
From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access
[wais.access.gpo.gov]
[Laws in effect as of January 2, 2001]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
  January 2, 2001 and January 28, 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.
