---
kind: "section"
citation: "16 U.S.C. § 760aa"
title: "16"
title_heading: "Conservation"
number: "760aa"
heading: "Findings and purposes"
release: "119-102"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/16/760aa"
units:
  - "Chapter 9B — National Fish Hatchery System Enhancement"
---

# §760aa. Findings and purposes

- (a) **Findings—** Congress finds the following:
  - (1) The National Fish Hatchery [System](/usc/16/668ee.md?p=14) (in this chapter referred to as the “[System](/usc/16/668ee.md?p=14)”)—
    - (A) consists of more than 60 hatcheries, seven fish technology centers, 9 fish health centers, and other [fisheries](/usc/16/1383a.md?p=o-1) [program](/usc/16/460ss–6.md?p=1) offices;
    - (B) plays an integral role in the recovery of more than 50 threatened species and endangered species and the [restoration](/usc/16/6456.md?p=2) of over 100 native species;
    - (C) provides healthy fish populations that support recreational [fishing](/usc/16/7901.md?p=b) opportunities, many of which are related to Federal water control structures; and
    - (D) works with over 250 partners to help mitigate the impacts of aquatic habitat loss and invasive species.
  - (2) The [System](/usc/16/668ee.md?p=14) faces many challenges, including aging facilities, some of which date back to the late 1800s, and maintenance of intensive infrastructures such as wells, pumps, valves, pipes, filters, heaters, chillers, and treatment [systems](/usc/16/668ee.md?p=14) that must keep clean water moving 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
  - (3) By encouraging volunteer [programs](/usc/16/460ss–6.md?p=1) and donations and fostering non-Federal [partnerships](/usc/16/8202.md?p=7) with hatchery facilities, Federal funding for the hatcheries can be supplemented.
  - (4) By encouraging hatchery educational [programs](/usc/16/460ss–6.md?p=1), public awareness of the [resources](/usc/16/410hhh–1.md?p=8) of the [System](/usc/16/668ee.md?p=14) and public participation in the [conservation](/usc/16/6456.md?p=2) of aquatic [resources](/usc/16/410hhh–1.md?p=8) can be promoted.
- (b) **Purposes—** The purposes of this chapter are the following:
  - (1) To encourage the use of volunteers to assist the United States Fish and Wildlife Service in the management of hatcheries within the [System](/usc/16/668ee.md?p=14).
  - (2) To facilitate [partnerships](/usc/16/8202.md?p=7) between the [System](/usc/16/668ee.md?p=14) and non-Federal entities to promote public awareness of the [resources](/usc/16/410hhh–1.md?p=8) of the [System](/usc/16/668ee.md?p=14) and public participation in the [conservation](/usc/16/6456.md?p=2) of those [resources](/usc/16/410hhh–1.md?p=8).
  - (3) To encourage donations and other contributions by individuals and organizations to the [System](/usc/16/668ee.md?p=14).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 109–360, § 2, Oct. 16, 2006, 120 Stat. 2058.)

## Notes

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Short Title

Pub. L. 109–360, § 1, Oct. 16, 2006, 120 Stat. 2058, provided that: “This Act [enacting this chapter] may be cited as the ‘National Fish Hatchery System Volunteer Act of 2006’.”