribilof Islands Transition Completion Amendments Act of 2016’.”
, , , provided that:

Pub. L. 114–120, title V, § 521130 Stat. 70 Pub. L. 114–328, div. C, title XXXV, § 3503(c)130 Stat. 2775

Pub. L. 114–120section 1165 of this titlesection 1161 of this title“This subtitle [subtitle B (§§ 521–524) of title V of , amending and provisions set out as a note under ] may be cited as the ‘Pribilof Island [sic] Transition Completion Act of 2016’.”
, , , as amended by , , , provided that:

Short Title of 2000 Amendments

Pub. L. 106–562, title I, § 101114 Stat. 2794

section 1169b of this titlesection 1165 of this titlesection 1161 of this titlesection 1165 of this titlesection 1165 of this title“This title [enacting , amending sections 1161, 1165, and 1166 of this title, repealing , enacting provisions set out as notes under this section and , amending provisions set out as a note under , and repealing provisions set out as a note under ] may be referred to as the ‘Pribilof Islands Transition Act’.”
, , , provided that:

Pub. L. 106–554, § 1(a)(4) [div. B, title I, § 144(e)(1)]114 Stat. 2763

section 1169b of this titlesection 1165 of this titlesection 1161 of this titlesection 1165 of this titlesection 1165 of this title“This subsection [enacting , amending sections 1161, 1165, and 1166 of this title, repealing , enacting provisions set out as notes under this section and , amending provisions set out as a note under , and repealing provisions set out as a note under ] may be referred to as the ‘Pribilof Islands Transition Act’.”
, , , 2763A–244, provided that:

Short Title of 1983 Amendment

Pub. L. 98–129, § 197 Stat. 835

section 5323 of Title 25“That this Act [amending this chapter generally, sections 8332 and 8334 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees, and , Indians] may be cited as the ‘Fur Seal Act Amendments of 1983’.”
, , , provided:

Short Title

Pub. L. 89–702, § 1Pub. L. 106–554, § 1(a)(4) [div. B, title I, § 144(e)(6)(C)]114 Stat. 2763 Pub. L. 106–562, title I, § 106(c)114 Stat. 2799

“This Act [generally enacting this chapter, for complete classification, see Tables] may be cited as the ‘Fur Seal Act of 1966’.”
, as added by , , , 2763A–248, and , , , provided that: