§3203. Wilderness management

(a) Application only to Alaska

The provisions of this section are enacted in recognition of the unique conditions in Alaska. Nothing in this section shall be construed to expand, diminish, or modify the provisions of the Wilderness Act [16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.] or the application or interpretation of such provisions with respect to lands outside of Alaska.

(b) Aquaculture

In accordance with the goal of restoring and maintaining fish production in the State of Alaska to optimum sustained yield levels and in a manner which adequately assures protection, preservation, enhancement, and rehabilitation of the wilderness resource, the Secretary of Agriculture may permit fishery research, management, enhancement, and rehabilitation activities within national forest wilderness and national forest wilderness study areas designated by this Act. Subject to reasonable regulations, permanent improvements and facilities such as fishways, fish weirs, fish ladders, fish hatcheries, spawning channels, stream clearance, egg planting, and other accepted means of maintaining, enhancing, and rehabilitating fish stocks may be permitted by the Secretary to achieve this objective. Any fish hatchery, fishpass or other aquaculture facility authorized for any such area shall be constructed, managed, and operated in a manner that minimizes adverse impacts on the wilderness character of the area. Developments for any such activities shall involve those facilities essential to these operations and shall be constructed in such rustic manner as to blend into the natural character of the area. Reasonable access solely for the purposes of this subsection, including temporary use of motorized equipment, shall be permitted in furtherance of research, management, rehabilitation and enhancement activities subject to reasonable regulations as the Secretary deems desirable to maintain the wilderness character, water quality, and fish and wildlife values of the area.

(c) Existing cabins

Previously existing public use cabins within wilderness designated by this Act, may be permitted to continue and may be maintained or replaced subject to such restrictions as the Secretary deems necessary to preserve the wilderness character of the area.

(d) New cabins

Within wilderness areas designated by this Act, the Secretary or the Secretary of Agriculture as appropriate, is authorized to construct and maintain a limited number of new public use cabins and shelters if such cabins and shelters are necessary for the protection of the public health and safety. All such cabins or shelters shall be constructed of materials which blend and are compatible with the immediate and surrounding wilderness landscape. The Secretary or the Secretary of Agriculture, as appropriate, shall notify the House Committee on Natural Resources and the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of his intention to remove an existing or construct a new public use cabin or shelter.

(e) Timber contracts

The Secretary of Agriculture is hereby directed to modify any existing national forest timber sale contracts applying to lands designated by this Act as wilderness by substituting, to the extent practicable, timber on the other national forest lands approximately equal in volume, species, grade, and accessibility for timber or relevant lands within such units.

(f) Beach log salvage

Within National Forest wilderness and national forest monuments desginated ¹ by this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture may permit or otherwise regulate the recovery and salvage of logs from coastlines.

( Pub. L. 96–487, title XIII, §1315, Dec. 2, 1980, 94 Stat. 2484 ; Pub. L. 103–437, §6(d)(31), Nov. 2, 1994, 108 Stat. 4584 .)

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The Wilderness Act, referred to in subsec. (a), is Pub. L. 88–577, Sept. 3, 1964, 78 Stat. 890 , which is classified generally to chapter 23 (§1131 et seq.) of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 1131 of this title and Tables.

This Act, referred to in subsecs. (b) to (f), is Pub. L. 96–487, Dec. 2, 1980, 94 Stat. 2371 , known as the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 3101 of this title and Tables.

Amendments

1994-Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 103–437 substituted "Natural Resources" for "Interior and Insular Affairs" after "Committee on".

¹ So in original. Probably should be "designated".