Title 16 — ConservationRelease 119-73
§459a–1 Administration, protection, and development; commercial fishing by residents; hunting
Title 16 › Chapter CHAPTER 1— - NATIONAL PARKS, MILITARY PARKS, MONUMENTS, AND SEASHORES › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER LXIII— - NATIONAL SEASHORE RECREATIONAL AREAS › § 459a–1
Summary
The Secretary of the Interior will have the main duty to run, protect, and develop the Cape Hatteras National Seashore Recreational Area through the National Park Service, under the Act of August 25, 1916. Any other federal agency that had control of federal lands inside the area on August 17, 1937 keeps that control. The Federal Power Act does not apply to this seashore. People who are legal residents of the villages mentioned in section 459 may fish to make a living inside boundaries set by the Secretary, but they must follow whatever rules the Secretary makes to protect the area for recreation. Hunting is allowed if the Secretary sets rules that follow the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of July 3, 1918. Hunting may happen on the waters of the sounds inside the seashore, in the area north of the Currituck County line, on Ocracoke Island, and on up to 2,000 acres of land elsewhere in the seashore as the Secretary picks. Hunting is not allowed on lands or waters that are part of any existing or future wildlife or migratory bird refuge, or on waters next to those refuges that are closed.
Full Legal Text
Title 16, §459a–1
Conservation — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
The administration, protection, and development of the aforesaid national seashore recreational area shall be exercised under the direction of the Secretary of the Interior by the National Park Service, subject to the provisions of the Act of August 25, 1916 (39 Stat. 535), entitled “An Act to establish a National Park Service, and for other purposes”,11 See References in Text note below. as amended: Provided, That except as hereinafter provided nothing herein shall be construed to divest the jurisdiction of other agencies of the Government exercised on August 17, 1937, over Federal-owned lands within the area of the said Cape Hatteras National Seashore Recreational Area: Provided further, That the provisions of the Federal Power Act [16 U.S.C. 791a et seq.], shall not apply to this national seashore recreational area: And provided further, That the legal residents of villages referred to in section 459 of this title shall have the right to earn a livelihood by fishing within the boundaries to be designated by the Secretary of the Interior, subject to such rules and regulations as the said Secretary may deem necessary in order to protect the area for recreational use as provided for in sections 459 to 459a–3 of this title: And provided further, That hunting shall be permitted, under such rules and regulations as may be prescribed by the Secretary of the Interior in conformity with the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of July 3, 1918 (40 Stat. 755) [16 U.S.C. 703 et seq.], as follows: (a) Upon the waters of the sounds included within the national seashore recreational area, (b) in the area north of the Currituck County line, (c) on Ocracoke Island, and (d) within not more than two thousand acres of land in the remaining portion of said national seashore recreational area, as shall be designated by the Secretary of the Interior; except on lands and waters included in any existing or future wildlife or migratory bird refuge and adjacent closed waters.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
References in Text
The Act of
August 25, 1916 (39 Stat. 535), entitled “An Act to establish a National Park Service, and for other purposes”, referred to in text, is act Aug. 25, 1916, ch. 408, 39 Stat. 535, known as the National Park Service Organic Act, which enacted section 1, 2, 3, and 4 of this title and provisions set out as a note under section 100101 of Title 54, National Park Service and Related Programs. Sections 1 to 4 of the Act were repealed and restated as section 1865(a) of Title 18, Crimes and Criminal Procedure, and section 100101(a), chapter 1003, and section 100751(a), 100752, 100753, and 102101 of Title 54 by Pub. L. 113–287, §§ 3, 4(a)(1), 7, Dec. 19, 2014, 128 Stat. 3094, 3260, 3272. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Tables. For disposition of former sections of this title, see Disposition Table preceding section 100101 of Title 54. The Federal Power Act, referred to in text, was in the original the “Act of
June 10, 1920, known as the Federal Water Power Act,” and was redesignated as the Federal Power Act by section 791a of this title. The Federal Power Act is act
June 10, 1920, ch. 285, 41 Stat. 1063, and is classified generally to chapter 12 (§ 791a et seq.) of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section 791a of this title and Tables. The Migratory Bird Treaty Act of
July 3, 1918, referred to in text, is act
July 3, 1918, ch. 128, 40 Stat. 755, which is classified generally to subchapter II (§ 703 et seq.) of chapter 7 of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section 710 of this title and Tables.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Change of Name
Words “national seashore recreational area” substituted in text for “national seashore” pursuant to act June 29, 1940. Cape Hatteras National Seashore Recreational Area Pub. L. 113–291, div. B, title XXX, § 3057, Dec. 19, 2014, 128 Stat. 3813, provided that: “(a) Definitions.—In this section:“(1) Final rule.—The term ‘Final Rule’ means the final rule entitled ‘Special
Regulations
, Areas of the National Park System, Cape Hatteras National Seashore—Off-Road Vehicle Management’ (77 Fed. Reg. 3123 (January 23, 2012)). “(2) National seashore.—The term ‘National Seashore’ means the Cape Hatteras National Seashore Recreational Area. “(3) Secretary.—The term ‘Secretary’ means the Secretary of the Interior. “(4) State.—The term ‘State’ means the State of North Carolina. “(b) Review and Adjustment of Wildlife Protection Buffers.—“(1) In general.—Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act [Dec. 19, 2014], the Secretary shall review and modify wildlife buffers in the National Seashore in accordance with this subsection and any other applicable law. “(2) Buffer modifications.—In modifying wildlife buffers under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall, using adaptive management practices—“(A) ensure that the buffers are of the shortest duration and cover the smallest area necessary to protect a species, as determined in accordance with peer-reviewed scientific data; and “(B) designate pedestrian and vehicle corridors around areas of the National Seashore closed because of wildlife buffers, to allow access to areas that are open. “(3) Coordination with state.—The Secretary, after coordinating with the State, shall determine appropriate buffer protections for species that are not listed under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), but that are identified for protection under State law. “(c) Modifications to Final Rule.—The Secretary shall undertake a public process to consider, consistent with management requirements at the National Seashore, the following changes to the Final Rule:“(1) Opening beaches at the National Seashore that are closed to night driving restrictions, by opening beach segments each morning on a rolling basis as daily management reviews are completed. “(2) Extending seasonal off-road vehicle routes for additional periods in the Fall and Spring if off-road vehicle use would not create resource management problems at the National Seashore. “(3) Modifying the size and location of vehicle-free areas. “(d)
Construction
of New Vehicle Access Points.—The Secretary shall construct new vehicle access points and roads at the National Seashore—“(1) as expeditiously as practicable; and “(2) in accordance with applicable management plans for the National Seashore. “(e) Report.—The Secretary shall report to Congress within 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act [Dec. 19, 2014] on measures taken to implement this section.”
Executive Documents
Transfer of Functions
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, §§ 1, 2, eff. May 24, 1950, 15 F.R. 3174, 64 Stat. 1262, set out in the Appendix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
16 U.S.C. § 459a–1
Title 16 — Conservation
Last Updated
Apr 6, 2026
Release point: 119-73