Library / Laws / 113th / s / S. 267 / Reported in Senate
II
Calendar No. 291
113th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 267
[Report No. 113–132]
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
February 11, 2013Mr. Rockefeller (for himself, Mr. Begich, Ms. Murkowski, Mr. Schatz, Ms. Cantwell, Mr. Whitehouse, Mr. Wyden, Ms. Hirono, Mr. Merkley, Mr. Nelson, Mr. Blumenthal, and Mr. Markey) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
January 8, 2014Reported by Mr. Rockefeller, without amendment
A BILL
To prevent, deter, and eliminate illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing through port State measures.
1.
Short title; table of
contents
(a)
Short
Title
This Act may be cited as the Pirate
Fishing Elimination Act.
(b)
Table of
contents
The table of contents of this Act is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.Sec. 2. Purpose.Sec. 3. Definitions.Sec. 4. Application.Sec. 5. Duties of the Secretary.Sec. 6. Advance notice of vessel arrival, authorization, or
denial of port entry.Sec. 7. Denial of port services.Sec. 8. Inspections.Sec. 9. Prohibited acts.Sec. 10. Enforcement.Sec. 11. International cooperation and assistance.Sec. 12. Relationship to other laws.Sec. 13. Authorization of appropriations.
2.
Purpose
The purpose of this Act is to implement the
Agreement on Port State Measures to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal,
Unreported and Unregulated Fishing, done at the Food and Agriculture
Organization of the United Nations in Rome, Italy on November 22, 2009.
3.
Definitions
In this Act:
(1)
Agreement
The
term Agreement means the Agreement on Port State Measures to
Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing, done
at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in Rome, Italy
on November 22, 2009.
(2)
Authorized
officer
The term authorized officer means—
(A) any commissioned,
warrant, or petty officer of the United States Coast Guard;
(B) any special agent
or fishery enforcement officer of National Marine Fisheries Service; or
(C) any officer
designated by the head of any Federal or State agency that has entered into an
agreement with the Secretary to enforce the provisions of the Magnuson-Stevens
Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.), or any other
statute administered by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration.
(3)
Conservation
and management measures
The term conservation and
management measures means binding measures to conserve and manage living
marine resources adopted by an RFMO.
(4)
Container
vessel
The term container vessel means a
self-propelled ocean-going vessel constructed or adapted primarily to carry
ocean freight containers.
(5)
FAO
The
term FAO means the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United
Nations.
(6)
Fish
The
term fish includes all species of living marine resources, whether
processed or not.
(7)
Fishing
The
term fishing means searching for, attracting, locating, catching,
taking, or harvesting fish or any activity which can reasonably be expected to
result in the attracting, locating, catching, taking, or harvesting of
fish.
(8)
Fishing-related
activity
The term fishing-related activity means any
operation in support of, or in preparation for, fishing, including—
(A) the landing,
packaging, processing, transshipping, or transporting of fish that have not
been previously landed at a port or place; and
(B) the provision of
personnel, fuel, gear, and other supplies at sea.
(9)
Foreign
vessel
The term foreign vessel means any vessel
except for a vessel of the United States.
(10)
Illegal,
unreported, and unregulated fishing or IUU fishing
The term
illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing or IUU
fishing means any activity—
(A) conducted by a
national or foreign vessel in waters under the jurisdiction of a nation without
the permission of that nation, or in contravention of its laws and regulations,
including an activity that has not been reported or has been misreported to the
relevant national authority of that nation in contravention of its laws and
regulations;
(B) conducted by a
vessel flying the flag of a nation that is a member of an RFMO in contravention
of the conservation and management measures adopted by the RFMO and by which
that nation is bound, including an activity that has not been reported or has
been misreported in contravention of the reporting requirements of that
RFMO;
(C) conducted by a
vessel flying the flag of a nation that is a cooperating non-member of an RFMO
that is inconsistent with the commitments undertaken by that nation as a
cooperating non-member of that RFMO, including an activity that has not been
reported or has been misreported in a manner that is inconsistent with those
commitments; or
(D) conducted in the
area of application of an RFMO by a vessel without nationality, or by a vessel
flying the flag of a nation that is not a member nor a cooperating non-member
of that RFMO and that undermines the effectiveness of the conservation and
management measures of that RFMO.
(11)
Landing
The
term landing means to begin to offload fish or to offload fish
from any vessel in port or at a dock, berth, beach seawall or ramp, but does
not include transshipment.
