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Title 16 — ConservationRelease 119-73

§694 Fish and game sanctuaries in national forests; establishment by President

Title 16 › Chapter CHAPTER 6— - GAME AND BIRD PRESERVES; PROTECTION › § 694

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The President can set aside certain parts of national forests (lands and waters not mainly fit for farming) as limited fish and game sanctuaries to help game birds, game animals, and fish breed and increase. The President can do this only after the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of Commerce recommend it and the state legislature where the forest lies approves. Those sanctuary areas stay part of the national forest. The Secretary of Agriculture may still allow other lawful forest uses so long as they do not conflict with the sanctuaries' purpose.

Full Legal Text

Title 16, §694

Conservation — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

For the purpose of providing breeding places for game birds, game animals, and fish on lands and waters in the national forests not chiefly suitable for agriculture, the President of the United States is authorized, upon recommendation of the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of Commerce and with the approval of the State legislatures of the respective States in which said national forests are situated, to establish by public proclamation certain specified and limited areas within said forests as fish and game sanctuaries or refuges which shall be devoted to the increase of game birds, game animals, and fish of all kinds naturally adapted thereto, but it is not intended that the lands included in such fish and game sanctuaries or refuges shall cease to be parts of the national forests wherein they are located, and the establishment of such fish and game sanctuaries or refuges shall not prevent the Secretary of Agriculture from permitting other uses of the national forests under and in conformity with the laws and the rules and regulations applicable thereto so far as such uses may be consistent with the purposes for which such fish and game sanctuaries or refuges are authorized to be established.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Executive Documents

Enforcement

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 694 to 694b 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, §§ 102(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. Functions and authority vested in Secretary of Energy subsequently transferred to Federal Coordinator for Alaska Natural Gas Transportation Projects by section 720d(f) of Title 15.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

16 U.S.C. § 694

Title 16 — Conservation

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73