16 U.S.C. § 744 — Investigations; fish propagation; investiga-

Page 1315 TITLE 16—CONSERVATION § 744 123, was part of a paragraph entitled: ‘‘Propagation of Food Fishes’’ in the Sundry Civil Expenses Appropria- tion Act, 1886. It authorized the Secretary of the Treas- ury to detail Coast Guard personnel to the Fish and Wildlife Services for duty. See section 743a of this title. § 743a. Detail of personnel and loan of equipment to Director of Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife (a) ‘‘Agency’’ defined As used in this section, the term ‘‘agency’’ means the department in which the Coast Guard is operating, the Department of the Army, the Department of the Navy, the Department of the Air Force, the Atomic Energy Commission, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administra- tion. (b) Personnel and equipment available The chief executive officer of each agency may from time to time— (i) detail from the agency for duty under the Director of the Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife, Department of the Interior, such commissioned and enlisted personnel and ci- vilian employees as may be spared for such duty; and (ii) consonant with the operational needs of the agency, loan equipment of the agency to the Director. (c) Reports to Congress The Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service shall make a report to Congress at the end of any fiscal year that the provisions of this section are utilized, which describes the use of the provisions of this section, and the ad- ditional cost, if any, to the Federal Government resulting therefrom. Such report shall be re- ferred in the Senate to the Committee on Com- merce, Science, and Transportation and in the House of Representatives to the Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries. (Mar. 3, 1885, ch. 360, § 1(2), as added Pub. L. 93–280, § 1(3), May 10, 1974, 88 Stat. 123; amended Pub. L. 96–470, title II, § 206(a), Oct. 19, 1980, 94 Stat. 2244; Pub. L. 103–437, § 6(t), Nov. 2, 1994, 108 Stat. 4587.) Editorial Notes REFERENCES IN TEXT The Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife, referred to in subsec. (b), was replaced and succeeded by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. See section 742b(c) of this title. AMENDMENTS 1994—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 103–437 substituted ‘‘Com- mittee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation’’ for ‘‘Committee on Commerce’’. 1980—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 96–470 substituted provision requiring that a report to Congress be made at the end of any fiscal year that provisions of this section are utilized for provision requiring an annual report to Congress be made on utilization of the provisions of this section and struck out ‘‘annual’’ before ‘‘report shall be’’. Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries TRANSFER OF FUNCTIONS For transfer of authorities, functions, personnel, and assets of the Coast Guard, including the authorities and functions of the Secretary of Transportation relat- ing thereto, to the Department of Homeland Security, and for treatment of related references, see sections 468(b), 551(d), 552(d), and 557 of Title 6, Domestic Secu- rity, and the Department of Homeland Security Reor- ganization Plan of November 25, 2002, as modified, set out as a note under section 542 of Title 6. Atomic Energy Commission abolished and functions transferred by sections 5814 and 5841 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare. See also Transfer of Func- tions notes set out under those sections. ABOLITION OF HOUSE COMMITTEE ON MERCHANT MARINE AND FISHERIES Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries of House of Representatives abolished and its jurisdiction transferred by House Resolution No. 6, One Hundred Fourth Congress, Jan. 4, 1995. Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries of House of Representatives treat- ed as referring to Committee on Resources of House of Representatives in case of provisions relating to fish- eries, wildlife, international fishing agreements, ma- rine affairs (including coastal zone management) ex- cept for measures relating to oil and other pollution of navigable waters, or oceanography by section 1(b)(3) of Pub. L. 104–14, set out as a note preceding section 21 of Title 2, The Congress. Committee on Resources of House of Representatives changed to Committee on Natural Resources of House of Representatives by House Resolution No. 6, One Hundred Tenth Congress, Jan. 5, 2007. § 744. Investigations; fish propagation; investiga- tions of damages by predacious fishes; execu- tive assistance The Secretary of the Interior or the Secretary of Commerce, as appropriate, shall prosecute in- vestigations and inquiries on the subject, with the view of ascertaining whether any and what diminution in the number of the food fishes of the coast and the lakes of the United States has taken place; and, if so, to what causes the same is due; and also whether any and what protec- tive, prohibitory, or precautionary measures should be adopted in the premises; and shall re- port upon the same to Congress. He is author- ized and directed to conduct investigations and experiments for the purpose of ameliorating the damage wrought to the fisheries by dogfish and other predacious fishes and aquatic animals. Said investigations and experiments shall be such as to develop the best and cheapest means of taking such fishes and aquatic animals, of utilizing them for economic purposes, especially for food, and to encourage the establishment of fisheries and markets for them. The heads of the several executive depart- ments shall cause to be rendered all necessary and practicable aid to the Secretary in the pros- ecution of his investigations and inquiries. (R.S. §§ 4396, 4397; Mar. 3, 1887, ch. 362, 24 Stat. 523; June 21, 1916, ch. 160, §§ 1, 2, 39 Stat. 232; 1939 Reorg. Plan No. II, § 4(e), (f), eff. July 1, 1939, 4 F.R. 2731, 53 Stat. 1433; 1940 Reorg. Plan No. III, § 3, eff. June 30, 1940, 5 F.R. 2108, 54 Stat. 1232; 1950 Reorg. Plan No. 3, §§ 1, 2, eff. May 24, 1950, 15 F.R. 3174, 62 Stat. 1262; 1970 Reorg. Plan No. 4, eff. Oct. 3, 1970, 35 F.R. 15627, 84 Stat. 2090; Pub. L. 96–470, title I, § 101(c), Oct. 19, 1980, 94 Stat. 2237.) Page 1316 TITLE 16—CONSERVATION § 745 Editorial Notes CODIFICATION R.S. § 4396 derived from Res. Feb. 9, 1871, No. 22, § 2, 16 Stat. 594. R.S. § 4397 derived from Res. Feb. 9, 1871, No. 22, § 3, 16 Stat. 594. AMENDMENTS 1980—Pub. L. 96–470 struck out provision requiring a detailed statement of expenditures under all appropria- tions for ‘‘propagation of fishes’’ be submitted annually to Congress at the beginning of each session. Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries SURVEY OF MARINE AND FRESH-WATER RESOURCES Act May 11, 1944, ch. 195, 58 Stat. 220, which expired January 1, 1945, provided for a comprehensive survey of all marine, fresh-water, and other aquatic resources of the United States, its Territories, and possessions; and for a report on survey, together with recommendations to Congress. It also appropriated $20,000 to carry out the purposes of the act. Executive Documents TRANSFER OF FUNCTIONS Secretary of the Interior or Secretary of Commerce, as appropriate, and Secretary substituted for Director of Fish and Wildlife Service and Director in view of: creation of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Admin- istration in Department of Commerce and Office of Ad- ministrator of such Administration; abolition of Bu- reau of Commercial Fisheries in Department of the In- terior and Office of Director of such Bureau; transfers of functions, including functions formerly vested by law in Secretary of the Interior or Department of the Interior which were administered through Bureau of Commercial Fisheries or were primarily related to such Bureau, exclusive of certain enumerated functions with respect to Great Lakes fishery research, Missouri River Reservoir research, Gulf Breeze Biological Laboratory, and Trans-Alaska pipeline investigations; and transfer of marine sport fish program of Bureau of Sport Fish- eries and Wildlife by Reorg. Plan No. 4 of 1970, eff. Oct. 3, 1970, 35 F.R. 15627, 84 Stat. 2090, set out in the Appen- dix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employ- ees. For transfer of functions of other officers, employees, and agencies of Department of the Interior, with cer- tain exceptions, to Secretary of the Interior, with power to delegate, see Reorg. Plan No. 3 of 1950, §§ 1, 2, eff. May 