(12)
Listed IUU
vessel
The term listed IUU vessel means a vessel
that is included in a list, adopted by a regional fisheries management
organization, of vessels having engaged in IUU fishing or fishing-related
activities in support of IUU fishing.
(13)
Party
The
term Party means a government or regional economic integration
organization for which the Agreement is in force.
(14)
Person
The
term person means any individual (whether or not a citizen or
national of the United States), corporation, partnership, association, or other
entity (whether or not organized or existing under the laws of any State) and
any Federal, State, local, or foreign government or any entity of any such
government.
(15)
Port
The
term port includes a roadstead, an offshore terminal, and any
other installation or place for landing, transshipping, packaging, processing,
refueling, or resupplying.
(16)
Previously
landed
The term previously landed means landed in a
port or at a dock, berth, beach seawall, or ramp and subsequently loaded onto a
container or other carrier vessel.
(17)
Processing
The
term processing means the preparation or packaging of fish to
render the fish suitable for human consumption, retail sale, industrial uses,
export, or long-term storage, including cooking, canning, smoking, salting,
drying, filleting, packaging, freezing, or rendering into meal or oil.
(18)
Regional
fisheries management organization or RFMO
The term regional
fisheries management organization or RFMO means an
intergovernmental fisheries organization or arrangement, as appropriate, that
has the competence to establish conservation and management measures.
(19)
Secretary
The
term Secretary means the Secretary of Commerce or the Secretary of
Commerce's designee.
(20)
State
The
term State means each of the several States, the District of
Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, American Samoa, the Virgin Islands,
Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and any other Commonwealth, territory, or
possession of the United States.
(21)
Transshipment
The
term transshipment means to offload and onload or otherwise
transfer fish or a fish product from one vessel to another vessel.
(22)
Vessel
The
term vessel means any vessel, ship, or boat used, equipped, or
intended for fishing or a fishing-related activity.
(23)
Vessel of the
United States
(A)
In
general
The term vessel of the United States
means—
(i) a
vessel documented under chapter 121 of title 46, United States Code, or
numbered in accordance with chapter 123 of title 46, United States Code;
or
(ii) a
vessel owned in whole or in part by—
(I) the United
States;
(II) a State or
political subdivision of a State;
(III) a citizen or
national of the United States; or
(IV) a corporation
created under the laws of the United States or any State.
(B)
Exclusions
The
term vessel of the United States does not include a vessel that
has been granted the nationality of a foreign nation consistent with
international law and a claim of nationality or registry for the vessel has
been made by the master or individual in charge at the time of the enforcement
action by an officer or employee of the United States authorized to enforce
applicable provisions of the United States law.
4.
Application
(a)
In
general
This Act shall apply to—
(1) each foreign
vessel seeking entry to or in a port subject to the jurisdiction of the United
States;
(2) each vessel of
the United States seeking entry to or in a port subject to the jurisdiction of
another Party to the Agreement; and
(3) each person
subject to the jurisdiction of the United States.
(b)
Exclusions
Notwithstanding
subsection (a), this Act shall not apply to—
(1) a container
vessel that is not carrying fish; or
(2) a container
vessel that—
(A) is carrying only
fish that have been previously landed; and
(B) the Secretary has
no clear grounds to suspect has been engaged in IUU fishing or fishing-related
activities in support of IUU fishing.
5.
Duties of the
Secretary
(a)
Regulations
The
Secretary may promulgate such regulations, in accordance with section 553 of
title 5, United States Code, as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of
this Act.
(b)
Procedures
The
Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of State and the Secretary of the
department in which the Coast Guard is operating, shall develop procedures for
making determinations and notifications as may be necessary to carry out the
purposes of this Act.
(c)
Foreign vessel
entry
(1)
In
general
The Secretary (in consultation with the Secretary of
Homeland Security or if the Coast Guard is not operating in the Department of
Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary of the department in
which the Coast Guard is operating) may designate and publicize each port to
which a vessel described in section 4 may seek entry. The Secretary shall not
designate a port under this subsection unless the port is designated as a port
of entry for customs reporting purposes under section 433 of the Tariff Act of
1930 (19 U.S.C. 1433).
(2)
List of
designated ports
The Secretary shall provide a list of each port
designated under paragraph (1) to FAO.
(d)
Electronic
exchange of information
In order to implement the requirements of
the Agreement regarding electronic exchange of information, the Secretary is
authorized to designate a point of contact and notify FAO of that designation.
The Secretary may cooperate, including by providing financial assistance, in
efforts to establish an information-sharing mechanism and to facilitate the
exchange of information with existing databases relevant to the
Agreement.
(e)
Information on
available recourse
The Secretary shall maintain information
regarding any legal remedy available to a person who is affected by an action
under this Act. The Secretary shall make the information publicly accessible
and, upon written request, shall provide the information to the owner,
operator, master, or representative of a vessel.
6.
Advance notice
of vessel arrival, authorization, or denial of port entry
(a)
Advance notice
of vessel arrival
Each vessel described in section 4(a) shall
submit to the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating
information required under the Agreement in advance of the vessel’s arrival in
a port. The Secretary shall, in consultation with the Secretary of the
Department in which the Coast Guard is operating and the Secretary of State,
promulgate regulations to establish a procedure that requires each foreign
vessel seeking entry into a U.S. port to submit, at a minimum, the information
required under the Agreement in advance of the vessel’s arrival in a port. The
procedure shall utilize, to the maximum extent possible, existing reporting
mechanisms maintained and operated by the department in which the Coast Guard
is operating.
(b)
Authorization
or denial of port entry
(1)
In
general
In conformance with the procedures under section 5(b) the
Secretary shall—
(A) decide whether to
authorize or deny port entry; and
(B) communicate the
decision to the vessel or its representative in accordance with the procedure
under subsection (a).
(2)
Denial of
entry
The Secretary may deny entry to—
(A) any listed IUU
vessel;
(B) any vessel that
the Secretary has reasonable grounds to believe has engaged in IUU fishing or
fishing-related activities in support of IUU fishing; or
(C) any vessel that
the Secretary has reasonable grounds to believe has violated this Act.
(3)
Permissible
entry
Notwithstanding paragraph (2), the Secretary may allow a
vessel entry into port—
(A) for the purpose
of rendering assistance to a vessel or person in danger or distress;
(B) for the scrapping
of the vessel, as appropriate; or
(C) for inspection or
other enforcement action.
(c)
Notice
If
entry is denied under subsection (b), the Secretary shall provide notice of the
decision to the flag nation of the vessel and, as appropriate, to each relevant
coastal nation, RFMO, and other international organization.
7.
Denial of port
services
(a)
In
general
A vessel that has been granted authorization to enter
port under section 6 or that is otherwise in a port subject to the jurisdiction
of the United States shall be denied, by the Secretary, the use of the port for
landing, transshipment, packaging and processing of fish, refueling,
resupplying, maintenance, and drydocking, if—
(1) the vessel
entered port without authorization under section 6;
(2) the vessel is a
listed IUU vessel;
(3) the Secretary has
reasonable grounds to believe that the vessel lacks valid authorizations to
engage in fishing or fishing-related activities as required by its flag nation
or the relevant coastal nation;
(4) the Secretary has
reasonable grounds to believe that the fish on board the vessel were taken in
violation of foreign law or in contravention of any conservation and management
measures;
(5) the Secretary
requested confirmation from the flag nation that the fish on board were taken
in accordance with applicable conservation and management measures, and the
flag nation failed to provide confirmation in accordance with regulations
promulgated under this Act; or
(6) the Secretary has
reasonable grounds to believe that the vessel has engaged in IUU fishing or
fishing-related activities in support of IUU fishing, including in support of a
listed IUU vessel, unless the vessel can establish that—
(A) the vessel was
acting in a manner consistent with applicable conservation and management
measures; or
(B) in the case of
the provision of personnel, fuel, gear, and other supplies at sea, the vessel
provisioned was not, at the time of provisioning, a listed IUU vessel.
(b)
Permissible use
of port services
Notwithstanding subsection (a), the Secretary
may allow the use of port services—–
(1) if the vessel has
established that the services are essential to the safety or health of the crew
or safety of the vessel;
(2) for the scrapping
of the vessel, as appropriate; or
(3) for inspection or
other enforcement action.
(c)
Notice
If
use of port services is denied under subsection (a), the Secretary, acting
through the Secretary of State, shall provide notice of the decision to the
flag nation of the vessel and, as appropriate, to each relevant coastal nation,
RFMO, and other international organization.
