republic-os/legal/us/code/title-16/chapter-83/section-6411.md

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LegalText	16 U.S.C. § 6411	Coral reef research	us	united_states_code	code_section	16	CONSERVATION	83	CORAL REEF CONSERVATION	6411	16 U.S.C. § 6411	current	119-100	2026-06-26	official	https://uscode.house.gov/download/releasepoints/us/pl/119/100/xml_usc16@119-100.zip	/us/usc/t16/s6411	data/legal/raw/us/code/title-16/usc16.xml	d35dbbdb6d83b866c0accfc621294191c1708e8979c3d38804e68bcd2f6ffc70	7be8950da5a93cac7c98e4576ce00340f2aba5e8e46d29915382c203c421d503	8218536453de89b4c835e5f167f8816c02c47bf66dde6a2aad9bece0e000e661	2026-07-04	official	legal us-code

16 U.S.C. § 6411 - Coral reef research

Text

(a) Reef research coordination institutes (1) Establishment The Administrator shall designate 2 reef research coordination institutes for the purpose of advancing and sustaining essential capabilities in coral reef research, one each in the Atlantic and Pacific basins, to be known as the “Atlantic Reef Research Coordination Institute” and the “Pacific Reef Research Coordination Institute”, respectively.

(2) Membership Each institute designated under paragraph (1) shall be housed within a single coral reef research center designated by the Administrator under subsection (b).

(3) Functions The institutes designated under paragraph (1) shall—

(A) conduct federally directed research to fill national and regional coral reef ecosystem research gaps and improve understanding of, and responses to, continuing and emerging threats to the resilience of United States coral reef ecosystems consistent with the National Coral Reef Resilience Strategy;

(B) support ecological research and monitoring to study the effects of conservation and restoration activities funded by this chapter on promoting more effective coral reef management and restoration; and

(C) through agreements—

(i) collaborate directly with States, covered Native entities, covered coral reef managers, nonprofit organizations, and other coral reef research centers designated under subsection (b);

(ii) assist in the development and implementation of—

(I) the National Coral Reef Resilience Strategy; and

(II) coral reef action plans under section 6404 of this title;

(iii) build capacity within non-Federal governmental resource management agencies to establish research priorities and translate and apply research findings to management and restoration practices; and

(iv) conduct public education and awareness programs for policymakers, resource managers, and the general public on—

(I) coral reefs and coral reef ecosystems;

(II) best practices for coral reef ecosystem management and restoration;

(III) the value of coral reefs; and

(IV) the threats to the sustainability of coral reef ecosystems.

(b) Coral reef research centers (1) In general The Administrator shall—

(A) periodically solicit applications for designation of qualifying institutions in covered States as coral reef research centers; and

(B) designate all qualifying institutions in covered States as coral reef research centers.

(2) Qualifying institutions For purposes of paragraph (1), an institution is a qualifying institution if the Administrator determines that the institution—

(A) is operated by an institution of higher education or nonprofit marine research organization;

(B) has established management-driven national or regional coral reef research or restoration programs;

(C) has demonstrated abilities to coordinate closely with appropriate Federal and State agencies, and other academic and nonprofit organizations; and

(D) maintains significant local community engagement and outreach programs related to coral reef ecosystems.

(Pub. L. 106–562, title II, § 212, as added Pub. L. 117–263, div. J, title C, § 10001(a), Dec. 23, 2022, 136 Stat. 3945.)