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U.S. Code as of:
01/19/04
Section 1973. Reimbursement of owner for any direct charges paid to secure release of vessel and crew
(a) Reimbursement by Secretary of State; "other direct charge"
defined; source of reimbursement
In any case where a vessel of the United States is seized by a
foreign country under the conditions of section 1972 of this title
and a fine, license fee, registration fee, or any other direct
charge must be paid in order to secure the prompt release of the
vessel and crew, the owners of the vessel shall be reimbursed by
the Secretary of State in the amount determined and certified by
him as being the amount of the fine, license fee, registration fee,
or any other direct charge actually paid. For purposes of this
section, the term "other direct charge" means any levy, however
characterized or computed (including, but not limited to, any
computation based on the value of a vessel or the value of fish or
other property on board a vessel), which is imposed in addition to
any fine, license fee, or registration fee. Any reimbursement under
this section shall be made from the Fishermen's Protective Fund
established pursuant to section 1979 of this title.
(b) Determination and certification of charges by Secretary of
State; reimbursement as lien on vessel; termination of lien
The Secretary of State shall make a determination and
certification under subsection (a) of this section as soon as
possible after he is notified pursuant to section 1972(b) of this
title of the amounts of the fines, fees, and other direct charges
which were paid by the owners to secure the release of their vessel
and crew. The amount of reimbursement made by the Secretary of
State to the owners of any vessel under subsection (a) of this
section shall constitute a lien on the vessel which may be
recovered in proceedings by libel in rem in the district court of
the United States for any district within which the vessel may be.
Any such lien shall terminate on the ninetieth day after the date
on which the Secretary of State reimburses the owners under this
section unless before such ninetieth day the United States
initiates action to enforce the lien.
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