---
kind: "section"
citation: "16 U.S.C. § 1867"
title: "16"
title_heading: "Conservation"
number: "1867"
heading: "Cooperative research and management program"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/16/1867"
units:
  - "Chapter 38 — Fishery Conservation and Management"
  - "Subchapter IV — National Fishery Management Program"
---

# §1867. Cooperative research and management program

- (a) **In general—** The [Secretary](/usc/16/1802.md?p=39) of Commerce, in consultation with the [Councils](/usc/16/1802.md?p=8), shall establish a cooperative research and management program to address needs identified under this chapter and under any other marine resource laws enforced by the [Secretary](/usc/16/1802.md?p=39). The program shall be implemented on a regional basis and shall be developed and conducted through partnerships among Federal, [State](/usc/16/1802.md?p=40), and Tribal managers and scientists (including interstate [fishery](/usc/16/1802.md?p=13) [commissions](/usc/16/544.md?p=c)), [fishing](/usc/16/1802.md?p=16) industry participants (including use of commercial charter or recreational vessels for gathering data), and educational institutions.
- (b) **Eligible projects—** The [Secretary](/usc/16/1802.md?p=39) shall make funds available under the program for the support of [projects](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-4) to address critical needs identified by the [Councils](/usc/16/1802.md?p=8) in consultation with the [Secretary](/usc/16/1802.md?p=39). The program shall promote and encourage efforts to utilize sources of data maintained by other Federal agencies, [State](/usc/16/1802.md?p=40) agencies, or academia for use in such [projects](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-4).
- (c) **Funding—** In making funds available the [Secretary](/usc/16/1802.md?p=39) shall award funding on a competitive basis and based on regional [fishery](/usc/16/1802.md?p=13) management needs, select programs that form part of a coherent program of research focused on solving priority issues identified by the [Councils](/usc/16/1802.md?p=8), and shall give priority to the following [projects](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-4):
  - (1) [Projects](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-4) to collect data to improve, supplement, or enhance stock assessments, including the use of [fishing vessels](/usc/16/1802.md?p=18) or acoustic or other marine technology.
  - (2) [Projects](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-4) to assess the amount and type of [bycatch](/usc/16/1802.md?p=2) or post-release mortality occurring in a [fishery](/usc/16/1802.md?p=13).
  - (3) Conservation engineering [projects](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-4) designed to reduce [bycatch](/usc/16/1802.md?p=2), including avoidance of post-release mortality, reduction of [bycatch](/usc/16/1802.md?p=2) in [high seas](/usc/16/1802.md?p=20) [fisheries](/usc/16/1802.md?p=13), and transfer of such [fishing](/usc/16/1802.md?p=16) technologies to other nations.
  - (4) [Projects](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-4) for the identification of habitat [areas](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A) of particular concern and for habitat conservation.
  - (5) [Projects](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-4) designed to collect and compile economic and social data.
- (d) **Experimental permitting process—** Not later than 180 days after January 12, 2007, the [Secretary](/usc/16/1802.md?p=39), in consultation with the [Councils](/usc/16/1802.md?p=8), shall promulgate regulations that create an expedited, uniform, and regionally-based process to promote issuance, where practicable, of experimental [fishing](/usc/16/1802.md?p=16) permits.
- (e) **Guidelines—** The [Secretary](/usc/16/1802.md?p=39), in consultation with the [Councils](/usc/16/1802.md?p=8), shall establish guidelines to ensure that participation in a research [project](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-4) funded under this section does not result in loss of a participant’s catch history or unexpended days-at-sea as part of a limited entry system.
- (f) **Exempted projects—** The procedures of this section shall not apply to research funded by quota set-asides in a [fishery](/usc/16/1802.md?p=13).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 94–265, title III, § 318, as added Pub. L. 109–479, title II, § 204, Jan. 12, 2007, 120 Stat. 3614.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

This chapter, referred to in subsec. (a), was in the original “this Act”, meaning Pub. L. 94–265, Apr. 13, 1976, 90 Stat. 331, known as the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 1801 of this title and Tables.