§ 2901. — Congressional findings and declaration of purpose.
[Laws in effect as of January 24, 2002]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
January 24, 2002 and December 19, 2002]
[CITE: 16USC2901]
TITLE 16--CONSERVATION
CHAPTER 49--FISH AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION
Sec. 2901. Congressional findings and declaration of purpose
(a) Findings
The Congress finds and declares the following:
(1) Fish and wildlife are of ecological, educational, esthetic,
cultural, recreational, economic, and scientific value to the
Nation.
(2) The improved conservation and management of fish and
wildlife, particularly nongame fish and wildlife, will assist in
restoring and maintaining fish and wildlife and in assuring a
productive and more esthetically pleasing environment for all
citizens.
(3) Many citizens, particularly those residing in urban areas,
have insufficient opportunity to participate in recreational and
other programs designed to foster human interaction with fish and
wildlife and thereby are unable to have a greater appreciation and
awareness of the environment.
(4) Historically, fish and wildlife conservation programs have
been focused on the more recreationally and commercially important
species within any particular ecosystem. As a consequence such
programs have been largely financed by hunting and fishing license
revenues or excise taxes on certain hunting and fishing equipment.
These traditional financing mechanisms are neither adequate nor
fully appropriate to meet the conservation needs of nongame fish and
wildlife.
(5) Each State should be encouraged to develop, revise, and
implement, in consultation with appropriate Federal, State, and
local and regional agencies, a plan for the conservation of fish and
wildlife, particularly those species which are indigenous to the
State.
(b) Purpose
It is the purpose of this chapter--
(1) to provide financial and technical assistance to the States
for the development, revision, and implementation of conservation
plans and programs for nongame fish and wildlife; and
(2) to encourage all Federal departments and agencies to utilize
their statutory and administrative authority, to the maximum extent
practicable and consistent with each agency's statutory
responsibilities, to conserve and to promote conservation of nongame
fish and wildlife and their habitats, in furtherance of the
provisions of this chapter.
(Pub. L. 96-366, Sec. 2, Sept. 29, 1980, 94 Stat. 1322.)
Short Title
Section 1 of Pub. L. 96-366 provided: ``That this Act [enacting this
chapter] may be cited as the `Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act of
1980'.''
Section Referred to in Other Sections
This section is referred to in section 2905 of this title.