(d)
Withdrawal of
denial
The Secretary shall withdraw denial of the use of port
services if the Secretary determines that the grounds on which the use was
denied were inadequate, erroneous, or no longer applicable. The Secretary shall
provide notification of the withdrawal promptly to each person that was
notified under subsection (c).
8.
Inspections
(a)
Inspections
The
Secretary and the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is
operating shall conduct vessel inspections, as necessary, for the purposes of
the Agreement and this Act. In conducting a vessel inspection, the Secretary
may utilize by agreement, on a reimbursable or nonreimbursable basis, the
personnel services, equipment (including aircraft and vessels), and facilities
of any other Federal agency (including all elements of the Department of
Defense), and of any State agency. The Secretary shall prioritize vessel
inspections based on—
(1) whether a vessel
has been denied entry or use of a port in accordance with the Agreement;
(2) a request from
another relevant Party, State, or RFMO that a certain vessel be inspected,
particularly if the request is supported by evidence of IUU fishing or
fishing-related activities in support of IUU fishing by the vessel in question;
and
(3) whether there are
clear grounds to suspect that a vessel has engaged in IUU fishing or
fishing-related activities in support of IUU fishing.
(b)
Transmittal of
inspection results
The Secretary shall transmit the results of an
inspection under this Act to the flag nation of the inspected vessel and, as
appropriate, to—
(1) each relevant
Party and nation, including a relevant coastal nation and the nation of which
the vessel’s master is a national;
(2) each relevant
RFMO;
(3) the FAO;
and
(4) any other
relevant international organization.
(c)
Actions
following inspection
If, following an inspection, the Secretary
has reasonable grounds to believe that a foreign vessel has engaged in IUU
fishing or fishing-related activities in support of IUU fishing—
(1) the Secretary may
take enforcement action under this Act or other applicable law; and
(2) the Secretary
shall—
(A) acting through
the Secretary of State, promptly notify the flag nation of the vessel and, as
appropriate, each relevant coastal nation, RFMO, and other international
organization, and the nation of which the vessel’s master is a national;
and
(B) deny the vessel
the use of port services, in accordance with section 7.
9.
Prohibited
acts
It is unlawful for any
person—
(1) to violate any
provision of this Act or any regulation promulgated thereunder;
(2) to refuse to
permit an authorized officer to board, search, or inspect any vessel,
conveyance, or shoreside facility that is subject to the person’s control, for
the purpose of conducting any search, investigation, or inspection in
connection with the enforcement of this Act or any regulation promulgated
thereunder;
(3) to forcibly
assault, resist, oppose, impede, intimidate, or interfere with any authorized
officer in the conduct of any search, investigation, or inspection described in
paragraph (2);
(4) to resist a
lawful arrest for any act prohibited by this Act;
(5) to interfere
with, delay, or prevent, by any means, the apprehension, arrest, or detection
of another person, knowing that such person has committed any act prohibited by
this section;
(6) to submit any
false information pursuant to any requirement under this Act or any regulation
promulgated under this Act;
(7) to forcibly
assault, resist, oppose, impede, intimidate, sexually harass, bribe, or
interfere with any observer or any data collector employed or under contract to
carry out responsibilities under this Act or any Act administered by the
Secretary;
(8) to import,
export, transport, sell, receive, acquire, or purchase in interstate or foreign
commerce any fish or fish product taken, possessed, transported, or sold in
violation of any foreign law or treaty addressing the conservation or
management of living marine resources, or any conservation and management
measures (as defined in section 3); or
(9) to make or submit
any incomplete, invalid, or false record, account, or label for, or any false
identification of, any fish or fish product (including false identification of
the species, harvesting vessel or nation, or the date or location where
harvested) that has been, or is intended to be imported, exported, transported,
sold, offered for sale, purchased, or received in interstate or foreign
commerce except where such making or submission is prohibited by section
307(1)(I) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16
U.S.C. 1857(1)(I)).
10.
Enforcement
(a)
Responsibility
The
Secretary and the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is
operating shall enforce the provisions of this Act. In enforcing this Act, the
Secretary and the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is
operating may utilize, by agreement and on a reimbursable or nonreimbursable
basis the personnel, services, equipment (including aircraft and vessels), and
facilities of any other Federal agency (including all elements of the
Department of Defense), or of any State agency. The Secretary and the Secretary
of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating shall authorize
officers to enforce the provisions of this Act (including any regulation
promulgated under this Act). The head of any Federal or State agency that has
entered into an agreement with either the Secretary or the Secretary of the
department in which the Coast Guard is operating under this section may (if the
agreement so provides) authorize officers to enforce the provisions of this Act
(including any regulation promulgated under this Act).
