§ 757a — Anadromous, Great Lakes, And Lake Champlain Fisheries

(a) For the purpose of conserving, developing, and enhancing within the several States the anadromous fishery resources of the Nation that are subject to depletion from water resources developments and other causes, or with respect to which the United States has made conservation commitments by international agreements, and for the purpose of conserving, developing, and enhancing the fish in the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain that ascend streams to spawn, the Secretary of the Interior is authorized to enter into cooperative agreements with one or more States, acting jointly or severally, that are concerned with the development, conservation, and enhancement of such fish, and, whenever he deems it appropriate, with other non-Federal interests. Such agreements shall describe (1) the actions to be taken by the Secretary and the cooperating parties, (2) the benefits that are expected to be derived by the States and other non-Federal interests, (3) the estimated cost of these actions, (4) the share of such costs to be borne by the Federal Government and by the States and other non-Federal interests: Provided, That, except as provided in subsection (c) of this section, the Federal share, including the operation and maintenance costs of any facilities constructed by the Secretary pursuant to sections 757a to 757f of this title, which he annually determines to be a proper Federal cost, shall not exceed 50 per centum of such costs exclusive of the value of any Federal land involved: Provided further, That the non-Federal share may be in the form of real or personal property, the value of which will be determined by the Secretary, as well as money, (5) the term of the agreement, (6) the terms and conditions for disposing of any real or personal property acquired by the Secretary during or at the end of the term of the agreement, and (7) such other terms and conditions as he deems desirable. (1) The Secretary may also enter into agreements with the States for the operation of any facilities and management and administration of any lands or interests therein acquired or facilities constructed pursuant to sections 757a to 757f of this title. (2) In carrying out responsibilities under this section, the Secretary shall conduct, promote, and encourage research in preparation for the implementation of the use of ecosystems and interspecies approaches to the conservation and management of anadromous and Great Lakes fishery resources. (1) Whenever two or more States having a common interest in any basin jointly enter into a cooperative agreement with the Secretary under subsection (a) of this section to carry out a research and development program to conserve, develop, and enhance anadromous fishery resources of the Nation, or fish in the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain that ascend streams to spawn, the Federal share of the program costs shall be increased to a maximum of 66⅔ per centum. For the purpose of this subsection, the term “basin” includes rivers and their tributaries, lakes, and other bodies of water or portions thereof. (2) In the case of any State that has implemented an interstate fisheries management plan for anadromous fishery resources, prepared by an interstate commission, the Federal share of any grant made under this section to carry out activities required by such plan shall be up to 90 percent. For purposes of this paragraph, the term “interstate commission” means— (A) ), approved May 4, 1942 (56 Stat. 267); (B) the commission established by the Pacific Marine Fisheries Compact (as consented to and approved by Public Law 80–232 1), approved July 24, 1947 (16 Stat. 419); and (C) the commission established by the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Compact (as consented to and approved by Public Law 81–66), approved May 19, 1949 (63 Stat. 70).