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 owing duty of obedience to the laws of the United States, or any boat or vessel of the United States, or person belonging to or on any such boat or vessel, to take or catch, by any means or method, in the waters of the Gulf of Mexico or the Straits of Florida outside of State territorial limits, any commercial sponges measuring when wet less than five inches in their maximum diameter, or for any person 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.

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

§782. Sponges of less than prescribed size; possession prima facie evidence

The presence of sponges of a diameter of less than five inches on any vessel or boat of the United States engaged in sponging in the waters of the Gulf of Mexico or the Straits of Florida outside of State territorial limits, or the possession of any sponges of less than the said diameter sold or delivered by such vessels, shall be prima facie evidence of a violation of the provisions of this chapter.

(Aug. 15, 1914, ch. 253, §2, 38 Stat. 692.)

§783. Punishment for violations of law; liability of vessels

Every person, partnership, or association guilty of a violation of the provisions of this chapter shall be liable to a fine of not more than $500, and in addition such fine shall be a lien against the vessel or boat on which the offense is committed, and said vessel or boat shall be seized and proceeded against by process of libel in any court having jurisdiction of the offense.

(Aug. 15, 1914, ch. 253, §3, 38 Stat. 692.)

§784. Jurisdiction of prosecutions

Any violation of the provisions of this chapter shall be prosecuted in the district court of the United States of the district wherein the offender is found or into which he is first brought.

(Aug. 15, 1914, ch. 253, §4, 38 Stat. 692.)

§785. Enforcement of law prohibiting taking of sponges of specified sizes; employment of Coast Guard vessels and Customs Service employees

The Secretary of Commerce shall enforce the provisions of this chapter, and he is authorized to empower such officers and employees of the Department of Commerce as he may designate, or such officers and employees of other departments as may be detailed for the purpose, to make arrests and seize vessels and sponges, and upon his request the Secretary of the Treasury may employ the vessels of the Coast Guard or the employees of the Customs Service to that end.

(Aug. 15, 1914, ch. 253, §5, 38 Stat. 692; Jan. 28, 1915, ch. 20, §1, 38 Stat. 800; 1939 Reorg. Plan No. II, §4(e), eff. July 1, 1939, 4 F.R. 2731, 53 Stat. 1431; Aug. 4, 1949, ch. 393, §§1, 20, 63 Stat. 495, 561; 1970 Reorg. Plan No. 4, eff. Oct. 3, 1970, 35 F.R. 15627, 84 Stat. 2090.)

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Transfer of Functions

For transfer of authorities, functions, personnel, and assets of the Coast Guard, including the authorities and functions of the Secretary of Transportation relating thereto, to the Department of Homeland Security, and for treatment of related references, see sections 468(b), 551(d), 552(d), and 557 of Title 6, Domestic Security, and the Department of Homeland Security Reorganization Plan of November 25, 2002, as modified, set out as a note under section 542 of Title 6.

For transfer of functions, personnel, assets, and liabilities of the United States Customs Service of the Department of the Treasury, including functions of the Secretary of the Treasury relating thereto, to the Secretary of Homeland Security, and for treatment of related references, see sections 203(1), 551(d), 552(d), and 557 of Title 6, Domestic Security, and the Department of Homeland Security Reorganization Plan of November 25, 2002, as modified, set out as a note under section 542 of Title 6. For establishment of U.S. Customs and Border Protection in the Department of Homeland Security, treated as if included in Pub. L. 107–296 as of Nov. 25, 2002, see section 211 of Title 6, as amended generally by Pub. L. 114–125, and section 802(b) of Pub. L. 114–125, set out as a note under section 211 of Title 6.

"Coast Guard" substituted in text for "Revenue Cutter Service" on authority of act Jan. 28, 1915, which combined Revenue Cutter Service and Life-Saving Service to form Coast Guard. That act was repealed by section 20 of act Aug. 4, 1949, section 1 of which reestablished Coast Guard by enacting Title 14, Coast Guard.

Coast Guard transferred to Department of Transportation and all functions, powers, and duties, relating to Coast Guard, of Secretary of the Treasury and of other offices and officers of Department of the Treasury transferred to Secretary of Transportation by section 6(b)(1) of Pub. L. 89–670, Oct. 15, 1966, 80 Stat. 938. See section 108 of Title 49, Transportation.

Executive Documents

Transfer of Functions

"Secretary of Commerce" and "Department of Commerce" substituted in text for "Secretary of the Interior" and "Department of the Interior" in view of: creation of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in Department of Commerce and Office of Administrator of such Administration; abolition of Bureau of Commercial Fisheries in Department of the Interior and Office of Director of such Bureau; transfers of functions, including functions formerly vested by law in Secretary of the Interior or Department of the Interior which were administered through Bureau of Commercial Fisheries or were primarily related to such Bureau, exclusive of certain enumerated functions with respect to Great Lakes fishery research, Missouri River Reservoir research, Gulf Breeze Biological Laboratory, and Trans-Alaska pipeline investigations; and transfer of marine sport fish program of Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife by Reorg. Plan No. 4 of 1970, eff. Oct. 3, 1970, 35 F.R. 15627, 84 Stat. 2090, set out in the Appendix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.

For transfer of functions of other officers, employees, and agencies of Department of the Interior, with certain exceptions, to Secretary of the Interior, with power to delegate, see Reorg. Plan No. 3 of 1950, §§1, 2, eff. May 24, 1950, 15 F.R. 3174, 64 Stat. 1262, set out in the Appendix to Title 5.

Functions of all officers of Department of the Treasury, and functions of all agencies and employees of such Department, transferred, with certain exceptions, to Secretary of the Treasury, with power vested in him to authorize their performance or performance of any of his functions, by any of such officers, agencies, and employees, by Reorg. Plan No. 26 of 1950, §§1, 2, eff. July 31, 1950, 15 F.R. 4935, 64 Stat. 1280, 1281, set out in the Appendix to Title 5. Customs Service, referred to in this section, was a service under Department of the Treasury, and Coast Guard, also referred to in this section, was generally a service under such Department, but such Plan excepted, from transfer, functions of Coast Guard, and of Commandant thereof, when Coast Guard was operating as a part of the Navy under former sections 1 and 3 (now 101 and 103) of Title 14, Coast Guard.

Reorg. Plan No. III of 1940, §3, eff. June 30, 1940, 5 F.R. 2108, 54 Stat. 1232, set out in the Appendix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employees, consolidated Bureau of Fisheries and Bureau of Biological Survey with their respective functions into one agency in Department of the Interior to be known as Fish and Wildlife Service, and provided that functions of the consolidated agency shall be administered under direction and supervision of Secretary of the Interior.

Reorg. Plan No. II of 1930, set out in the Appendix to Title 5, transferred Bureau of Fisheries in Department of Commerce and its functions to Department of the Interior, to be administered under direction and supervision of Secretary of the Interior.