---
kind: "section"
citation: "16 U.S.C. § 3602"
title: "16"
title_heading: "Conservation"
number: "3602"
heading: "United States representation on Council and Commissions"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/16/3602"
units:
  - "Chapter 56 — North Atlantic Salmon Fishing"
---

# §3602. United States representation on Council and Commissions

- (a) **Appointment and qualifications of Commissioners—** The United States shall be represented on the [Council](/usc/16/3601.md?p=5) and [Commissions](/usc/16/3601.md?p=2) by three United States [Commissioners](/usc/16/3601.md?p=3) to be appointed by the President to serve at his pleasure. Of such [Commissioners](/usc/16/3601.md?p=3), one shall be an official of the United States Government, and two shall be individuals (not officials of the United States Government) who are knowledgeable or experienced concerning the conservation and management of [salmon](/usc/16/3601.md?p=9) of United States origin.
- (b) **Alternate Commissioners—** The Secretary of State, in consultation with the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) of Commerce and the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) of the Interior, may designate alternate United States [Commissioners](/usc/16/3601.md?p=3). In the absence of a [Commissioner](/usc/16/3601.md?p=3) appointed under [subsection (a)](#a) of this section, an alternate [Commissioner](/usc/16/3601.md?p=3) may exercise at any meeting of the [Organization](/usc/16/3601.md?p=7), the [Council](/usc/16/3601.md?p=5), or any [Commission](/usc/16/3601.md?p=2) all functions of such [Commissioner](/usc/16/3601.md?p=3).
- (c) **Limited Federal employee status—** Individuals who serve as [Commissioners](/usc/16/3601.md?p=3) and alternate [Commissioners](/usc/16/3601.md?p=3) shall not receive any compensation for such service. Such individuals shall not be considered to be Federal employees while performing such service, except for purposes of injury compensation or tort claims liability as provided in [chapter 81](/usc/5/chptIII/sptG/ch81.md) of title 5 and chapter 171 of title 28.
- (d) **Consultation with other parties—** In carrying out their functions under the [Convention](/usc/16/3601.md?p=4), the [Commissioners](/usc/16/3601.md?p=3) may consult with the appropriate Regional Fishery Management [Councils](/usc/16/3601.md?p=5) established by section 302 of the [Act of 1976](/usc/16/3601.md?p=1) ([16 U.S.C. 1852](/usc/16/1852.md)), and may consult with such other interested parties as they consider appropriate. [Chapter 10](/usc/5/chptI/ch10.md) of title 5 shall not apply to consultations described in this subsection.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 97–389, title III, § 303, Dec. 29, 1982, 96 Stat. 1952; Pub. L. 98–44, title I, § 102(1), July 12, 1983, 97 Stat. 216; Pub. L. 117–286, § 4(a)(117), Dec. 27, 2022, 136 Stat. 4318.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2022—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 117–286 substituted “Chapter 10 of title 5” for “The Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App. et seq.)”.

1983—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 98–44 substituted “shall not be considered” for “shall be considered”.