republic-os/legal/us/code/title-16/chapter-88/section-6901.md

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LegalText	16 U.S.C. § 6901	Definitions	us	united_states_code	code_section	16	CONSERVATION	88	WESTERN AND CENTRAL PACIFIC FISHERIES CONVENTION	6901	16 U.S.C. § 6901	current	119-100	2026-06-26	official	https://uscode.house.gov/download/releasepoints/us/pl/119/100/xml_usc16@119-100.zip	/us/usc/t16/s6901	data/legal/raw/us/code/title-16/usc16.xml	ea676c2b90fe9845c45ac2b35d63919d9ed1fa2c26caa0bcb3ad543fd630c838	7be8950da5a93cac7c98e4576ce00340f2aba5e8e46d29915382c203c421d503	f877459648d3e484c4afb9041bb5b7b99090194a51fafa7f48adaa9384dc9504	2026-07-04	official	legal us-code

16 U.S.C. § 6901 - Definitions

Text

In this chapter:

(1) 1982 Convention The term “1982 Convention” means the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 10 December 1982.

(2) Agreement The term “Agreement” means the Agreement for the Implementation of the Provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 10 December 1982 relating to the Conservation and Management of Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks.

(3) Commission The term “Commission” means the Commission for the Conservation and Management of Highly Migratory Fish Stocks in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean established in accordance with this Convention.

(4) Convention area The term “convention area” means all waters of the Pacific Ocean bounded to the south and to the east by the following line: From the south coast of Australia due south along the 141th meridian of east longitude to its intersection with the 55th parallel of south latitude; thence due east along the 55th parallel of south latitude to its intersection with the 150th meridian of east longitude; thence due south along the 150th meridian of east longitude to its intersection with the 60th parallel of south latitude; thence due east along the 60th parallel of south latitude to its intersection with the 130th meridian of west longitude; thence due north along the 130th meridian of west longitude to its intersection with the 4th parallel of south latitude; thence due west along the 4th parallel of south latitude to its intersection with the 150th meridian of west longitude; thence due north along the 150th meridian of west longitude.

(5) Exclusive economic zone The term “exclusive economic zone” means the zone established by Presidential Proclamation Numbered 5030 of March 10, 1983.

(6) Fishing The term “fishing” means—

(A) searching for, catching, taking, or harvesting fish;

(B) attempting to search for, catch, take, or harvest fish;

(C) engaging in any other activity which can reasonably be expected to result in the locating, catching, taking, or harvesting of fish for any purpose;

(D) placing, searching for, or recovering fish aggregating devices or associated electronic equipment such as radio beacons;

(E) any operations at sea directly in support of, or in preparation for, any activity described in subparagraphs (A) through (D), including transshipment; and

(F) use of any other vessel, vehicle, aircraft, or hovercraft, for any activity described in subparagraphs (A) through (E) except for emergencies involving the health and safety of the crew or the safety of a vessel.

(7) Fishing vessel The term “fishing vessel” means any vessel used or intended for use for the purpose of fishing, including support ships, carrier vessels, and any other vessel directly involved in such fishing operations.

(8) Highly migratory fish stocks The term “highly migratory fish stocks” means all fish stocks of the species listed in Annex 1 of the 1982 Convention, except sauries, occurring in the Convention Area,11 So in original. Probably should not be capitalized. and such other species of fish as the Commission may determine.

(9) Secretary The term “Secretary” means the Secretary of Commerce.

(10) State The term “State” means each of the several States of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, Guam, and any other commonwealth, territory, or possession of the United States.

(11) Transhipment The term “transshipment” means the unloading of all or any of the fish on board a fishing vessel to another fishing vessel either at sea or in port.

(12) WCPFC Convention; Western and Central Pacific Convention The terms “WCPFC Convention” and “Western and Central Pacific Convention” means the Convention on the Conservation and Management of the Highly Migratory Fish Stocks in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean, (including any annexes, amendments, or protocols which are in force, or have come into force, for the United States) which was adopted at Honolulu, Hawaii, on September 5, 2000, by the Multilateral High Level Conference on the Highly Migratory Fish Stocks in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean.

(Pub. L. 109–479, title V, § 502, Jan. 12, 2007, 120 Stat. 3635.)

Notes

Editorial Notes

References in TextPresidential Proclamation Numbered 5030, referred to in par. (5), is Proc. No. 5030, Mar. 10, 1983, 48 F.R. 10605, which is set out as a note under section 1453 of this title.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Short TitlePub. L. 109–479, title V, § 501, Jan. 12, 2007, 120 Stat. 3635, provided that: “This title [enacting this chapter] may be cited as the ‘Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Convention Implementation Act’.”