---
kind: "section"
citation: "16 U.S.C. § 7706"
title: "16"
title_heading: "Conservation"
number: "7706"
heading: "Prohibited acts"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/16/7706"
units:
  - "Chapter 96 — North Pacific Fisheries Convention"
---

# §7706. Prohibited acts


It is unlawful for any [person](/usc/16/7701.md?p=11)—

- (1) to violate this chapter or any regulation or permit issued under this chapter;
- (2) to use any [fishing vessel](/usc/16/7701.md?p=8) to engage in [fishing activities](/usc/16/7701.md?p=7-A) without, or after the revocation or during the period of suspension of, an applicable permit issued pursuant to this chapter;
- (3) to refuse to permit any officer authorized to enforce this chapter to board a [fishing vessel](/usc/16/7701.md?p=8) subject to such [person](/usc/16/7701.md?p=11)’s control for the purposes of conducting any search, investigation, or inspection in connection with the enforcement of this chapter or any regulation, permit, or the [North Pacific Fisheries Convention](/usc/16/7701.md?p=10);
- (4) to assault, resist, oppose, impede, intimidate, or interfere with any such authorized officer in the conduct of any search, investigation, or inspection in connection with the enforcement of this chapter or any regulation, permit, or the [North Pacific Fisheries Convention](/usc/16/7701.md?p=10);
- (5) to resist a lawful arrest for any act prohibited by this chapter or any regulation promulgated or permit issued under this chapter;
- (6) to ship, transport, offer for sale, sell, purchase, import, export, or have custody, control, or possession of, any [fisheries resources](/usc/16/7701.md?p=6-A) taken or retained in [violation](/usc/16/620e.md?p=11) of this chapter or any regulation or permit referred to in paragraph [(1)](#1) or [(2)](#2);
- (7) to interfere with, delay, or prevent, by any means, the apprehension or arrest of another [person](/usc/16/7701.md?p=11), knowing that such other [person](/usc/16/7701.md?p=11) has committed any act prohibited by this section;
- (8) to submit to the [Secretary](/usc/16/7701.md?p=12) false information (including false information regarding the capacity and extent to which a United States fish processor, on an annual basis, will process a portion of the optimum yield of a fishery that will be harvested by [fishing vessels](/usc/16/7701.md?p=8) of the United States), regarding any matter that the [Secretary](/usc/16/7701.md?p=12) is considering in the course of carrying out this chapter;
- (9) to assault, resist, oppose, impede, intimidate, sexually harass, bribe, or interfere with any observer on a vessel under this chapter, or any data collector employed by or under contract to any [person](/usc/16/7701.md?p=11) to carry out responsibilities under this chapter;
- (10) to engage in [fishing activities](/usc/16/7701.md?p=7-A) in [violation](/usc/16/620e.md?p=11) of any regulation adopted pursuant to this chapter;
- (11) to fail to make, keep, or furnish any catch returns, statistical records, or other reports required by regulations adopted pursuant to this chapter to be made, kept, or furnished;
- (12) to fail to stop a vessel upon being hailed and instructed to stop by a duly authorized official of the United States;
- (13) to import, in [violation](/usc/16/620e.md?p=11) of any regulation adopted pursuant to this chapter, any [fisheries resources](/usc/16/7701.md?p=6-A) in any form of those species subject to regulation pursuant to a recommendation, resolution, or decision of the [Commission](/usc/16/7701.md?p=1), or any [fisheries resources](/usc/16/7701.md?p=6-A) in any form not under regulation but under investigation by the [Commission](/usc/16/7701.md?p=1), during the period such [fisheries resources](/usc/16/7701.md?p=6-A) have been denied entry in accordance with this chapter;
- (14) to make or submit any false record, account, or label for, or any false identification of, any [fisheries resources](/usc/16/7701.md?p=6-A) that have been, or are intended to be imported, exported, transported, sold, offered for sale, purchased, or received in interstate or foreign commerce; or
- (15) to refuse to authorize and accept boarding by a duly authorized inspector pursuant to procedures adopted by the [Commission](/usc/16/7701.md?p=1) for the boarding and inspection of [fishing vessels](/usc/16/7701.md?p=8) in the [Convention Area](/usc/16/7701.md?p=3).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 114–327, title I, § 106, Dec. 16, 2016, 130 Stat. 1982.)