---
kind: "section"
citation: "16 U.S.C. § 6405"
title: "16"
title_heading: "Conservation"
number: "6405"
heading: "Coral reef stewardship partnerships"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/16/6405"
units:
  - "Chapter 83 — Coral Reef Conservation"
---

# §6405. Coral reef stewardship partnerships

- (a) **In general—** To further community-based [stewardship](/usc/16/6415.md?p=23) of [coral reefs](/usc/16/6415.md?p=7), [coral reef](/usc/16/6415.md?p=7) [stewardship](/usc/16/6415.md?p=23) partnerships for Federal and non-Federal [coral reefs](/usc/16/6415.md?p=7) may be established in accordance with this section.
- (b) **Standards and procedures—** The [Administrator](/usc/16/6415.md?p=1) shall develop and adopt—
  - (1) standards for identifying individual [coral reefs](/usc/16/6415.md?p=7) and ecologically significant [units](/usc/16/430f–7.md?p=4) of [coral reefs](/usc/16/6415.md?p=7); and
  - (2) processes for adjudicating multiple applicants for [stewardship](/usc/16/6415.md?p=23) of the same [coral reef](/usc/16/6415.md?p=7) or ecologically significant [unit](/usc/16/430f–7.md?p=4) of a reef to ensure no geographic overlap in representation among [stewardship](/usc/16/6415.md?p=23) partnerships authorized by this section.
- (c) **Membership for Federal coral reefs—** A [coral reef](/usc/16/6415.md?p=7) [stewardship](/usc/16/6415.md?p=23) partnership that has identified, as the subject of its [stewardship](/usc/16/6415.md?p=23) activities, a [coral reef](/usc/16/6415.md?p=7) or ecologically significant [unit](/usc/16/430f–7.md?p=4) of a [coral reef](/usc/16/6415.md?p=7) that is fully or partially under the management jurisdiction of any Federal agency specified in [section 6402(c) of this title](/usc/16/6402.md?p=c) shall, at a minimum, include the following:
  - (1) That Federal agency, a representative of which shall serve as chairperson of the [coral reef](/usc/16/6415.md?p=7) [stewardship](/usc/16/6415.md?p=23) partnership.
  - (2) A [State](/usc/16/6415.md?p=22) or county’s resource management agency to the extent that such partnership covers a reef within such [States](/usc/16/544.md?p=r) or county’s jurisdiction.
  - (3) A [coral reef](/usc/16/6415.md?p=7) research center designated under [section 6411(b) of this title](/usc/16/6411.md?p=b).
  - (4) A nongovernmental organization.
  - (5) A [covered Native entity](/usc/16/6415.md?p=10) culturally affiliated with the subject reef or ecologically significant [unit](/usc/16/430f–7.md?p=4), if any.
  - (6) Such other members as the partnership considers appropriate, such as [interested stakeholder groups](/usc/16/6415.md?p=15) and [covered Native entities](/usc/16/6415.md?p=10).
- (d) **Membership for non-Federal coral reefs—**
  - (1) **In general—** A [coral reef](/usc/16/6415.md?p=7) [stewardship](/usc/16/6415.md?p=23) partnership that has identified, as the subject of its [stewardship](/usc/16/6415.md?p=23) activities, a [coral reef](/usc/16/6415.md?p=7) or ecologically significant component of a [coral reef](/usc/16/6415.md?p=7) that is not under the management jurisdiction of any Federal agency specified in [section 6402(c) of this title](/usc/16/6402.md?p=c) shall, at a minimum, include the following:
    - (A) A [State](/usc/16/6415.md?p=22) or county’s resource management agency or a [covered Native entity](/usc/16/6415.md?p=10), a representative of which shall serve as the chairperson of the [coral reef](/usc/16/6415.md?p=7) [stewardship](/usc/16/6415.md?p=23) partnership.
    - (B) A [coral reef](/usc/16/6415.md?p=7) research center designated under [section 6411(b) of this title](/usc/16/6411.md?p=b).
    - (C) A nongovernmental organization.
    - (D) Such other members as the partnership considers appropriate, such as [interested stakeholder groups](/usc/16/6415.md?p=15).
  - (2) **Additional members—**
    - (A) **In general—** Subject to [subparagraph (B)](#d-2-B), a [coral reef](/usc/16/6415.md?p=7) [stewardship](/usc/16/6415.md?p=23) partnership described in [paragraph (1)](#d-1) may also include representatives of one or more Federal agencies.
    - (B) **Requests; approval—** A representative of a Federal agency described in [subparagraph (A)](#d-2-A) may become a member of a [coral reef](/usc/16/6415.md?p=7) [stewardship](/usc/16/6415.md?p=23) partnership described in [paragraph (1)](#d-1) if—
      - (i) the representative submits a request to become a member to the chairperson of the partnership referred to in [paragraph (1)(A)](#d-1-A); and
      - (ii) the chairperson consents to the request.
- (e) **Nonapplicability of Federal Advisory Committee Act—** The Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.)[^1] shall not apply to [coral reef](/usc/16/6415.md?p=7) [stewardship](/usc/16/6415.md?p=23) partnerships under this section.

## Footnotes

[^1]: See References in Text note below.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 106–562, title II, § 206, as added Pub. L. 117–263, div. J, title C, § 10001(a), Dec. 23, 2022, 136 Stat. 3937.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

The Federal Advisory Committee Act, referred to in subsec. (e), is Pub. L. 92–463, Oct. 6, 1972, 86 Stat. 770, which was set out in the Appendix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employees, and was substantially repealed and restated in chapter 10 (§ 1001 et seq.) of Title 5 by Pub. L. 117–286, §§ 3(a), 7, Dec. 27, 2022, 136 Stat. 4197, 4361. For disposition of sections of the Act into chapter 10 of Title 5, see Disposition Table preceding section 101 of Title 5.

### Prior Provisions

A prior section 6405, Pub. L. 106–562, title II, § 206, Dec. 23, 2000, 114 Stat. 2804, related to emergency assistance, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 117–263, div. J, title C, § 10001(a), Dec. 23, 2022, 136 Stat. 3931.