§ 8322 — National Aquatic Animal Health Plan

(a) The Secretary of Agriculture may enter into a cooperative agreement with an eligible entity to carry out a project under a national aquatic animal health plan under the authority of the Secretary under section 10411 of the Animal Health Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 8310) for the purpose of detecting, controlling, or eradicating diseases of aquaculture species and promoting species-specific best management practices. (1) As a condition of entering into a cooperative agreement with the Secretary under this section, an eligible entity shall agree to— (A) assume responsibility for the non-Federal share of the cost of carrying out the project under the national aquatic health plan, as determined by the Secretary in accordance with paragraph (2); and (B) act in accordance with applicable disease and species specific best management practices relating to activities to be carried out under such project. (2) The Secretary shall determine the non-Federal share of the cost of carrying out a project under the national aquatic health plan on a case-by-case basis for each such project. Such non-Federal share may be provided in cash or in-kind. (c) In carrying out this section, the Secretary may make use of the authorities under the Animal Health Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 8301 et seq.), including the authority to carry out operations and measures to detect, control, and eradicate pests and diseases and the authority to pay claims arising out of the destruction of any animal, article, or means of conveyance. (d) In this section, the term “eligible entity” means a State, a political subdivision of a State, Indian tribe, or other appropriate entity, as determined by the Secretary of Agriculture.