502 



to Insure the return of such mammal to its natural 

 habitat. 



(b) Grants to States. 



The Secretary Is authorized to make grants to 

 each State whose laws and regulations relating to 

 protection and management of marine mammals 

 which primarily inhabit waters or lands within the 

 boundaries of that State are found to be consistent 

 with the purposes and policies of this chapter. The 

 purpose of such grants shall be to assist such States 

 in developing and implementing State programs for 

 the protection and management of such marine 

 mammals. Such grants shall not exceed 50 per cen- 

 tum of the costs of a particular program's develop- 

 ment and implementation. To be eligible for such 

 grants, State programs shall include planning and 

 such specific activities, including, but not limited, 

 to research, censusing, habitat acquisition and im- 

 provement, or law enforcement as the Secretary 

 finds contribute to the purposes sa^i policies of this 

 chapter. The Secretary may also, as a condition of 

 any such grant, provide that State agencies report at 

 regular intervals on the status of species and popu- 

 lations which are the subject of such grants. 



(c) Delegation of administration and enforcement to 



States. 

 The Secretary Is authorized and directed to enter 

 into cooperative arrangements with the appropriate 

 ofBcials of any State for the delegation to such State 

 of the administration and enforcement of this sub- 

 chapter : Provided, That any such arrangement shall 

 contain such provisions as the Secretary deems ap- 

 propriate to Insure that the purposes and policies 

 of this chapter will be carried out. (Pub. L. 92-522, 

 title I, § 109, Oct. 21, 1972. 86 Stat. 1040.) 



§ 1380. Marine mammal research grants. 



(a) The Secretary is authorized to make grants, 

 or to provide financial assistance in such other form 

 as he deems appropriate, to any Federal or State 

 agency, public or private institution, or other person 

 for the purpose of assisting such agency, institution, 

 or person to undertake research in subjects which 

 are relevant to the protection and conservation of 

 m(irine mammals. 



<b) Any grant or other financial assistance pro- 

 vided by the Secretary pursuant to this section shall 

 be subject to such terms and conditions as the Sec- 

 retary deems necessary to protect the interests of 

 the United States and shall be made after review by 

 the Marine Mammal Commission. 



(c) There are authorized to be appropriated for 

 the fiscal year in which this section takes effect and 

 for the next four fiscal years thereafter such sums 

 as may be necessary to carry out this section, but 

 the sums appropriated for any such year shall not 

 exceed $2,500,000, one-third of such sum to be avail- 

 able to the Secretary of the Interior and two-thirds 

 of such sum to be made available to the Secretary 

 of the department in which the National Oceanic 

 and Atmospheric Administration Is operating. (Pub. 

 L. 92-522, title I, § 110. Oct. 21, 1972, 86 Stat. 1041.) 



§ 1381. Commercial fisheries gear development. 



(a) Research and development program; report to 

 Congress; authorization of appropriations. 



The Secretary of the department in which the 

 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 

 is operating (hereafter referred to in this section as 

 the "Secretary") is hereby authorized and directed 

 to immediately undertake a program of research and 

 development for the purpose of devising improved 

 fishing methods and gear so as to reduce to the 

 maximum extent practicable the incidental taking 

 of marine mammals in connection with commercial 

 fishing. At the end of the full twenty-four calendar 

 month period following October 21, 1972, the Secre- 

 tary shall deliver his report in writing to the Con- 

 gress with respect to the results of such research 

 and development. Foe the purposes of this section, 

 there is hereby authorized to be appropriated the 

 simi of $1,000,000 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 

 1973, and the same amount for the next fiscal year. 

 P^mds appropriated for this section shall remain 

 available until expended. 



(b) Reduction of level of taking of marine mammals 

 incidental to commercial fishing operations. 

 The Secretary, after consultation with the Marine 

 Mammal Commission, is authorized and directed to 

 issue, as soon as practicable, such regulations, cover- 

 ing the twenty-four-month jieriod referred to in 

 section 1371(a) (2) of this title, as he deems neces- 

 sary or advisable, to reduce to the lowest practicable 

 level the taking of marine mammals incidental to 

 commercial fishing operations. Such regulations shall 

 be adopted pursuant to section 553 of Title 5. In issu- 

 ing such regulations, the Secretary shall take into 

 account the results of any scientific research under 

 subsection (a) of this section and, in each case, shall 

 provide a reasonable time not exceeding four months 

 for the persons affected to Implement such regula- 

 tions. 



(c) Reduction of level of taking of marine mammals 

 in tuna fishery. 

 Additionally, the Secretary and Secretary of State 

 are directed to commence negotiations within the 

 Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission in order 

 to effect essential compUance with the regulatory 

 provisions of this chapter so as to reduce to the 

 maximum extent feasible the incidental taking of 

 marine mammals by vessels Involved in the tuna 

 fishery. The Secretary and Secretary of State are 

 further directed to request the Director of Investiga- 

 tions of the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commis- 

 sion to make recommendations to all member na- 

 tions of the Commission as soon as is practicable as 

 to the utilization of methods and gear devised under 

 subsection (a) of this section. 



(d) Research and observation. 



Furthermore, after timely notice and during the 



