Title 16, ConservationRelease 119-102
§708 State or Territorial Laws or Regulations
Title 16 › CHAPTER 7 — PROTECTION OF MIGRATORY GAME AND INSECTIVOROUS BIRDS › SUBCHAPTER II — MIGRATORY BIRD TREATY › § 708
Summary
States and Territories may make and enforce their own laws and rules about migratory birds, their nests, and eggs as long as those laws do not conflict with the international conventions or this federal law. They can give extra protection to the birds, nests, and eggs, but they cannot lengthen the open seasons for these birds beyond the dates the President approved under section 704.
Full Legal Text
Title 16, §708
Conservation, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
Nothing in this subchapter shall be construed to prevent the several States and Territories from making or enforcing laws or regulations not inconsistent with the provisions of said conventions or of this subchapter, or from making or enforcing laws or regulations which shall give further protection to migratory birds, their nests, and eggs, if such laws or regulations do not extend the open seasons for such birds beyond the dates approved by the President in accordance with section 704 of this title.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
Amendments
1936—Act June 20, 1936, substituted “conventions” for “convention”.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date
of 1936 AmendmentAct
June 20, 1936, ch. 634, § 2, 49 Stat. 1556, provided in part that the amendment by section 2 is effective as of the day aforesaid (
June 30, 1937). See note under section 703 of this title.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
16 U.S.C. § 708
Title 16, Conservation
Last Updated
Aug 21, 2026
Release point: 119-102