---
kind: "section"
citation: "16 U.S.C. § 5606"
title: "16"
title_heading: "Conservation"
number: "5606"
heading: "Prohibited acts and enforcement"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/16/5606"
units:
  - "Chapter 76 — Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Convention"
---

# §5606. Prohibited acts and enforcement

- (a) **Prohibition—** It is unlawful for any [person](/usc/16/5609.md?p=12) or vessel that is subject to the jurisdiction of the United States—
  - (1) to violate any regulation issued under this chapter or any measure that is legally binding on the United States under the [Convention](/usc/16/5609.md?p=5);
  - (2) to refuse to permit any [authorized enforcement officer](/usc/16/5609.md?p=2) to board a [fishing vessel](/usc/16/5609.md?p=10-A) that is subject to the [person](/usc/16/5609.md?p=12)’s control for purposes of conducting any search, investigation, or inspection in connection with the enforcement of this chapter, any regulation issued under this chapter, or any measure that is legally binding on the United States under the [Convention](/usc/16/5609.md?p=5);
  - (3) forcibly to assault, resist, oppose, impede, intimidate, or interfere with any [authorized enforcement officer](/usc/16/5609.md?p=2) in the conduct of any search, investigation, or inspection described in [paragraph (2)](#a-2);
  - (4) to resist a lawful arrest for any act prohibited by this section;
  - (5) to ship, transport, offer for sale, sell, purchase, import, export, or have custody, control, or possession of, any [fishery resources](/usc/16/5609.md?p=8-A) taken or retained in [violation](/usc/16/620e.md?p=11) of this section; or
  - (6) to interfere with, delay, or prevent, by any means, the apprehension or arrest of another [person](/usc/16/5609.md?p=12), knowing that the other [person](/usc/16/5609.md?p=12) has committed an act prohibited by this section.
- (b) **Additional prohibitions and enforcement—** For additional prohibitions relating to this chapter and enforcement of this chapter, see [section 1826g of this title](/usc/16/1826g.md).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 104–43, title II, § 207, Nov. 3, 1995, 109 Stat. 379; Pub. L. 105–384, title II, § 201(b)(1), Nov. 13, 1998, 112 Stat. 3451; Pub. L. 114–81, title I, § 111, Nov. 5, 2015, 129 Stat. 659; Pub. L. 114–327, title V, § 506, Dec. 16, 2016, 130 Stat. 1996.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2016—Subsec. (a)(5). Pub. L. 114–327 substituted “fishery resources” for “fish”.

2015—Pub. L. 114–81, § 111(1), in section catchline, substituted “and enforcement” for “and penalties”.

Subsec. (a)(2), (3). Pub. L. 114–81, § 111(2), (3), inserted “, investigation,” before “or inspection”.

Subsecs. (b) to (f). Pub. L. 114–81, § 111(4), added subsec. (b) and struck out former subsecs. (b) to (f), which related to civil penalty, criminal penalty, civil forfeitures, enforcement, and jurisdiction of courts.

1998—Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 105–384 substituted “section” for “sections”.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Transfer of Functions

For transfer of authorities, functions, personnel, and assets of the Coast Guard, including the authorities and functions of the Secretary of Transportation relating thereto, to the Department of Homeland Security, and for treatment of related references, see sections 468(b), 551(d), 552(d), and 557 of Title 6, Domestic Security, and the Department of Homeland Security Reorganization Plan of November 25, 2002, as modified, set out as a note under section 542 of Title 6.