### §10601. Fishing agreements

(a) Before proceeding on a voyage, the owner, charterer, or managing operator, or a representative thereof, including the master or individual in charge, of a fishing vessel, fish processing vessel, or fish tender vessel shall make a fishing agreement in writing with each seaman employed on board if the vessel is—

(1) at least 20 gross tons as measured under section 14502 of this title, or an alternate tonnage measured under section 14302 of this title as prescribed by the Secretary under section 14104 of this title; and

(2) on a voyage from a port in the United States.

(b) The agreement shall—

(1) state the period of effectiveness of the agreement;

(2) include the terms of any wage, share, or other compensation arrangement peculiar to the fishery in which the vessel will be engaged during the period of the agreement;

(3) in the case of a seaman employed on a vessel that is a catcher processor or fish processing vessel that employs more than 25 crewmembers, include a requirement that each crewmember shall be served not less than three meals a day that—

(A) total not less than 3,100 calories; and

(B) include adequate water and minerals in accordance with the United States Recommended Daily Allowances; and

(4) include other agreed terms.

(Pub. L. 100–424, §6(a), Sept. 9, 1988, 102 Stat. 1591; Pub. L. 104–324, title VII, §739, Oct. 19, 1996, 110 Stat. 3942; Pub. L. 107–295, title IV, §441(a), (b), Nov. 25, 2002, 116 Stat. 2131; Pub. L. 117–263, div. K, title CXV, §11526, Dec. 23, 2022, 136 Stat. 4145.)

| Revised section | Source section (U.S. Code) |
| --- | --- |
| 10601 | 46:531 |

#### **Editorial Notes**

#### Amendments

2022—Subsec. (b)(3), (4). Pub. L. 117–263 added par. (3) and redesignated former par. (3) as (4).

2002—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 107–295, §441(a), (b)(1), in introductory provisions, inserted "owner, charterer, or managing operator, or a representative thereof, including the" after "on a voyage, the" and comma after "individual in charge" and substituted "employed" for "enployed".

Subsecs. (b), (c). Pub. L. 107–295, §441(b)(2), (3), redesignated subsec. (c) as (b) and struck out former subsec. (b) which read as follows: "The agreement shall be signed also by the owner of the vessel."

1996—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 104–324 inserted "as measured under section 14502 of this title, or an alternate tonnage measured under section 14302 of this title as prescribed by the Secretary under section 14104 of this title" after "20 gross tons".

#### **Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries**

#### Agreements Deemed Compliant

Pub. L. 107–295, title IV, §441(c), Nov. 25, 2002, 116 Stat. 2131, as amended by Pub. L. 108–199, div. H, §137(a), Jan. 23, 2004, 118 Stat. 442, provided that: "An agreement that complies with the requirements of section 10601(a) of title 46, United States Code, as herein amended, is hereby deemed to have been in compliance with subsections (a) and (b) of section 10601 of title 46, United States Code, as in effect prior to November 25, 2002."

[Pub. L. 108–199, div. H, §137(b), Jan. 23, 2004, 118 Stat. 442, provided that: "The amendments made by subsection (a) [amending section 441(c) of Pub. L. 107–295, set out above] apply to all proceedings pending on or commenced after the date of enactment of this Act [Jan. 23, 2004]."]