(b)
Powers of
authorized officers
(1)
In
general
An authorized officer under subsection (a) may, with or
without a warrant or other process—
(A) arrest a person
if the officer has probable cause that the person has committed an act
prohibited under section 9;
(B) board and search
or inspect any vessel that is subject to this Act;
(C) seize any vessel
(together with its fishing gear, furniture, appurtenances, stores, and cargo)
used or employed in, or with respect to which it reasonably appears that such
vessel was used or employed in, the violation of any provision of this Act
(including any regulation promulgated under this Act);
(D) seize any fish
(wherever found) imported, exported, transported, sold, received, acquired, or
purchased in any manner, in connection with or as a result of the violation of
any provision of this Act;
(E) seize any other
evidence related to any violation of any provision of this Act (including any
regulation promulgated under this Act);
(F) search or inspect
any facility or conveyance used or employed in, or which reasonably appears to
be used or employed in, the storage, processing, transport, or trade of fish or
fish products;
(G) inspect records
pertaining to the storage, processing, transport, or trade of fish or fish
products;
(H) detain, for a
period not to exceed 14 days, any shipment of fish or fish products that is
related to any violation of any provision of this Act (including any
regulations promulgated under this Act) and that was imported into, landed on,
introduced into, exported from, or transported within the jurisdiction of the
United States, or, if such fish or fish product is deemed to be perishable,
sell and retain the proceeds for a period not to exceed 14 days;
(I) search and seize,
in accordance with any guidelines issued by the Attorney General;
(J) execute and serve
any subpoena, arrest warrant, search warrant issued in accordance with rule 41
of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, or other warrant or civil or
criminal process issued by any officer or court of competent
jurisdiction;
(K) access, directly
or indirectly, for enforcement purposes any data or information required to be
provided under this Act (including any regulations promulgated under this Act),
including data from vessel monitoring systems, automatic identification
systems, long-range identification and tracking systems, or any similar system;
and
(L) exercise any
other lawful authority.
(2)
Felonies
An
authorized officer under subsection (a) may carry, in accordance with any
guidelines issued by the Attorney General, firearms and may make an arrest for
any offense under the laws of the United States committed in the officer’s
presence or for the commission of any felony under the laws of the United
States if the officer has probable cause that the person to be arrested has
committed or is committing a felony.
(c)
Issuance of
citations
If an authorized officer under subsection (a) finds
that a person or vessel is engaging or has been engaged in a violation of any
provision of this Act, the officer may issue a citation to the owner or
operator of the vessel in lieu of proceeding under subsection (f), (g), or (i).
The Secretary shall maintain a record of all citations issued under this
subsection.
(d)
Subpoenas
(1)
In
general
For the purposes of conducting any investigation or
hearing under this Act, or any other Act administered by the Secretary, the
Secretary may—
(A) issue subpoenas
for the attendance and testimony of witnesses and the production of relevant
papers, photographs, records, books, and documents in any form, including those
in electronic, optical, or magnetic form; and
(B) administer
oaths.
(2)
Witness
fees
Witnesses summoned shall be paid the same fees and mileage
that are paid to witnesses in the courts of the United States.
(3)
Contempt
In
case of contempt or refusal to obey a subpoena served upon any person under
this subsection, the district court of the United States for any district in
which such person is found, resides, or transacts business, upon application by
the United States and after notice to such person, shall have jurisdiction to
issue an order requiring such person to appear and give testimony before the
Secretary or to appear and produce documents before the Secretary, or both, and
any failure to obey such order of the court may be punished by such court as a
contempt thereof.
(e)
District court
jurisdiction
(1)
In
general
The several district courts of the United States shall
have jurisdiction over any actions arising under this section. For the purpose
of this section, for Hawaii or any possession of the United States in the
Pacific Ocean, the appropriate court is the United States District Court for
the District of Hawaii, except—
(A) in the case of
Guam and Wake Island, the appropriate court is the United States District Court
for the District of Guam; and
(B) in the case of
the Northern Mariana Islands, the appropriate court is the United States
District Court for the District of the Northern Mariana Islands.
(2)
Each violation
separate offense
Each violation shall be a separate offense. The
offense shall be deemed to have been committed not only in the district where
the violation first occurred, but also in any other district as authorized by
law.
