---
kind: "section"
citation: "16 U.S.C. § 777m"
title: "16"
title_heading: "Conservation"
number: "777m"
heading: "Multistate conservation grant program"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/16/777m"
units:
  - "Chapter 10B — Fish Restoration and Management Projects"
---

# §777m. Multistate conservation grant program

- (a) **In general—**
  - (1) **Amount for grants—** Not more than $3,000,000 shall be distributed to the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) of the Interior for making multistate conservation [project](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-4) grants in accordance with this section.
  - (2) **Period of availability; apportionment—**
    - (A) **Period of availability—** Amounts made available under [paragraph (1)](#a-1) shall remain available for making grants only for the first fiscal year for which the amount is made available and the following fiscal year.
    - (B) **Apportionment—** At the end of the period of availability under [subparagraph (A)](#a-2-A), the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) of the Interior shall apportion any amounts that remain available among the [States](/usc/16/544.md?p=r) in the manner specified in [section 777c(c) of this title](/usc/16/777c.md?p=c) for use by the [States](/usc/16/544.md?p=r) in the same manner as funds apportioned under [section 777c(c) of this title](/usc/16/777c.md?p=c).
- (b) **Selection of projects—**
  - (1) **States or entities to be benefited—** A [project](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-4) shall not be eligible for a grant under this section unless the [project](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-4) will benefit—
    - (A) at least 26 [States](/usc/16/544.md?p=r);
    - (B) a majority of the [States](/usc/16/544.md?p=r) in a region of the United States [Fish and Wildlife](/usc/16/3102.md?p=17) Service; or
    - (C) a regional association of [State fish and game departments](/usc/16/777a.md?p=1-D).
  - (2) **Use of submitted priority list of projects—** The [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) of the Interior may make grants under this section only for [projects](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-4) identified on a priority list of sport fish restoration [projects](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-4) described in [paragraph (3)](#b-3).
  - (3) **Priority list of projects—** A priority list referred to in [paragraph (2)](#b-2) is a priority list of sport fish restoration [projects](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-4) that the International Association of [Fish and Wildlife](/usc/16/3102.md?p=17) Agencies—
    - (A) prepares through a committee comprised of the heads of [State fish and game departments](/usc/16/777a.md?p=1-D) (or their designees), in consultation with—
      - (i) nongovernmental organizations that represent conservation organizations;
      - (ii) sportsmen organizations; and
      - (iii) industries that fund the sport fish restoration programs under this chapter;
    - (B) approves by vote of a majority of the heads of [State fish and game departments](/usc/16/777a.md?p=1-D) (or their designees); and
    - (C) not later than October 1 of each fiscal year, submits to the Assistant Director for Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Programs.
  - (4) **Publication—** The Assistant Director for Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Programs shall publish in the Federal Register each priority list submitted under [paragraph (3)(C)](#b-3-C).
- (c) **Eligible grantees—**
  - (1) **In general—** The [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) of the Interior may make a grant under this section only to—
    - (A) a [State](/usc/16/590q.md?p=a) or group of [States](/usc/16/544.md?p=r);
    - (B) the United States [Fish and Wildlife](/usc/16/3102.md?p=17) Service, or a [State](/usc/16/590q.md?p=a) or group of [States](/usc/16/544.md?p=r), for the purpose of carrying out the National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation; and
    - (C) subject to [paragraph (2)](#c-2), a nongovernmental organization.
  - (2) **Nongovernmental organizations—**
    - (A) **In general—** Any nongovernmental organization that applies for a grant under this section shall submit with the application to the International Association of [Fish and Wildlife](/usc/16/3102.md?p=17) Agencies a certification that the organization—
      - (i) will not use the grant funds to fund, in whole or in part, any activity of the organization that promotes or encourages opposition to the regulated [taking](/usc/16/3102.md?p=18) of fish; and
      - (ii) will use the grant funds in compliance with [subsection (d)](#d).
    - (B) **Penalties for certain activities—** Any nongovernmental organization that is found to use grant funds in [violation](/usc/16/620e.md?p=11) of [subparagraph (A)](#c-2-A) shall return all funds received under this section and be subject to any other applicable penalties under law.
- (d) **Use of grants—** A grant under this section shall not be used, in whole or in part, for an activity, [project](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-4), or program that promotes or encourages opposition to the regulated [taking](/usc/16/3102.md?p=18) of fish.
- (e) **Funding for other activities—** Not more than $1,200,000 of each annual appropriation made in accordance with the provisions of [section 777b of this title](/usc/16/777b.md) shall be distributed to the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) of the Interior for use as follows:
  - (1) $200,000 shall be made available for each of—
    - (A) the Atlantic [States](/usc/16/544.md?p=r) Marine Fisheries [Commission](/usc/16/544.md?p=c);
    - (B) the Gulf [States](/usc/16/544.md?p=r) Marine Fisheries [Commission](/usc/16/544.md?p=c);
    - (C) the Pacific [States](/usc/16/544.md?p=r) Marine Fisheries [Commission](/usc/16/544.md?p=c); and
    - (D) the Great Lakes Fisheries [Commission](/usc/16/544.md?p=c).
  - (2) $400,000 shall be made available for the Sport Fishing and Boating Partnership Council established by the United States [Fish and Wildlife](/usc/16/3102.md?p=17) Service.
  - (3) A portion, as determined by the Sport Fishing and Boating Partnership Council, of funds disbursed for the purposes described in [paragraph (2)](#e-2) but remaining unobligated as of October 1, 2021, shall be used to study the impact of derelict vessels and identify recyclable solutions for recreational vessels.
- (f) **Nonapplicability of chapter 10 of title 5—** [Chapter 10](/usc/5/chptI/ch10.md) of title 5 shall not apply to any activity carried out under this section.

