Definitions — Us Code Code § 971

Us Code Code § 971 — Definitions. Reproduced from the official United States Code, with a citation summary, verification link, and related provisions.

§ 971. Definitions

For the purpose of this chapter—

(1) The term "Convention" means the International Convention for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas, signed at Rio de Janeiro May 14, 1966, including any amendments or protocols which are or become effective for the United States.

(2) The term "Commission" means the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas provided for in article III of the Convention.

(3) The term "conservation recommendation" means any recommendation of the Commission made pursuant to Article VIII of the Convention and acted upon favorably by the Secretary of State under section 971c(a) of this title.

(4) The term "Council" means the Council established within the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas pursuant to article V of the Convention.

(5) The term "exclusive economic zone" means an exclusive economic zone as defined in section 1802 of this title.

(6) The term "fishing" means the catching, taking, or fishing for or the attempted catching, taking, or fishing for any species of fish covered by the Convention, or any activities in support thereof.

(7) The term "fishing vessel" means any vessel engaged in catching fish or processing or transporting fish loaded on the high seas, or any vessel outfitted for such activities.

(8) The term "Panel" means any panel established by the Commission pursuant to article VI of the Convention.

(9) The term "person" means every individual, partnership, corporation, and association subject to the jurisdiction of the United States.

(10) The term "Secretary" means the Secretary of Commerce.

(11) The term "State" includes each of the States of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the territories and possessions of the United States.

(Pub. L. 94–70, §2, Aug. 5, 1975, 89 Stat. 385; Pub. L. 94–265, title IV, §405(a), Apr. 13, 1976, 90 Stat. 361; Pub. L. 95–33, §2, May 26, 1977, 91 Stat. 173; Pub. L. 104–43, title III, §303(1), (2), Nov. 3, 1995, 109 Stat. 384; Pub. L. 105–384, title II, §202(b)(1)(A), (F), Nov. 13, 1998, 112 Stat. 3452, 3453.)


Editorial Notes

Amendments

1998—Pars. (4), (5). Pub. L. 105–384 renumbered par. (4) defining "exclusive economic zone" as par. (5) and made technical amendment to reference in original act which appears in text as reference to section 1802 of this title.

1995—Par. (3). Pub. L. 104–43, §303(1), added par. (3). Former par. (3) redesignated (4).

Par. (4). Pub. L. 104–43, §303(2), added par. (4) defining "exclusive economic zone". Former par. (4) redesignated (5).

Pub. L. 104–43, §303(1), redesignated par. (3) defining "Council" as (4).

Par. (5). Pub. L. 104–43, §303(2), struck out par. (5) which read as follows: "The term 'fisheries zone' means the waters included within a zone contiguous to the territorial sea of the United States, of which the inner boundary is a line coterminous with the seaward boundary of each coastal State, and the outer boundary is a line drawn in such a manner that each point on it is two hundred nautical miles from the baseline from which the territorial sea is measured; or similar zones established by other parties to the Convention to the extent that such zones are recognized by the United States."

Pub. L. 104–43, §303(1), redesignated par. (4) as (5). Former par. (5) redesignated (6).

Pars. (6) to (11). Pub. L. 104–43, §303(1), redesignated pars. (5) to (10) as (6) to (11), respectively.

1977—Par. (4). Pub. L. 95–33 struck out the comma between "zone" and "contiguous", substituted "two hundred" for "200", and substituted a semicolon for a comma after "is measured".

1976—Par. (4). Pub. L. 94–265, which directed the substitution of "the waters included within a zone, contiguous to the territorial sea of the United States, of which the inner boundary is a line coterminous with the seaward boundary of each coastal state, and the outer boundary is a line drawn in such a manner that each point on it is 200 nautical miles from the baseline from which the territorial sea is measured," for "the fisheries zone established pursuant to the Act of October 14, 1966 (80 Stat. 908; 16 U.S.C. 1091–1094)", was executed by making the substitution for "the entire zone established by the United States under the Act of October 14, 1966 (80 Stat. 908; 16 U.S.C. 1091–1094)", to reflect the probable intent of Congress.


Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 1976 Amendment

Pub. L. 94–265, title IV, §405(b), Apr. 13, 1976, 90 Stat. 361, provided that the amendment made by section 405(a) of Pub. L. 94–265 to this section was to take effect Mar. 1, 1977, prior to the general amendment of title IV of Pub. L. 94–265 by Pub. L. 104–297.

Short Title of 1995 Amendment

Pub. L. 104–43, title III, §301, Nov. 3, 1995, 109 Stat. 382, provided that: "This title [enacting sections 971j and 971k of this title, amending this section and sections 971b, 971c to 971e, 971h, and 971i of this title, and enacting provisions set out as a note under section 971c of this title] may be cited as the 'Atlantic Tunas Convention Authorization Act of 1995'."

Short Title

Pub. L. 94–70, §1, Aug. 5, 1975, 89 Stat. 385, provided: "That this Act [enacting this chapter and provisions set out below] may be cited as the 'Atlantic Tunas Convention Act of 1975'."

Separability

Pub. L. 94–70, §12, formerly §11, Aug. 5, 1975, 89 Stat. 394; renumbered §13, Pub. L. 105–384, title II, §202(b)(1)(D), Nov. 13, 1998, 112 Stat. 3452; renumbered §12, Pub. L. 114–81, title I, §107(5), Nov. 5, 2015, 129 Stat. 658, provided that: "If any provision of this Act [this chapter] or the application of such provision to any circumstance or persons shall be held invalid, the validity of the remainder of the Act and the applicability of such provision to other circumstances or persons shall not be affected thereby."

About This Section

16 U.S.C. § 971 is part of Title 16 of the United States Code. The United States Code is the official codification of federal statutes maintained by the Office of the Law Revision Counsel of the U.S. House of Representatives. Congress amends the Code through new public laws, which are eventually incorporated into the relevant title.

This section may be cited in legal writing as 16 U.S.C. § 971. For the most current official text, including any recent amendments, use the official source links below. Do not rely on this page as the sole authority for legal citation or litigation.

How to Read This Statute

Statutes are organized by title, chapter, section, and subsection. Pay attention to words like "shall," "may," "and," and "or," because they determine whether a requirement is mandatory or permissive and whether multiple conditions must all be met. Historical notes and amendments often appear at the end of a section.

Using This Page

This page is intended for research and educational use. Lawyers, students, journalists, and compliance professionals can use it as a starting point, but should always verify the current text through an official government source before relying on it for legal advice, filings, or compliance decisions.

Sources

Source: official Us Code text · Last verified 2026-08-27

At a glance

Verify the text

Statute text is transcribed from the official United States Code. Confirm it against the primary source before relying on it:

Not legal advice. Verify against the official source and consult a licensed Us Code attorney.

Common questions

What is the source of United States Code § 971?

The text above is transcribed from the United States Code, the codified statutes of Us Code. The official publisher link appears under "Verify the text" on this page.

What subject does United States Code § 971 address?

It addresses "Definitions". Read the section together with the surrounding provisions listed under "Nearby provisions" for the full picture.

Is United States Code § 971 still in force?

Statutes are amended, repealed, and renumbered every session. Confirm the current version at the official Us Code source before relying on this text.

Can this page be used as legal advice?

No. This is a reference transcription for research. Applying Us Code law to your facts requires a licensed Us Code attorney who can review the specifics.