(3)
Offenses not
committed in any district
Any offense not committed in any
district is subject to the venue provisions of section 3238 of title 18, United
States Code.
(f)
Civil
enforcement
(1)
Civil
administrative penalties
(A)
In
general
Any person who is found by the Secretary (after notice
and opportunity for a hearing in accordance with section 554 of title 5, United
States Code) to have committed an act prohibited under section 9 shall be
liable to the United States for a civil penalty. The amount of the civil
penalty shall not exceed $250,000 for each violation. Each day of a continuing
violation shall constitute a separate offense. The amount of such civil penalty
shall be assessed by the Secretary, by written notice. In determining the
amount of such penalty, the Secretary shall take into account the nature,
circumstances, extent, and gravity of the prohibited act committed and, with
respect to the violator, the degree of culpability, any history of prior
offenses, and other matters as justice may require. In assessing such penalty
the Secretary may also consider any information provided by the violator
relating to the ability of the violator to pay if the information is served on
the Secretary not later than 30 days prior to an administrative hearing.
(B)
Compromise or
other action by Secretary
The Secretary may compromise, modify,
or remit, with or without conditions, any civil administrative penalty which is
or may be imposed under this subsection and that has not been referred to the
Attorney General for further enforcement action.
(2)
Civil judicial
penalties
Any person who violates any provision of this Act
(including any regulation promulgated or permit issued thereunder) shall be
subject to a civil judicial penalty not to exceed $300,000 for each such
violation. Each day of a continuing violation shall constitute a separate
violation. The Attorney General, upon the request of the Secretary, may
commence a civil action in an appropriate district court of the United States.
The district court shall have jurisdiction to award civil penalties and such
other relief as justice may require. In determining the amount of a civil
penalty, the district court shall take into account the nature, circumstances,
extent, and gravity of the prohibited act committed and, with respect to the
violator, the degree of culpability, any history of prior violations, and such
other matters as justice may require. In imposing such penalty, the district
court may also consider information related to the ability of the violator to
pay.
(3)
In rem
jurisdiction
A vessel (including its fishing gear, furniture,
appurtenances, stores, and cargo) used in the commission of an act prohibited
by section 9 shall be liable in rem for any civil penalty assessed for such
violation under this section and may be proceeded against in any district court
of the United States having jurisdiction thereof. Such penalty shall constitute
a maritime lien on such vessel. The maritime lien on the vessel may be
recovered in an action in rem in the district court of the United States having
jurisdiction over the vessel.
(4)
Collection of
administrative penalties
If a person fails to pay an assessment
of a civil penalty under paragraph (1) after it has become a final and
unappealable order, the Secretary shall refer the matter to the Attorney
General. The Attorney General shall recover the amount assessed (plus interest
at current prevailing rates from the date of the final order) in any
appropriate district court of the United States. In such action, the validity
and appropriateness of the final order imposing the civil penalty shall not be
subject to review. Any person who fails to pay, on a timely basis, the amount
of an assessment of a civil penalty shall be required to pay (in addition to
such amount and interest, attorney's fees, and costs for collection
proceedings) a quarterly nonpayment penalty for each quarter during which such
failure to pay persists. Such nonpayment penalty shall be in an amount equal to
20 percent of the aggregate amount of such person's penalties and nonpayment
penalties that are unpaid as of the beginning of such quarter.
(g)
Forfeiture
(1)
Criminal
forfeiture
A person who is convicted of an offense in violation
of this Act shall forfeit to the United States—
(A) any property,
real or personal, constituting or traceable to the gross proceeds taken,
obtained, or retained, in connection with or as a result of the offense,
including, without limitation, any fish (or the fair market value thereof);
and
(B) any property,
real or personal, used or intended to be used, in any manner, to commit or
facilitate the commission of the offense, including, without limitation, any
vessel (including the vessel's equipment, stores, catch and cargo), vehicle,
aircraft, or other means of transportation. Pursuant to section 2461(c) of
title 28, United States Code, the provisions of section 413 of the Controlled
Substances Act (21 U.S.C. § 853) except for subsection (d) of that Act shall
apply to criminal forfeitures under this section.
