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U.S. Code as of:
01/19/04
Section 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.
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