Title 16, ConservationRelease 119-110
§777m Multistate Conservation Grant Program
Title 16 › CHAPTER 10B — FISH RESTORATION AND MANAGEMENT PROJECTS › § 777m
Summary
The Interior Department gets up to $3,000,000 to give grants for multistate conservation projects. That money can only be used in the fiscal year it is given and the following fiscal year. Any money left after those two years must be divided among the States the same way as money is split under section 777c(c). Grants can only fund projects that help at least 26 States, a majority of States in a Fish and Wildlife Service region, or a regional group of State fish and game agencies. The projects must be on a priority list made and approved by the International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (their committee of State agency leaders, working with conservation groups, sportsmen groups, and industry). That list must be sent to the Assistant Director by October 1 each year and will be published in the Federal Register. Grants may go to a State or group of States, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (or States for the national survey), and certain nongovernmental organizations that certify they will not use the funds to oppose regulated fishing and that will follow the grant rules. If an organization breaks that promise, it must return the money and may face penalties. Each year, no more than $1,200,000 of related appropriations may be sent to the Interior for other uses: $200,000 each for the Atlantic, Gulf, Pacific, and Great Lakes marine/fisheries commissions, and $400,000 for the Sport Fishing and Boating Partnership Council. The Council can direct leftover funds (unobligated as of October 1, 2021) to study derelict recreational vessels and recycling options. Chapter 10 of title 5 does not apply to activities under this program.
Full Legal Text
Title 16, §777m
Conservation, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)In general
(1)Amount for grants
Not more than $3,000,000 shall be distributed to the Secretary of the Interior for making multistate conservation project grants in accordance with this section.
(2)Period of availability; apportionment
(A)Period of availability
Amounts made available under paragraph (1) shall remain available for making grants only for the first fiscal year for which the amount is made available and the following fiscal year.
(B)Apportionment
At the end of the period of availability under subparagraph (A), the Secretary of the Interior shall apportion any amounts that remain available among the States in the manner specified in section 777c(c) of this title for use by the States in the same manner as funds apportioned under section 777c(c) of this title.
(b)Selection of projects
(1)States or entities to be benefited
A project shall not be eligible for a grant under this section unless the project will benefit—
(A)at least 26 States;
(B)a majority of the States in a region of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service; or
(C)a regional association of State fish and game departments.
(2)Use of submitted priority list of projects
The Secretary of the Interior may make grants under this section only for projects identified on a priority list of sport fish restoration projects described in paragraph (3).
(3)Priority list of projects
A priority list referred to in paragraph (2) is a priority list of sport fish restoration projects that the International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies—
(A)prepares through a committee comprised of the heads of State fish and game departments (or their designees), in consultation with—
(i)nongovernmental organizations that represent conservation organizations;
(ii)sportsmen organizations; and
(iii)industries that fund the sport fish restoration programs under this chapter;
(B)approves by vote of a majority of the heads of State fish and game departments (or their designees); and
(C)not later than October 1 of each fiscal year, submits to the Assistant Director for Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Programs.
(4)Publication
The Assistant Director for Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Programs shall publish in the Federal Register each priority list submitted under paragraph (3)(C).
(c)Eligible grantees
(1)In general
The Secretary of the Interior may make a grant under this section only to—
(A)a State or group of States;
(B)the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, or a State or group of States, for the purpose of carrying out the National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation; and
(C)subject to paragraph (2), a nongovernmental organization.
(2)Nongovernmental organizations
(A)In general
Any nongovernmental organization that applies for a grant under this section shall submit with the application to the International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies a certification that the organization—
(i)will not use the grant funds to fund, in whole or in part, any activity of the organization that promotes or encourages opposition to the regulated taking of fish; and
(ii)will use the grant funds in compliance with subsection (d).
(B)Penalties for certain activities
Any nongovernmental organization that is found to use grant funds in violation of subparagraph (A) shall return all funds received under this section and be subject to any other applicable penalties under law.