(2)
Civil
forfeiture
The property set forth below shall be subject to
forfeiture to the United States in accordance with the provisions of chapter 46
of title 18, United States Code, and no property right shall exist in
it:
(A) Any property,
real or personal, constituting or traceable to the gross proceeds taken,
obtained, or retained in connection with, or as a result of, a violation of
this Act, including, without limitation, any fish (or the fair market value
thereof).
(B) Any property,
real or personal, used or intended to be used, in any manner, to commit or
facilitate the commission of a violation of this Act, including, without
limitation, any vessel (including the vessel's equipment, stores, catch, and
cargo), vehicle, aircraft, or other means of transportation.
(3)
Application of
the customs laws
All provisions of law relating to seizure,
summary judgment, and judicial forfeiture and condemnation for violation of the
customs laws, the disposition of the property forfeited or condemned or the
proceeds from the sale thereof, the remission or mitigation of such
forfeitures, and the compromise of claims shall apply to seizures and
forfeitures incurred, or alleged to have been incurred, under the provisions of
this Act, insofar as applicable and not inconsistent with the provisions
hereof. For seizures and forfeitures of property under this section by the
Secretary, such duties as are imposed upon the customs officer or any other
person with respect to the seizure and forfeiture of property under the customs
law may be performed by such officers as are designated by the Secretary or,
upon request of the Secretary, by any other agency that has authority to manage
and dispose of seized property.
(4)
Presumption
For
the purposes of this section there is a rebuttable presumption that all fish,
or components thereof, found on board a vessel that is used or seized in
connection with a violation of this Act (including any regulation promulgated
under this Act) were taken, obtained, or retained as a result of IUU fishing or
fishing-related activities in support of IUU fishing.
(h)
Criminal
enforcement
(1) Any person (other
than a foreign government agency, or entity wholly owned and controlled by a
foreign government) who knowingly commits any act prohibited by section 9 of
this Act shall be imprisoned for not more than 5 years or fined not more than
$500,000 for individuals or $1,000,000 for an organization, or both; except
that if in the commission of any such offense the individual uses a dangerous
weapon, engages in conduct that causes bodily injury to any officer authorized
to enforce the provisions of this Act, or places any such officer in fear of
imminent bodily injury, the maximum term of imprisonment is not more than 10
years.
(2) Any person (other
than a foreign government agency, or entity wholly owned and controlled by a
foreign government) who violates paragraph (2), (3), (4), (5) or (6) of section
9, and who, in the exercise of due care should know that such person's conduct
violates such subsections, shall be fined under title 18, United States Code,
or imprisoned not more than 1 year, or both.
(i)
Payment of
storage, care, and other costs
Any person assessed a civil
penalty for, or convicted of, any violation of this Act (including any
regulation promulgated under this Act) and any claimant in a forfeiture action
brought for such a violation, shall be liable for the reasonable costs incurred
by the Secretary in storage, care, and maintenance of any property seized in
connection with the violation.
11.
International
cooperation and assistance
(a)
In
general
To the greatest extent possible, consistent with existing
authority and the availability of funds, the Secretary shall provide
appropriate assistance, including grants, to developing nations and
international organizations of which such nations are members to assist those
nations in meeting their obligations under the Agreement.
(b)
Use of
resources
In carrying out subsection (a), the Secretary may, by
agreement, on a reimbursable or nonreimbursable basis, utilize the personnel,
services, equipment, and facilities of any individual, corporation,
partnership, association, or other entity, and any Federal, State, local, or
foreign government or any entity of any such government.
(c)
Transfer of
funds
The Secretary is authorized to transfer funds, subject to
the limits of available appropriations, to any foreign government and any
international, non-governmental, or intergovernmental organization for purposes
related to carrying out the international responsibilities of subsection (a) or
any statute administered by the Secretary.
12.
Relationship to
other laws
(a)
Statutory
construction
Nothing in this Act shall be construed to displace
any requirements imposed by the customs laws of the United States or any other
laws or regulations enforced or administered by the Secretary of Homeland
Security. Where more stringent requirements regarding port entry or access to
port services exist under other Federal law, the more stringent requirements
shall apply. Nothing in this Act shall affect a vessel’s entry into port, in
accordance with international law, for reasons of force majeure or
distress.
(b)
Statutory
interpretation
This Act shall be interpreted and applied in
accordance with United States obligations under international law.
13.
Authorization
of appropriations
There is
authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary such sums as are necessary for
each of fiscal years 2013 through 2017 to carry out the provisions of this
Act.
January 8, 2014Reported without amendment