PRIA Logo™
Take the PRIA Score
Title 16 — ConservationRelease 119-73

§459c–6 Administration of property

Title 16 › Chapter CHAPTER 1— - NATIONAL PARKS, MILITARY PARKS, MONUMENTS, AND SEASHORES › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER LXIII— - NATIONAL SEASHORE RECREATIONAL AREAS › § 459c–6

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary must manage land bought under these rules so its natural features are not harmed. Management must focus on protecting, restoring, and preserving the environment while allowing things like recreation, education, historic preservation, interpretation, and scientific research when they fit with that protection. The Secretary must follow the National Park Service laws and other park laws. He may also use other conservation powers if he finds they help reach these goals. The Secretary may allow hunting and fishing on seashore lands and waters he manages. He must set where and when these activities can occur and follow open seasons set by local, State of California, and Federal law. Before making rules, he must consult California and its local officials who handle hunting and fishing. He may enter into cooperative agreements with them.

Full Legal Text

Title 16, §459c–6

Conservation — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Except as otherwise provided in sections 459c to 459c–7 of this title, the property acquired by the Secretary under such sections shall be administered by the Secretary without impairment of its natural values, in a manner which provides for such recreational, educational, historic preservation, interpretation, and scientific research opportunities as are consistent with, based upon, and supportive of the maximum protection, restoration, and preservation of the natural environment within the area, subject to the provisions of the Act entitled “An Act to establish a National Park Service, and for other purposes”, approved August 25, 1916 (39 Stat. 535),11 See References in Text note below. as amended and supplemented, and in accordance with other laws of general application relating to the national park system as defined by the Act of August 8, 1953 (67 Stat. 496),1 except that authority otherwise available to the Secretary for the conservation and management of natural resources may be utilized to the extent he finds such authority will further the purposes of sections 459c to 459c–7 of this title.
(b)The Secretary may permit hunting and fishing on lands and waters under his jurisdiction within the seashore in such areas and under such regulations as he may prescribe during open seasons prescribed by applicable local, State, and Federal law. The Secretary shall consult with officials of the State of California and any political subdivision thereof who have jurisdiction of hunting and fishing prior to the issuance of any such regulations, and the Secretary is authorized to enter into cooperative agreements with such officials regarding such hunting and fishing as he may deem desirable.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The Act entitled “An Act to establish a National Park Service, and for other purposes”, approved
August 25, 1916 (39 Stat. 535), referred to in subsec. (a), 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 Act of
August 8, 1953 (67 Stat. 496), referred to in subsec. (a), is act Aug. 8, 1953, ch. 384, 67 Stat. 496, which enacted sections 1b to 1d of this title. The Act, except for section 1(3), was repealed and restated in section 100501, 100755, 100901, 101901, 102711, and 103102 of Title 54, National Park Service and Related Programs, by Pub. L. 113–287, §§ 3, 7, Dec. 19, 2014, 128 Stat. 3094, 3272. section 1(3) of the Act was transferred and is set out as a note under section 407a of this title. 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.

Amendments

1976—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 94–544 and Pub. L. 94–567 made substantially identical

Amendments

by inserting provision which directed the Secretary to administer the property acquired in such a manner so as to provide recreational, educational, historic preservation, interpretation, and scientific research opportunities consistent with the maximum protection, restoration, and preservation of the environment.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

16 U.S.C. § 459c–6

Title 16 — Conservation

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73