33 USC § 3856 - Referrals for appropriate action by foreign country

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t33/s3856"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_prima_facie"
title: "33 USC § 3856 - Referrals for appropriate action by foreign country"
title_number: 33
title_name: "NAVIGATION AND NAVIGABLE WATERS"
section_number: "3856"
section_name: "Referrals for appropriate action by foreign country"
chapter_number: 51
chapter_name: "CLEAN HULLS"
subchapter_number: "IV"
subchapter_name: "ACTION ON VIOLATION, PENALTIES, AND REFERRALS"
positive_law: false
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-17"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Pub. L. 111–281, title X, § 1046, Oct. 15, 2010, 124 Stat. 3031.)"
---


# § 3856. Referrals for appropriate action by foreign country

Notwithstanding sections 3851, 3852, 3853, and 3855 of this title, if a violation of the Convention is committed by a vessel registered in or of the nationality of a country that is a party to the Convention, or by a vessel operated under the authority of a country that is a party to the Convention, the Secretary, acting in coordination with the Secretary of State, may refer the matter to the government of the country of the vessel’s registry or nationality, or under whose authority the vessel is operating, for appropriate action, rather than taking the actions otherwise required or authorized by this subchapter.

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**Source Credit**: (Pub. L. 111–281, title X, § 1046, Oct. 15, 2010, 124 Stat. 3031.)

## Editorial Notes

### References in Text

This subchapter, referred to in text, was in the original “this subtitle”, meaning subtitle D (§§ 1041–1048) of title X of , , , which enacted this subchapter and repealed chapter 37 (§ 2401 et seq.) of this title. For complete classification of subtitle D to the Code, see Tables.