33 U.S.C. § 883a Surveys and Other Activities

• Library: United States Statutes
• Edition: 2023
• Currency: Current through P.L. 118-30 (published on www.congress.gov on 12/21/2023)
• Year: 2023
• Citation: 33 U.S.C. § 883a

To provide charts and related information for the safe navigation of marine and air commerce, and to provide basic data for engineering and scientific purposes and for other commercial and industrial needs, the Secretary of Commerce, is authorized to conduct the following activities:

(1) Hydrographic and topographic surveys;

(2) Tide and current observations;

(3) Geodetic-control surveys;

(4) Field surveys for aeronautical charts;

(5) Geomagnetic, seismological, gravity, and related geophysical measurements and investigations, and observations for the determination of variation in latitude and longitude.

Cite as 33 U.S.C. § 883a

Source: Aug. 6, 1947, ch. 504, §1, 61 Stat. 787; Pub. L. 86-409, Apr. 5, 1960, 74 Stat. 16; 1965 Reorg. Plan No. 2, eff. July 13, 1965, 30 F.R. 8819, 79 Stat. 1318.

Notes from the Office of Law Revision Counsel

current through 5/22/2023

EDITORIAL NOTES

AMENDMENTS

1960-Pub. L. 86-409 struck out provisions which restricted the Coast and Geodetic Survey in the conduct of its specified activities to the United States, its Territories and possessions, and which restricted hydrographic and topographic surveys to surveys of coastal water and land areas (including offlying islands, banks, shoals, and other offshore areas), and to surveys of lakes, rivers, reservoirs, and other inland waters not otherwise provided for by statute.

STATUTORY NOTES AND RELATED SUBSIDIARIES

CONTINUOUS PLANKTON RECORDER SURVEY

Pub. L. 117-328 div. JJ, title III, §301, Dec. 29, 2022, 136 Stat. 6092, provided that:

"(a) IN GENERAL.-Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act [Dec. 29, 2022], and on an ongoing basis thereafter, the Secretary of Commerce shall conduct a Continuous Plankton Recorder survey.

"(b) REQUIRED ELEMENTS.-For the purpose of conducting the survey required under subsection (a), the Northeast Fisheries Science Center shall-

"(1) to the extent possible, utilize the resources of and partner with, on a volunteer basis, research institutions, nonprofit organizations, commercial vessels, and other Federal agencies;

"(2) in as short a time as possible, ensure relevant survey samples and results are analyzed, stored, archived, and made publicly available;

"(3) prioritize the collection of plankton samples and data that inform the conservation of North Atlantic right whales; and

"(4) to the extent practicable, coordinate with the Government of Canada to develop a transboundary understanding of plankton abundance and distribution.