---
kind: "section"
citation: "16 U.S.C. § 1423c"
title: "16"
title_heading: "Conservation"
number: "1423c"
heading: "Cooperative management agreement; authority to delegate enforcement authority"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/16/1423c"
units:
  - "Chapter 31 — Marine Mammal Protection"
  - "Subchapter VI — Polar Bears"
---

# §1423c. Cooperative management agreement; authority to delegate enforcement authority

- (a) **In general—** The [Secretary](/usc/16/1423.md?p=5), acting through the Director of the [United States](/usc/16/1362.md?p=14) [Fish and Wildlife](/usc/16/3102.md?p=17) Service, may share authority under this subchapter for the [management](/usc/16/1362.md?p=2) of the [taking](/usc/16/1423.md?p=6) of polar bears for subsistence purposes with the [Alaska Nanuuq Commission](/usc/16/1423.md?p=2) if such [commission](/usc/16/1423.md?p=7) is eligible under [subsection (b)](#b).
- (b) **Delegation—** To be eligible for the [management](/usc/16/1362.md?p=2) authority described in [subsection (a)](#a), the [Alaska Nanuuq Commission](/usc/16/1423.md?p=2) shall—
  - (1) enter into a cooperative [agreement](/usc/16/1423.md?p=1) with the [Secretary](/usc/16/1423.md?p=5) under [section 1388 of this title](/usc/16/1388.md) for the [conservation](/usc/16/1362.md?p=2) of polar bears;
  - (2) meaningfully monitor compliance with this subchapter and the [Agreement](/usc/16/1423.md?p=1) by [Alaska Natives](/usc/16/3102.md?p=16); and
  - (3) administer its co-[management](/usc/16/1362.md?p=2) program for polar bears in accordance with—
    - (A) this subchapter; and
    - (B) the [Agreement](/usc/16/1423.md?p=1).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 92–522, title V, § 504, as added Pub. L. 109–479, title IX, § 902(a), Jan. 12, 2007, 120 Stat. 3662.)