-CITE-
    16 USC CHAPTER 11 - REGULATION OF LANDING, CURING, AND
           SALE OF SPONGES TAKEN FROM GULF OF MEXICO AND
           STRAITS OF FLORIDA                              01/03/2007

-EXPCITE-
    TITLE 16 - CONSERVATION
    CHAPTER 11 - REGULATION OF LANDING, CURING, AND SALE OF SPONGES
                  TAKEN FROM GULF OF MEXICO AND STRAITS OF FLORIDA

-HEAD-
      CHAPTER 11 - REGULATION OF LANDING, CURING, AND SALE OF SPONGES
             TAKEN FROM GULF OF MEXICO AND STRAITS OF FLORIDA

-MISC1-
    Sec.                                                     
    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.             
    782.        Sponges of less than prescribed size; possession prima
                 facie evidence.                                      
    783.        Punishment for violations of law; liability of
                 vessels.                                             
    784.        Jurisdiction of prosecutions.                         
    785.        Enforcement of law prohibiting taking of sponges of
                 specified sizes; employment of Coast Guard vessels
                 and Customs Service employees.                       

-End-

-CITE-
    16 USC Sec. 781                                             01/03/2007

-EXPCITE-
    TITLE 16 - CONSERVATION
    CHAPTER 11 - REGULATION OF LANDING, CURING, AND SALE OF SPONGES
                  TAKEN FROM GULF OF MEXICO AND STRAITS OF FLORIDA

-HEAD-
    Sec. 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

-STATUTE-
      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.

-SOURCE-
    (Aug. 15, 1914, ch. 253, Sec. 1, 38 Stat. 692.)

-End-

-CITE-
    16 USC Sec. 782                                             01/03/2007

-EXPCITE-
    TITLE 16 - CONSERVATION
    CHAPTER 11 - REGULATION OF LANDING, CURING, AND SALE OF SPONGES
                  TAKEN FROM GULF OF MEXICO AND STRAITS OF FLORIDA

-HEAD-
    Sec. 782. Sponges of less than prescribed size; possession prima
      facie evidence

-STATUTE-
      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.

-SOURCE-
    (Aug. 15, 1914, ch. 253, Sec. 2, 38 Stat. 692.)

-End-

-CITE-
    16 USC Sec. 783                                             01/03/2007

-EXPCITE-
    TITLE 16 - CONSERVATION
    CHAPTER 11 - REGULATION OF LANDING, CURING, AND SALE OF SPONGES
                  TAKEN FROM GULF OF MEXICO AND STRAITS OF FLORIDA

-HEAD-
    Sec. 783. Punishment for violations of law; liability of vessels

-STATUTE-
      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.

-SOURCE-
    (Aug. 15, 1914, ch. 253, Sec. 3, 38 Stat. 692.)

-End-

-CITE-
    16 USC Sec. 784                                             01/03/2007

-EXPCITE-
    TITLE 16 - CONSERVATION
    CHAPTER 11 - REGULATION OF LANDING, CURING, AND SALE OF SPONGES
                  TAKEN FROM GULF OF MEXICO AND STRAITS OF FLORIDA

-HEAD-
    Sec. 784. Jurisdiction of prosecutions

-STATUTE-
      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.

-SOURCE-
    (Aug. 15, 1914, ch. 253, Sec. 4, 38 Stat. 692.)

-End-

-CITE-
    16 USC Sec. 785                                             01/03/2007

-EXPCITE-
    TITLE 16 - CONSERVATION
    CHAPTER 11 - REGULATION OF LANDING, CURING, AND SALE OF SPONGES
                  TAKEN FROM GULF OF MEXICO AND STRAITS OF FLORIDA

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

-STATUTE-
      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.

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

-TRANS-
                           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.
      "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, Secs. 1, 2, eff. May 24, 1950, 15 F.R. 3174, 64
    Stat. 1262, set out in the Appendix to Title 5.
      "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.
      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, Secs. 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 sections 1 and 3 of
    Title 14, Coast Guard.
      Reorg. Plan No. III of 1940, Sec. 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.

-End-