---
kind: "section"
citation: "16 U.S.C. § 1423"
title: "16"
title_heading: "Conservation"
number: "1423"
heading: "Definitions"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/16/1423"
units:
  - "Chapter 31 — Marine Mammal Protection"
  - "Subchapter VI — Polar Bears"
---

# §1423. Definitions


In this subchapter:

- (1) **Agreement—** The term “Agreement” means the Agreement Between the Government of the [United States](/usc/16/1362.md?p=14) of America and the Government of the Russian Federation on the [Conservation](/usc/16/1362.md?p=2) and [Management](/usc/16/1362.md?p=2) of the Alaska-Chukotka Polar Bear Population, signed at Washington, D.C., on October 16, 2000.
- (2) **Alaska Nanuuq Commission—** The term “Alaska Nanuuq Commission” means the [Alaska Native](/usc/16/3102.md?p=16) entity, in existence on January 12, 2007, that represents all villages in the [State](/usc/16/590q.md?p=a) of Alaska that engage in the annual subsistence [taking](#6) of polar bears from the Alaska-Chukotka population and any successor entity.
- (3) **Import—** The term “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](/usc/16/1362.md?p=14), without regard to whether the landing, bringing, or introduction constitutes an importation within the meaning of the customs laws of the [United States](/usc/16/1362.md?p=14).
- (4) **Polar bear part or product—** The term “part or product of a polar bear” means any polar bear part or product, including the gall bile and gall bladder.
- (5) **Secretary—** The term “Secretary” means the Secretary of the Interior.
- (6) **Taking—** The term “taking” has the meaning given the term in the [Agreement](#1).
- (7) **Commission—** The term “Commission” means the commission established under article 8 of the [Agreement](#1).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 92–522, title V, § 501, as added Pub. L. 109–479, title IX, § 902(a), Jan. 12, 2007, 120 Stat. 3660.)