16 USC § 7403 - Duties and authorities of the Secretary

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t16/s7403"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_prima_facie"
title: "16 USC § 7403 - Duties and authorities of the Secretary"
title_number: 16
title_name: "CONSERVATION"
section_number: "7403"
section_name: "Duties and authorities of the Secretary"
chapter_number: 93
chapter_name: "AGREEMENT ON PORT STATE MEASURES TO PREVENT, DETER AND ELIMINATE ILLEGAL, UNREPORTED AND UNREGULATED FISHING"
positive_law: false
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-17"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Pub. L. 114–81, title III, § 304, Nov. 5, 2015, 129 Stat. 665.)"
---


# § 7403. Duties and authorities of the Secretary

**(a)** **Regulations** The Secretary may, as needed, promulgate such regulations—

as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this chapter, to the extent that such regulations are not already promulgated.

**(1)** in accordance with section 553 of title 5;

**1** consistent with provisions of this chapter; [^1] and

See References in Text note below.

**(3)** with respect to enforcement measures, in consultation with the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating;

**(b)** **Ports of entry** section 1433 of title 19<sup>1</sup>

The Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating, may designate and publicize the ports to which vessels may seek entry. No port may be designated under this section that has not also been designated as a port of entry for customs reporting purposes pursuant to   or that is not specified under an existing international fisheries agreement.

**(c)** **Notification** section 7404 of this titlesection 7405 of this title

The Secretary shall provide notification of the denial of port entry or the use of port services for a vessel under , the withdrawal of the denial of port services for a foreign vessel, the taking of enforcement action pursuant to  with respect to a foreign vessel, or the results of any inspection of a foreign vessel conducted pursuant to this chapter to the flag nation of the vessel and, as appropriate, to the nation of which the vessel’s master is a national, relevant coastal nations, RFMOs, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, and other relevant international organizations.

**(d)** **Confirmation that fish were taken in accordance with conservation and management measures** The Secretary may request confirmation from the flag state of a foreign vessel that the fish on board a foreign vessel in a port subject to the jurisdiction of the United States were taken in accordance with applicable RFMO conservation and management measures.

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**Source Credit**: (Pub. L. 114–81, title III, § 304, Nov. 5, 2015, 129 Stat. 665.)

## Editorial Notes

### References in Text

This chapter, referred to in subsec. (a)(2), was in the original “the title” and was translated as meaning “this title” to reflect the probable intent of Congress.

, referred to in subsec. (b), was in the original a reference to “, United States Code” but probably should have been a reference to section 433 of the Tariff Act of 1930, , which is classified to , Customs Duties.