Title 16ConservationRelease 119-73

§760aa–1 Gifts to system and particular national fish hatcheries

Title 16 › Chapter CHAPTER 9B— - NATIONAL FISH HATCHERY SYSTEM ENHANCEMENT › § 760aa–1

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary of the Interior can take gifts, bequests, or donations of money, land, things, or interests to help the National Fish Hatchery System. The Secretary can accept them with conditions or restrictions if those conditions are legal and fit the purpose. Money gifts and the money from selling donated items go into a special account in the Treasury and the Secretary can spend that money for Fish and Wildlife Service hatchery programs without needing extra approval from Congress. Gifts made for a specific hatchery must be used only for that hatchery. If money is available and other laws (including the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act) allow, the Secretary may match those gifts with federal funds, but the federal match cannot be more than the gift’s cash amount or the fair market value of donated property or services.

Full Legal Text

Title 16, §760aa–1

Conservation — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)In furtherance of the purposes of this chapter, the Secretary of the Interior may accept any gifts, devises, or bequests of real and personal property, or proceeds therefrom, or interests therein, for the benefit of the National Fish Hatchery System. Such acceptance may be subject to the terms of any restrictive or affirmative covenant, or condition of servitude, if such terms are deemed by the Secretary to be in accordance with law and compatible with the purpose for which acceptance is sought.
(b)(1)Any gifts and bequests of money and proceeds from the sales of other property received as gifts or bequests pursuant to this subsection shall be deposited in a separate account in the Treasury and may be expended without further appropriation by the Secretary for the benefit of the System programs administered by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
(2)(A)Any gift, devise, or bequest made for the benefit of a facility of the System shall be disbursed only for the benefit of that facility and without further appropriations.
(B)Subject to the availability of appropriations and the requirements of the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act (16 U.S.C. 661 et seq.) and other applicable law, the Secretary may provide funds to match gifts, devises, and bequests made for the benefit of a facility of the System. With respect to each gift, devise, or bequest, the amount of Federal funds may not exceed the amount (or, in the case of property or in-kind services, the fair market value) of the gift, devise, or bequest.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act, referred to in subsec. (b)(2)(B), is act Mar. 10, 1934, ch. 55, 48 Stat. 401, which is classified generally to sections 661 to 666c–1 of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section 661(a) of this title,

Short Title

note set out under section 661 of this title, and Tables.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

16 U.S.C. § 760aa–1

Title 16Conservation

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73