US Code

Public Law 119-73 (01/23/2026)

16 U.S.C. § 1380

Marine mammal research grants

(a)

Authorization; research concerning yellowfin tuna; annual report

section 1373(f) of this titleThe Secretary is authorized to make grants, or to provide financial assistance in such other form as he deems appropriate, to any Federal or State agency, public or private institution, or other person for the purpose of assisting such agency, institution, or person to undertake research in subjects which are relevant to the protection and conservation of marine mammals. In carrying out this subsection, the Secretary shall undertake a program of, and shall provide financial assistance for, research into new methods of locating and catching yellowfin tuna without the incidental taking of marine mammals. The Secretary shall include a description of the annual results of research carried out under this section in the report required under .

(b)

Terms and conditions

Any grant or other financial assistance provided by the Secretary pursuant to this section shall be subject to such terms and conditions as the Secretary deems necessary to protect the interests of the United States and shall be made after review by the Marine Mammal Commission.

(c)

Gulf of Maine ecosystem protection

(1)
No later than 1 year after , the Secretary of Commerce shall convene a regional workshop for the Gulf of Maine to assess human-caused factors affecting the health and stability of that marine ecosystem, of which marine mammals are a part. The workshop shall be conducted in consultation with the Marine Mammal Commission, the adjacent coastal States, individuals with expertise in marine mammal biology and ecology, representatives from environmental organizations, the fishing industry, and other appropriate persons. The goal of the workshop shall be to identify such factors, and to recommend a program of research and management to restore or maintain that marine ecosystem and its key components that—
(A)
protects and encourages marine mammals to develop to the greatest extent feasible commensurate with sound policies of resource management;
(B)
has as the primary management objective the maintenance of the health and stability of the marine ecosystems;
(C)
ensures the fullest possible range of management options for future generations; and
(D)
permits nonwasteful, environmentally sound development of renewable and nonrenewable resources.
(2)
On or before , the Secretary of Commerce shall submit to the Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation of the Senate a report containing the results of the workshop under this subsection, proposed regulatory or research actions, and recommended legislative action.
(d)

Bering Sea ecosystem protection

(1)
The Secretary of Commerce, in consultation with the Secretary of the Interior, the Marine Mammal Commission, the State of Alaska, and Alaska Native organizations, shall, not later than 180 days after , undertake a scientific research program to monitor the health and stability of the Bering Sea marine ecosystem and to resolve uncertainties concerning the causes of population declines of marine mammals, sea birds, and other living resources of that marine ecosystem. The program shall address the research recommendations developed by previous workshops on Bering Sea living marine resources, and shall include research on subsistence uses of such resources and ways to provide for the continued opportunity for such uses.
(2)
To the maximum extent practicable, the research program undertaken pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be conducted in Alaska. The Secretary of Commerce shall utilize, where appropriate, traditional local knowledge and may contract with a qualified Alaska Native organization to conduct such research.
(3)
1
1 See References in Text note below.
The Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of the Interior, and the Commission shall address the status and findings of the research program in their annual reports to Congress required by sections 1373(f) and 1404 of this title.

Pub. L. 92–522, title I, § 11086 Stat. 1041Pub. L. 95–136, § 191 Stat. 1167Pub. L. 95–316, § 292 Stat. 380Pub. L. 97–58, § 595 Stat. 986Pub. L. 100–711, § 4(e)102 Stat. 4768Pub. L. 103–238, § 20108 Stat. 560Pub. L. 105–42, § 4(f)111 Stat. 1125(, , ; , , ; , , ; , , ; , , ; , , ; , , .)

Editorial Notes

References in Text

section 1373(f) of this titlesection 1373 of this titleProvisions of requiring annual reports to Congress, referred to in subsec. (d)(3), terminated, effective . See Termination of Reporting Requirements note set out under .

Section 1404 of this title, referred to in subsec. (d)(3), was omitted from the Code.

Amendments

Pub. L. 105–421997—Subsec. (a). struck out “(1)” before “The Secretary is authorized” and struck out par. (2) which read as follows: “For purposes of identifying appropriate research into promising new methods of locating and catching yellowfin tuna without the incidental taking of marine mammals, the Secretary shall contract for an independent review of information pertaining to such potential alternative methods to be conducted by the National Academy of Sciences with individuals having scientific, technical, or other expertise that may be relevant to the identification of promising alternative fishing techniques. The Secretary shall request that the independent review be submitted to the Secretary on or before , and the Secretary shall submit the report of the independent review, together with a proposed plan for research, development, and implementation of alternative fishing techniques, to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries of the House of Representatives on or before .”

Pub. L. 103–2381994—Subsecs. (c), (d). added subsecs. (c) and (d) and struck out former subsec. (c) which authorized appropriations to be made available to the Secretary of Commerce and the Secretary of the Interior for purposes of carrying out this section for fiscal year ending , to fiscal year ending .

Pub. L. 100–7111988—Subsec. (a). designated existing provisions as par. (1) and added par. (2).

Pub. L. 97–58section 1373(f) of this title1981—Subsec. (a). directed the Secretary to undertake a program of research into new methods of locating and catching yellowfin tuna without the incidental taking of marine mammals and directed that the Secretary include a description of the annual results of that research in the report required under .

Pub. L. 95–3161978—Subsec. (c)(4) to (6). added pars. (4) to (6).

Pub. L. 95–1361977—Subsec. (c). incorporated existing provisions into text preceding par. (1) and, as so incorporated, struck out provisions authorizing to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this section for the fiscal year in which this section takes effect and the next four years thereafter, limiting appropriations for any one year to $2,500,000, and requiring that one-third of such sums be made available to the Secretary of the Interior and two-thirds of such sums be made available to the Secretary of the department in which the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is operating, and added pars. (1) to (3).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 1997 Amendment

Pub. L. 105–42section 8 of Pub. L. 105–42section 1362 of this titleFor effective date of amendment by , see , set out as a note under .

Effective Date

section 4 of Pub. L. 92–522section 1361 of this titleSection effective upon the expiration of the sixty-day period following , see , set out as a note under .

Abolition of House Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries

section 1(b)(3) of Pub. L. 104–14section 21 of Title 2Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries of House of Representatives abolished and its jurisdiction transferred by House Resolution No. 6, One Hundred Fourth Congress, . For treatment of references to Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, see , set out as a note preceding , The Congress.