109TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 5381
AN ACT 
To enhance an existing volunteer program of the United 
States Fish and Wildlife Service and promote community 
partnerships for the benefit of national fish hatcheries 
and fisheries program offices.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘National Fish Hatch-
ery System Volunteer Act of 2006’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 
(1) The National Fish Hatchery System (in this 
Act referred to as the ‘‘System’’)—
(A) consists of more than 60 hatcheries, 
seven fish technology centers, 9 fish health cen-
ters, and other fisheries program offices; 
(B) plays an integral role in the recovery 
of more than 50 threatened species and endan-
gered species and the restoration of over 100 
native species; 
(C) provides healthy fish populations that 
support recreational fishing 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 faces many challenges, includ-
ing aging facilities, some of which date back to the 
late 1800s, and maintenance of intensive infrastruc-
tures such as wells, pumps, valves, pipes, filters, 
heaters, chillers, and treatment systems that must
keep clean water moving 24 hours a day, 365 days 
a year. 
(3) By encouraging volunteer programs and do-
nations and fostering non-Federal partnerships with 
hatchery facilities, Federal funding for the hatch-
eries can be supplemented. 
(4) By encouraging hatchery educational pro-
grams, public awareness of the resources of the Sys-
tem and public participation in the conservation of 
aquatic resources can be promoted. 
(b) PURPOSES.—The purposes of this Act are the fol-
lowing: 
(1) To encourage the use of volunteers to assist 
the United States Fish and Wildlife Service in the 
management of hatcheries within the System. 
(2) To facilitate partnerships between the Sys-
tem and non-Federal entities to promote public 
awareness of the resources of the System and public 
participation in the conservation of those resources. 
(3) To encourage donations and other contribu-
tions by individuals and organizations to the System. 
SEC. 3. GIFTS TO SYSTEM AND PARTICULAR NATIONAL 
FISH HATCHERIES. 
(a) AUTHORIZATION OF GIFTS, DEVISES, AND BE-
QUESTS FOR SYSTEM.—In furtherance of the purposes of
this Act, the Secretary of the Interior may accept any 
gifts, devises, or bequests of real and personal property, 
or proceeds therefrom, or interests therein, for the benefit 
of the National Fish Hatchery System. Such acceptance 
may be subject to the terms of any restrictive or affirma-
tive covenant, or condition of servitude, if such terms are 
deemed by the Secretary to be in accordance with law and 
compatible with the purpose for which acceptance is 
sought. 
(b) USE OF GIFTS, DEVISES, AND BEQUESTS.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Any gifts and bequests of 
money and proceeds from the sales of other property 
received as gifts or bequests pursuant to this sub-
section shall be deposited in a separate account in 
the Treasury and may be expended without further 
appropriation by the Secretary for the benefit of the 
System programs administered by the United States 
Fish and Wildlife Service. 
(2) GIFTS, DEVISES, AND BEQUESTS FOR PAR-
TICULAR FACILITIES.—
(A) DISBURSAL.—Any gift, devise, or be-
quest made for the benefit of a facility of the 
System shall be disbursed only for the benefit 
of that facility and without further appropria-
tions.
(B) MATCHING.—Subject to the avail-
ability of appropriations and the requirements 
of the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act (16 
U.S.C 661 et seq.) and other applicable law, the 
Secretary may provide funds to match gifts, de-
vises, and bequests made for the benefit of a fa-
cility of the System. With respect to each gift, 
devise, or bequest, the amount of Federal funds 
may not exceed the amount (or, in the case of 
property or in-kind services, the fair market 
value) of the gift, devise, or bequest. 
SEC. 4. VOLUNTEER ENHANCEMENT PILOT PROJECTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subject to the availability of ap-
propriations, the Secretary of the Interior shall carry out 
a pilot project at 1 or more facilities of the System. Each 
pilot project shall provide for a volunteer coordinator for 
the hatchery facility. The volunteer coordinator shall be 
responsible for recruiting, training, and supervising volun-
teers. The volunteer coordinator may be responsible for 
assisting partner organizations in developing projects and 
programs under cooperative agreements under section 
7(d) of the Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956 (16 U.S.C. 
742f(d)) and coordinating volunteer activities with partner 
organizations to carry out the projects and programs.
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 3 years after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit 
a report to the Committee on Resources of the House of 
Representatives and the Committee on Environment and 
Public Works of the Senate evaluating and making rec-
ommendations regarding the pilot projects. 
SEC. 5. COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP ENHANCEMENT. 
(a) PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS.—Subject to the re-
quirements of the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act (16 
U.S.C. 661 et seq.) and other applicable law, and such 
terms and conditions as the Secretary of the Interior de-
termines to be appropriate, the Secretary may approve 
projects and programs for a facility of the System that—
(1) promote the stewardship of resources of the 
hatchery through habitat maintenance, restoration, 
and improvement, biological monitoring, or research; 
(2) support the operation and maintenance of 
the hatchery through constructing, operating, main-
taining, or improving the facilities and services of 
the hatchery; 
(3) increase the awareness and understanding 
of the hatchery and the System, through the devel-
opment, publication, or distribution of educational 
materials and products;
(4) advance education concerning the purposes 
of the hatchery and the mission of the System, 
through the use of the hatchery as an outdoor class-
room and development of other educational pro-
grams; or 
(5) contribute financial resources to the hatch-
ery, under the terms that require that the net reve-
nues be used exclusively for the benefit of the hatch-
ery, through donation of net revenues from the sale 
of educational materials and products and through 
encouragement of gifts, devises, and bequests. 
(b) TREASURY ACCOUNT.—Amounts received by the 
Secretary of the Interior as a result of projects and pro-
grams under subsection (a) shall be deposited in a sepa-
rate account in the Treasury. Amounts in the account that 
are attributable to activities at a particular facility of the 
System shall be available to the Secretary of the Interior, 
without further appropriation, to pay the costs of inci-
dental expenses related to volunteer activities, and to carry 
out cooperative agreements for the hatchery facility. 
SEC. 6. HATCHERY EDUCATION PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT. 
(a) GUIDANCE.—Not later than 1 year after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Interior 
shall develop guidance for the hatchery education pro-
grams to further the mission of the System and the pur-
poses of individual hatcheries through—
(1) providing outdoor classroom opportunities 
for students on fish hatcheries that combine edu-
cational curricula with the personal experiences of 
students relating to fish, aquatic species, and their 
habitat, and to the cultural and historical resources 
of the hatcheries; 
(2) promoting understanding and conservation 
of fish, aquatic species, and the cultural and histor-
ical resources of the hatcheries; and 
(3) improving scientific literacy in conjunction 
with both formal and nonformal education programs. 
(b) HATCHERY PROGRAMS.—Based on the guidance 
developed under subsection (a), the Secretary of the Inte-
rior may, with assistance from the Fish and Wildlife Man-
agement Assistance Program, develop or enhance hatchery 
educational programs as appropriate, based on the re-
sources of individual hatcheries and the opportunities 
available for such programs in State, local, and private 
schools. In developing and implementing each program, 
the Secretary should cooperate with State and local edu-
cation authorities, and may cooperate with partner organi-
zations in accordance with subsection (d). 
Passed the House of Representatives September 12, 
2006. 
Attest:
Clerk.
109TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 5381
AN ACT 
To enhance an existing volunteer program of the 
United States Fish and Wildlife Service and pro-
mote community partnerships for the benefit of 
national fish hatcheries and fisheries program of-
fices.