## Source credit

(Aug. 9, 1950, ch. 658, § 14, as added Pub. L. 106–408, title I, § 122(a), Nov. 1, 2000, 114 Stat. 1772; amended Pub. L. 109–59, title X, § 10118, Aug. 10, 2005, 119 Stat. 1929; Pub. L. 109–241, title IX, § 901(r)(2), July 11, 2006, 120 Stat. 566; Pub. L. 111–281, title IX, § 903(a)(3), Oct. 15, 2010, 124 Stat. 3010; Pub. L. 114–94, div. A, title X, § 10001(f), Dec. 4, 2015, 129 Stat. 1621; Pub. L. 117–58, div. B, title VIII, § 28001(a)(3), Nov. 15, 2021, 135 Stat. 887; Pub. L. 117–286, § 4(a)(103), Dec. 27, 2022, 136 Stat. 4317.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2022—Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 117–286 substituted “chapter 10 of title 5” for “Federal Advisory Committee Act” in heading and “Chapter 10 of title 5” for “The Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.)” in text.

2021—Subsec. (e)(3). Pub. L. 117–58 added par. (3).

2015—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 114–94, § 10001(f)(1), struck out “of each annual appropriation made in accordance with the provisions of section 777b of this title” after “$3,000,000”.

Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 114–94, § 10001(f)(2)(A), in introductory provisions, substituted “Not more than $1,200,000 of each annual appropriation made in accordance with the provisions of section 777b of this title shall be distributed to the Secretary of the Interior for use as follows:” for “Of amounts made available under section 777c(b) of this title for each fiscal year—”.

Subsec. (e)(1)(D). Pub. L. 114–94, § 10001(f)(2)(B), substituted period at end for “; and”.

2010—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 111–281 made technical correction to directory language of Pub. L. 109–241, § 901(r)(2). See 2006 Amendment note below.

2006—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 109–241, § 901(r)(2), as amended by Pub. L. 111–281, substituted “Not more than” for “For each of fiscal years 2006 through 2009, not more than”.

2005—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 109–59, § 10118(1), reenacted subsec. (a) and par. (1) headings without change and amended text of par. (1) generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: “Of the balance of each annual appropriation made under section 777b of this title remaining after the distribution and use under subsections (a), (b), and (c) of section 777c of this title in a fiscal year, not more than $3,000,000 shall be available to the Secretary of the Interior for making multistate conservation project grants in accordance with this section.”

Subsec. (a)(2)(B). Pub. L. 109–59, § 10118(2), substituted “section 777c(c)” for “section 777c(e)” in two places.

Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 109–59, § 10118(3), added introductory provisions and struck out former introductory provisions which read as follows: “Of the balance of each annual appropriation made under section 777b of this title remaining after the distribution and use under subsections (a), (b), and (c) of section 777c of this title for each fiscal year and after deducting amounts used for grants under subsection (a) of this section—”.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 2015 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 114–94 effective Oct. 1, 2015, see section 1003 of Pub. L. 114–94, set out as a note under section 5313 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.

### Effective Date of 2010 Amendment

Pub. L. 111–281, title IX, § 903(a), Oct. 15, 2010, 124 Stat. 3010, provided that the amendment by section 903(a)(3) is effective with enactment of Pub. L. 109–241.

### Effective Date of 2005 Amendments

From Aug. 10, 2005, to end of fiscal year 2005, subsecs. (a)(1), (2)(B) and (e) of this section considered to read as immediately before enactment of Pub. L. 109–59, see section 101(b) of Pub. L. 109–74, set out as a note under section 777b of this title.

Amendment by Pub. L. 109–59 effective Oct. 1, 2005, see section 10102 of Pub. L. 109–59, set out as a note under section 777b of this title.