24, 1950, 15 F.R. 3174, 64 Stat. 1262, set out in the Appendix to Title 5. Reorg. Plan No. III of 1940, § 3, eff. June 30, 1940, 5 F.R. 2108, 54 Stat. 1232, set out in the Appendix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employees, consolidated Bureau of Fisheries and Bureau of Biological Survey into one agency in Department of the Interior to be known as Fish and Wildlife Service. It was further pro- vided that functions of consolidated agency should be administered under direction and supervision of Sec- retary of the Interior by a director and assistants, and that offices of Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner of Fisheries and offices of Chief and Associate Chief of Bureau of Biological Survey should be abolished and their functions transferred to consolidated agency. Reorg. Plan No. II of 1939, § 4(e), (f), eff. July 1, 1939, 4 F.R. 2731, 53 Stat. 1433, set out in the Appendix to Title 5, transferred Bureau of Fisheries in Department of Commerce and its functions, and Bureau of Biologi- cal Survey in Department of Agriculture and its func- tions, to Department of the Interior, to be adminis- tered under direction and supervision of Secretary of the Interior. § 745. Powers of Secretary The Secretary of the Interior or the Secretary of Commerce, as appropriate, may take or cause to be taken at all times, in the waters of the seacoast of the United States, where the tide ebbs and flows, and also in the waters of the lakes, such fish or specimens thereof as may in his judgment, from time to time, be needful or proper for the conduct of his duties, any law, custom, or usage of any State to the contrary notwithstanding. (R.S. § 4398; 1940 Reorg. Plan No. III, § 3, eff. June 30, 1940, 5 F.R. 2108, 54 Stat. 1232; 1970 Reorg. Plan No. 4, eff. Oct. 3, 1970, 35 F.R. 15627, 84 Stat. 2090.) Editorial Notes CODIFICATION R.S. § 4398 derived from Res. Feb. 9, 1871, No. 22, § 4, 16 Stat. 594. Executive Documents TRANSFER OF FUNCTIONS Secretary of the Interior or Secretary of Commerce, as appropriate, substituted for Director of Fish and Wildlife Service in view of transfer of functions by Reorg. Plan No. 4 of 1970, see note set out under section 744 of this title. For transfer of functions of other officers, employees, and agencies of Department of the Interior, with cer- tain exceptions, to Secretary of the Interior, with power to delegate, see Reorg. Plan No. 3 of 1950, §§ 1, 2, eff. May 24, 1950, 15 F.R. 3174, 64 Stat. 1262, set out in the Appendix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employees. Transfer and consolidation of bureaus and functions, see note set out under section 742 of this title. § 746. Vessels of Fish and Wildlife Service The Secretary of the Navy is authorized to place the vessels of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service on the same footing with the Navy Department as those of the National Ocean Survey. (May 31, 1880, ch. 113, 21 Stat. 151; 1939 Reorg. Plan No. II, § 4(e), eff. July 1, 1939, 4 F.R. 2731, 53 Stat. 1433; 1940 Reorg. Plan No. III, § 3, eff. June 30, 1940, 5 F.R. 2108, 54 Stat. 1232; Aug. 8, 1956, ch. 1036, § 3, 70 Stat. 1120.) Executive Documents CHANGE OF NAME Coast and Geodetic Survey consolidated with Na- tional Weather Bureau in 1965 to form Environmental Science Services Administration by Reorg. Plan No. 2 of 1965, eff. July 13, 1965, 30 F.R. 8819, 79 Stat. 1318. Envi- ronmental Science Services Administration abolished in 1970 and its personnel, property, records, etc., trans- ferred to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Adminis- tration by Reorg. Plan No. 4 of 1970, eff. Oct. 3, 1970, 35 F.R. 15627, 84 Stat. 2090. By order of Acting Associate Administrator of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 35 F.R. 19249, Dec. 19, 1970, Coast and Geodetic Survey redesignated National Ocean Survey. See notes under section 851 of Title 33, Navigation and Navigable Waters. See, also, notes under section 311 of Title 15, Commerce and Trade. TRANSFER OF FUNCTIONS Fish and Wildlife Service, created by Reorg. Plan No. III of 1940, eff. June 30, 1940, 5 F.R. 2107, 54 Stat. 1231, succeeded by United States Fish and Wildlife Service established by act Aug. 8, 1956, ch. 1036, § 3, 70 Stat. 1120. See section 742b of this title.