US Code

Public Law 119-73 (01/23/2026)

16 U.S.C. § 1859

Criminal offenses

(a)

Offenses

A person is guilty of an offense if he commits any act prohibited by—
(1)
section 1857(1)(D), (E), (F), (H), (I), or (L) of this title; or
(2)
section 1857(2) of this title .
(b)

Punishment

section 1857(1)(L) of this titlesection 1861 of this titleAny offense described in subsection (a)(1) is punishable by a fine of not more than $100,000, or imprisonment for not more than 6 months, or both; except that if in the commission of any such offense the person uses a dangerous weapon, engages in conduct that causes bodily injury to any observer described in or any officer authorized to enforce the provisions of this chapter (as provided for in ), or places any such observer or officer in fear of imminent bodily injury, the offense is punishable by a fine of not more than $200,000, or imprisonment for not more than 10 years, or both. Any offense described in subsection (a)(2) is punishable by a fine of not more than $200,000.

(c)

Jurisdiction

There is Federal jurisdiction over any offense described in this section.

Pub. L. 94–265, title III, § 30990 Stat. 357Pub. L. 97–453, § 11(a)96 Stat. 2491Pub. L. 99–659, title I, § 107(b)100 Stat. 3713Pub. L. 100–66, § 2101 Stat. 384Pub. L. 101–627, title I, § 115104 Stat. 4455(, , ; , , ; , , ; , , ; , , .)

Editorial Notes

References in Text

Pub. L. 94–26590 Stat. 331section 1801 of this titleThis chapter, referred to in subsec. (b), was in the original “this Act”, meaning , , , known as the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under and Tables.

Amendments

Pub. L. 101–627, § 115(a)1990—Subsec. (a)(1). , amended par. (1) generally, substituting “(I), or (L)” for “or (I)”.

Pub. L. 101–627, § 115(b)section 1857(1)(L) of this titleSubsec. (b). , substituted “$100,000” for “$50,000”, substituted “$200,000” for “$100,000” in two places, and inserted “any observer described in or” after “injury to” and “observer or” before “officer in fear”.

Pub. L. 100–661987—Subsec. (a)(1). substituted “(I)” for “(J)”.

Pub. L. 99–6591986—Subsec. (a)(1). substituted “(H), or (J)” for “or (H)”.

Pub. L. 97–4531983—Subsec. (b). struck out “, or imprisonment for not more than 1 year, or both” after “subsection (a)(2) is punishable by a fine of not more than $100,000”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 1983 Amendment

Pub. L. 97–453, § 11(b)96 Stat. 2491

“The amendment made by subsection (a) [amending this section] applies with respect to offenses committed under section 309 [this section] on or after the date of the enactment of this Act [].”
, , , provided that:

Effective Date

section 312 of Pub. L. 94–265section 1857 of this titleSection effective , see , formerly set out as a note under .