---
kind: "section"
citation: "16 U.S.C. § 781"
title: "16"
title_heading: "Conservation"
number: "781"
heading: "Taking or catching, in waters of Gulf or Straits of Florida, commercial sponges of less than prescribed size, and landing or possession of same"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/16/781"
units:
  - "Chapter 11 — Regulation of Landing, Curing, and Sale of Sponges Taken from Gulf of Mexico and Straits of Florida"
---

# §781. Taking or catching, in waters of Gulf or Straits of Florida, commercial sponges of less than prescribed size, and landing or possession of same


It is unlawful for any citizen of the United States, or [person](/usc/16/450rr–1.md?p=b) owing duty of obedience to the laws of the United States, or any boat or vessel of the United States, or [person](/usc/16/450rr–1.md?p=b) belonging to or on any such boat or vessel, to [take](/usc/16/3102.md?p=18) or catch, by any means or method, in the waters of the Gulf of Mexico or the Straits of Florida outside of [State](/usc/16/590q.md?p=a) territorial limits, any commercial sponges measuring when wet less than five inches in their maximum diameter, or for any [person](/usc/16/450rr–1.md?p=b) or vessel to land, deliver, cure, offer for sale, or have in possession at any port or place in the United States, or on any boat or vessel of the United States, any such commercial sponges.


## Source credit

(Aug. 15, 1914, ch. 253, § 1, 38 Stat. 692.)