(d)Use of grants
A grant under this section shall not be used, in whole or in part, for an activity, project, or program that promotes or encourages opposition to the regulated taking of fish.
(e)Funding for other activities
Not more than $1,200,000 of each annual appropriation made in accordance with the provisions of section 777b of this title shall be distributed to the Secretary of the Interior for use as follows:
(1)$200,000 shall be made available for each of—
(A)the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission;
(B)the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission;
(C)the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission; and
(D)the Great Lakes Fisheries Commission.
(2)$400,000 shall be made available for the Sport Fishing and Boating Partnership Council established by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
(3)A portion, as determined by the Sport Fishing and Boating Partnership Council, of funds disbursed for the purposes described in paragraph (2) but remaining unobligated as of October 1, 2021, shall be used to study the impact of derelict vessels and identify recyclable solutions for recreational vessels.
(f)Nonapplicability of chapter 10 of title 5
Chapter 10 of title 5 shall not apply to any activity carried out under this section.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
Amendments
2022—Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 117–286 substituted “chapter 10 of title 5” for “Federal Advisory Committee Act” in heading and “Chapter 10 of title 5” for “The Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.)” in text. 2021—Subsec. (e)(3). Pub. L. 117–58 added par. (3). 2015—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 114–94, § 10001(f)(1), struck out “of each annual appropriation made in accordance with the provisions of section 777b of this title” after “$3,000,000”. Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 114–94, § 10001(f)(2)(A), in introductory provisions, substituted “Not more than $1,200,000 of each annual appropriation made in accordance with the provisions of section 777b of this title shall be distributed to the Secretary of the Interior for use as follows:” for “Of amounts made available under section 777c(b) of this title for each fiscal year—”. Subsec. (e)(1)(D). Pub. L. 114–94, § 10001(f)(2)(B), substituted period at end for “; and”. 2010—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 111–281 made technical correction to directory language of Pub. L. 109–241, § 901(r)(2). See 2006 Amendment note below. 2006—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 109–241, § 901(r)(2), as amended by Pub. L. 111–281, substituted “Not more than” for “For each of fiscal years 2006 through 2009, not more than”. 2005—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 109–59, § 10118(1), reenacted subsec. (a) and par. (1) headings without change and amended text of par. (1) generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: “Of the balance of each annual appropriation made under section 777b of this title remaining after the distribution and use under subsections (a), (b), and (c) of section 777c of this title in a fiscal year, not more than $3,000,000 shall be available to the Secretary of the Interior for making multistate conservation project grants in accordance with this section.” Subsec. (a)(2)(B). Pub. L. 109–59, § 10118(2), substituted “section 777c(c)” for “section 777c(e)” in two places. Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 109–59, § 10118(3), added introductory provisions and struck out former introductory provisions which read as follows: “Of the balance of each annual appropriation made under section 777b of this title remaining after the distribution and use under subsections (a), (b), and (c) of section 777c of this title for each fiscal year and after deducting amounts used for grants under subsection (a) of this section—”.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date
of 2015 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 114–94 effective Oct. 1, 2015, see section 1003 of Pub. L. 114–94, set out as a note under section 5313 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.
Effective Date
of 2010 Amendment Pub. L. 111–281, title IX, § 903(a), Oct. 15, 2010, 124 Stat. 3010, provided that the amendment by section 903(a)(3) is effective with enactment of Pub. L. 109–241.
Effective Date
of 2005
Amendments
From Aug. 10, 2005, to end of fiscal year 2005, subsecs. (a)(1), (2)(B) and (e) of this section considered to read as immediately before enactment of Pub. L. 109–59, see section 101(b) of Pub. L. 109–74, set out as a note under section 777b of this title. Amendment by Pub. L. 109–59 effective Oct. 1, 2005, see section 10102 of Pub. L. 109–59, set out as a note under section 777b of this title.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
16 U.S.C. § 777m
Title 16, Conservation
Last Updated
Sep 22, 2026
Release point: 119-110