---
kind: "section"
citation: "16 U.S.C. § 3112"
title: "16"
title_heading: "Conservation"
number: "3112"
heading: "Congressional statement of policy"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/16/3112"
units:
  - "Chapter 51 — Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation"
  - "Subchapter II — Subsistence Management and Use"
---

# §3112. Congressional statement of policy


It is hereby declared to be the policy of Congress that—

- (1) consistent with sound management principles, and the conservation of healthy populations of [fish and wildlife](/usc/16/3102.md?p=17), the utilization of the [public lands](/usc/16/620e.md?p=7) in Alaska is to cause the least adverse impact possible on rural residents who depend upon subsistence uses of the resources of such lands; consistent with management of [fish and wildlife](/usc/16/3102.md?p=17) in accordance with recognized scientific principles and the purposes for each [unit](/usc/16/430f–7.md?p=4) established, designated, or expanded by or pursuant to titles II through VII of this Act, the purpose of this subchapter is to provide the opportunity for rural residents engaged in a subsistence way of life to do so;
- (2) nonwasteful subsistence uses of [fish and wildlife](/usc/16/3102.md?p=17) and other renewable resources shall be the priority consumptive uses of all such resources on the [public lands](/usc/16/620e.md?p=7) of Alaska when it is necessary to restrict [taking](/usc/16/3102.md?p=18) in order to assure the continued viability of a fish or wildlife population or the continuation of subsistence uses of such population, the [taking](/usc/16/3102.md?p=18) of such population for nonwasteful subsistence uses shall be given preference on the [public lands](/usc/16/620e.md?p=7) over other consumptive uses; and
- (3) except as otherwise provided by this Act or other Federal laws, [Federal land](/usc/16/3102.md?p=2) managing agencies, in managing subsistence activities on the [public lands](/usc/16/620e.md?p=7) and in protecting the continued viability of all wild renewable resources in Alaska, shall cooperate with adjacent landowners and land managers, including [Native Corporations](/usc/16/3102.md?p=6), appropriate [State](/usc/16/590q.md?p=a) and Federal agencies, and other nations.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 96–487, title VIII, § 802, Dec. 2, 1980, 94 Stat. 2422.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

This Act, referred to in pars. (1) and (3), is Pub. L. 96–487, Dec. 2, 1980, 94 Stat. 2371, known as the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act. Titles II through VII of this Act enacted sections 410hh to 410hh–5, 460mm to 460mm–3, 539 to 539e, and 1285b of this title, amended sections 1274, 1276, 1279, and 1280 of this title, enacted provisions set out as notes under sections 668dd, 1132, 1274, and 3145 of this title, and enacted provisions listed in a table of National Monuments Established Under Presidential Proclamation set out under section 320301 of Title 54, National Park Service and Related Programs. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 3101 of this title and Tables.