§1972. Action by Secretary of State upon seizure of vessel by foreign country; preconditions — Inbound Citations
22 U.S.C. § 1972
Cited by 4 provisions in release 119-102.
Citations to 22 U.S.C. § 1972 as a whole
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The seizure by a Pacific Island Party of a vessel of the United States shall not be determined to be a seizure described in section 1825(a)(4)(C) of this title or section 1972 of title 22 if the seizure is found by the Secretary of State to be in accordance with the provisions of the Treaty.
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(a) In any case where a vessel of the United States is seized by a foreign country under the conditions of section 1972 of this title and a fine, license fee, registration fee, or any other direct charge must be paid in order to secure the prompt release of the vessel and crew, the owners of the vessel shall be reimbursed by the Secretary of State in the amount determined and certified by him as being the amount of the fine, license fee, registration fee, or any other direct charge actually paid. For purposes of this section, the term “other direct charge” means any levy, however characterized or computed (including, but not limited to, any computation based on the value of a vessel or the value of fish or other property on board a vessel), which is imposed in addition to any fine, license fee, or registration fee. Any reimbursement under this section shall be made from the Fishermen’s Protective Fund established pursuant to section 1979 of this title.
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(b) The Secretary of State shall make a determination and certification under subsection (a) of this section as soon as possible after he is notified pursuant to section 1972(b) of this title of the amounts of the fines, fees, and other direct charges which were paid by the owners to secure the release of their vessel and crew. The amount of reimbursement made by the Secretary of State to the owners of any vessel under subsection (a) of this section shall constitute a lien on the vessel which may be recovered in proceedings by libel in rem in the district court of the United States for any district within which the vessel may be. Any such lien shall terminate on the ninetieth day after the date on which the Secretary of State reimburses the owners under this section unless before such ninetieth day the United States initiates action to enforce the lien.
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(a) The Secretary, upon receipt of an application filed with him at any time after the effective date of this section by the owner of any vessel of the United States which is documented or certificated as a commercial fishing vessel, shall enter into an agreement with such owner subject to the provision of this section and such other terms and conditions as the Secretary deems appropriate. Such agreement shall provide that, if said vessel is seized by a foreign country and detained under the conditions of section 1972 of this title, the Secretary shall guarantee—(1) the owner of such vessel for all actual costs, except those covered by section 1973 of this title, incurred by the owner during the seizure and detention period and as a direct result thereof, as determined by the Secretary, resulting (A) from any damage to, or destruction of, such vessel, or its fishing gear or other equipment, (B) from the loss or confiscation of such vessel, gear, or equipment, or (C) from dockage fees or utilities;(2) the owner of such vessel and its crew for the market value of fish caught before seizure of such vessel and confiscated or spoiled during the period of detention; and(3) the owner of such vessel and its crew for not to exceed 50 per centum of the gross income lost as a direct result of such seizure and detention, as determined by the Secretary of State, based on the value of the average catch per day’s fishing during the three most recent calendar years immediately preceding such seizure and detention of the vessel seized, or, if such experience is not available, then of all commercial fishing vessels of the United States engaged in the same fishery as that of the type and size of the seized vessel.