16 USC § 8201 - Purpose

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t16/s8201"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_prima_facie"
title: "16 USC § 8201 - Purpose"
title_number: 16
title_name: "CONSERVATION"
section_number: "8201"
section_name: "Purpose"
chapter_number: 101
chapter_name: "NATIONAL FISH HABITAT CONSERVATION THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS"
positive_law: false
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-17"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Pub. L. 116–188, title II, § 201, Oct. 30, 2020, 134 Stat. 924.)"
---


# § 8201. Purpose

The purpose of this chapter is to encourage partnerships among public agencies and other interested persons to promote fish conservation—

**(1)** to achieve measurable habitat conservation results through strategic actions of Fish Habitat Partnerships that lead to better fish habitat conditions and increased fishing opportunities by—

**(A)** improving ecological conditions;

**(B)** restoring natural processes; or

**(C)** preventing the decline of intact and healthy systems;

**(2)** to establish a consensus set of national conservation strategies as a framework to guide future actions and investment by Fish Habitat Partnerships;

**(3)** to broaden the community of support for fish habitat conservation by—

**(A)** increasing fishing opportunities;

**(B)** fostering the participation of local communities, especially young people in local communities, in conservation activities; and

**(C)** raising public awareness of the role healthy fish habitat play in the quality of life and economic well-being of local communities;

**(4)** to fill gaps in the National Fish Habitat Assessment and the associated database of the National Fish Habitat Assessment—

**(A)** to empower strategic conservation actions supported by broadly available scientific information; and

**(B)** to integrate socioeconomic data in the analysis to improve the lives of humans in a manner consistent with fish habitat conservation goals; and

**(5)** to communicate to the public and conservation partners—

**(A)** the conservation outcomes produced collectively by Fish Habitat Partnerships; and

**(B)** new opportunities and voluntary approaches for conserving fish habitat.

---

**Source Credit**: (Pub. L. 116–188, title II, § 201, Oct. 30, 2020, 134 Stat. 924.)

## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Short Title of 2024 Amendment

> “This Act [amending sections 666c–1, 667h, 3709, 4406, 8203 to 8206, 8209, 8211, and 8212 of this title, sections 8355 and 8356 of Title 7, Agriculture, and
> 
> , Navigation and Navigable Waters, and provisions set out as notes under
> 
> , Commerce and Trade,
> 
> , and
> 
> , National Park Service and Related Programs] may be cited as the ‘America’s Conservation Enhancement Reauthorization Act of 2024’.”

, , , provided that:

### Short Title

> “This Act [enacting this chapter, sections 667h and 669
> 
> of this title, and sections 8355 and 8356 of Title 7, Agriculture, amending sections 666c–1, 3702, 3703, 3709, 3710, 4403, and 4406 of this title and
> 
> , Navigation and Navigable Waters, enacting provisions set out as notes under
> 
> , Commerce and Trade, and
> 
> , and amending provisions set out as notes under sections 669 and 742b of this title and
> 
> , National Park Service and Related Programs] may be cited as the ‘America’s Conservation Enhancement Act’.”

, , , provided that: