§ 661. — Declaration of purpose; cooperation of agencies; surveys and investigations; donations.
[Laws in effect as of January 24, 2002]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
January 24, 2002 and December 19, 2002]
[CITE: 16USC661]
TITLE 16--CONSERVATION
CHAPTER 5A--PROTECTION AND CONSERVATION OF WILDLIFE
SUBCHAPTER I--GAME, FUR-BEARING ANIMALS, AND FISH
Sec. 661. Declaration of purpose; cooperation of agencies;
surveys and investigations; donations
For the purpose of recognizing the vital contribution of our
wildlife resources to the Nation, the increasing public interest and
significance thereof due to expansion of our national economy and other
factors, and to provide that wildlife conservation shall receive equal
consideration and be coordinated with other features of water-resource
development programs through the effectual and harmonious planning,
development, maintenance, and coordination of wildlife conservation and
rehabilitation for the purposes of sections 661 to 666c of this title in
the United States, its Territories and possessions, the Secretary of the
Interior is authorized (1) to provide assistance to, and cooperate with,
Federal, State, and public or private agencies and organizations in the
development, protection, rearing, and stocking of all species of
wildlife, resources thereof, and their habitat, in controlling losses of
the same from disease or other causes, in minimizing damages from
overabundant species, in providing public shooting and fishing areas,
including easements across public lands for access thereto, and in
carrying out other measures necessary to effectuate the purposes of said
sections; (2) to make surveys and investigations of the wildlife of the
public domain, including lands and waters or interests therein acquired
or controlled by any agency of the United States; and (3) to accept
donations of land and contributions of funds in furtherance of the
purposes of said sections.
(Mar. 10, 1934, ch. 55, Sec. 1, 48 Stat. 401; 1939 Reorg. Plan No. II,
Sec. 4(e), (f), eff. July 1, 1939, 4 F.R. 2731, 53 Stat. 1433; Aug. 14,
1946, ch. 965, 60 Stat. 1080; Pub. L. 85-624, Sec. 2, Aug. 12, 1958, 72
Stat. 563.)
Amendments
1958--Pub. L. 85-624 inserted provisions which relate to recognition
of the vital contribution of wildlife resources to the Nation, the
increasing public interest and significance thereof, and to equal
consideration and coordination of wildlife conservation with other
water-resources development programs, and which authorize the Secretary
to provide public fishing areas, and to accept donations of lands and
contributions of funds.
1946--Act Aug. 14, 1946, amended section generally in order to
promote more effectual planning and cooperation between Federal, State,
public, and private agencies for the conservation and rehabilitation of
wildlife.
Short Title
Section 1 of Pub. L. 85-624 provided: ``That the Act of March 10,
1934, as amended, and as further amended by this Act [sections 661 to
666c of this title] may be cited as the `Fish and Wildlife Coordination
Act'.''
Transfer of Functions
Enforcement functions of Secretary or other official in Department
of the Interior related to compliance with wildlife consultation in
sections 661 to 666c of this title and such functions of Secretary or
other official in Department of Agriculture, insofar as they involve
lands and programs under jurisdiction of that Department, related to
compliance with sections 661 to 666c of this title with respect to pre-
construction, construction, and initial operation of transportation
system for Canadian and Alaskan natural gas transferred to Federal
Inspector, Office of Federal Inspector for Alaska Natural Gas
Transportation System, until first anniversary of date of initial
operation of Alaska Natural Gas Transportation System, see Reorg. Plan
No. 1 of 1979, Secs. 102(e), (f), 203(a), 44 F.R. 33663, 33666, 93 Stat.
1373, 1376, effective July 1, 1979, set out in the Appendix to Title 5,
Government Organization and Employees. Office of Federal Inspector for
the Alaska Natural Gas Transportation System abolished and functions and
authority vested in Inspector transferred to Secretary of Energy by
section 3012(b) of Pub. L. 102-486, set out as an Abolition of Office of
Federal Inspector note under section 719e of Title 15, Commerce and
Trade.
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.
Functions, appropriations, records, and property of Secretary of the
Interior and Fish and Wildlife Service of Department of the Interior
which affect or relate to breeding, raising, producing, marketing, or
any other phase of production or distribution of domestically raised
fur-bearing animals, or the products thereof transferred to Secretary of
Agriculture by section 434 of Title 7, Agriculture.
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 the Fish and Wildlife Service,
and abolished the office of Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner of
Fisheries and transferred their functions to the consolidated agency.
Reorg. Plan No. II of 1939, set out in the Appendix to Title 5,
transferred Bureau of Fisheries in Department of Commerce, and its
functions, to Department of the Interior; transferred functions of
Secretary of Commerce relating to protection of fur seals and other fur-
bearing animals to Secretary of the Interior; and transferred functions
of Secretary of Agriculture relating to conservation of wildlife, game,
and migratory birds to Secretary of the Interior.
Appropriations
Section 4 of Pub. L. 85-624 provided that: ``There is hereby
authorized to be appropriated and expended such funds as may be
necessary to carry out the purposes of this Act [amending this section
and sections 662 to 664 of this title and enacting section 1008 of this
title].''
Study of Soft- and Hard-Shell Clams
Act May 26, 1948, ch. 348, 62 Stat. 274, directed the Fish and
Wildlife Service to undertake, in cooperation with appropriate State and
interstate agencies in accordance with the provisions of the Act of
August 14, 1946 (60 Stat. 1080), comprehensive studies of the soft-shell
clam, Mya arenaria, and the hard-shell clam, Venus mercenaria, with
particular respect to the biology, propagation, and methods of
cultivation of such clams, required the Service to recommend appropriate
measures for (1) arresting depletion in existing productive beds; (2)
restoring to production beds formerly productive but now barren or
unusable; (3) developing new areas which may be found suitable; (4)
improving methods and techniques of digging, transplanting, and
handling; and (5) otherwise increasing production and improving the
quality of such clams for the benefit of both producers and consumers,
and authorized for the five-year period beginning July 1, 1948, the sum
of $250,000 to carry out the studies of the soft-shell clam and the sum
of $250,000 to carry out the studies of the hard-shell clam.
Act Referred to in Other Sections
The Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act [16 U.S.C. 661 to 666c] is
referred to in 666e, 666g, 803, 823a, 823c, 1534, 2705, 4411 of this
title; title 30 section 1292; title 33 sections 1416, 2283; title 43
sections 421h, 422h, 2223.
Section Referred to in Other Sections
This section is referred to in sections 662, 663, 664, 666, 666a,
666c, 666e, 666g of this title.
