The purpose of this chapter is to encourage partnerships among public agencies and other interested persons to promote fish conservation—

1. (1) to achieve measurable habitat conservation results through strategic actions of Fish Habitat Partnerships that lead to better fish habitat conditions and increased fishing opportunities by—

   1. (A) improving ecological conditions;
   2. (B) restoring natural processes; or
   3. (C) preventing the decline of intact and healthy systems;
2. (2) to establish a consensus set of national conservation strategies as a framework to guide future actions and investment by Fish Habitat Partnerships;

3. (3) to broaden the community of support for fish habitat conservation by—

   1. (A) increasing fishing opportunities;
   2. (B) fostering the participation of local communities, especially young people in local communities, in conservation activities; and
   3. (C) raising public awareness of the role healthy fish habitat play in the quality of life and economic well-being of local communities;

4. (4) to fill gaps in the National Fish Habitat Assessment and the associated database of the National Fish Habitat Assessment—

   1. (A) to empower strategic conservation actions supported by broadly available scientific information; and
   2. (B) to integrate socioeconomic data in the analysis to improve the lives of humans in a manner consistent with fish habitat conservation goals; and

5. (5) to communicate to the public and conservation partners—

   1. (A) the conservation outcomes produced collectively by Fish Habitat Partnerships; and
   2. (B) new opportunities and voluntary approaches for conserving fish habitat.

(Pub. L. 116–188, title II, § 201, Oct. 30, 2020, 134 Stat. 924.)

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Short Title of 2024 Amendment

Pub. L. 118–198, § 1(a), Dec. 23, 2024, 138 Stat. 2678, provided that:

“This Act [amending sections 666c–1, 667h, 3709, 4406, 8203 to 8206, 8209, 8211, and 8212 of this title, sections 8355 and 8356 of Title 7, Agriculture, and

section 1267 of Title 33, Navigation and Navigable Waters, and provisions set out as notes under

section 2601 of Title 15, Commerce and Trade,

section 1267 of Title 33, and

section 320101 of Title 54, National Park Service and Related Programs] may be cited as the ‘America’s Conservation Enhancement Reauthorization Act of 2024’.”

Short Title

Pub. L. 116–188, § 1(a), Oct. 30, 2020, 134 Stat. 905, provided that:

“This Act [enacting this chapter, sections 667h and 669

l of this title, and sections 8355 and 8356 of Title 7, Agriculture, amending sections 666c–1, 3702, 3703, 3709, 3710, 4403, and 4406 of this title and

section 1267 of Title 33, Navigation and Navigable Waters, enacting provisions set out as notes under

section 2601 of Title 15, Commerce and Trade, and

section 1267 of Title 33, and amending provisions set out as notes under sections 669 and 742b of this title and

section 320101 of Title 54, National Park Service and Related Programs] may be cited as the ‘America’s Conservation Enhancement Act’.”