§ 8-2221.28. Council’s authority with respect to wild animals, fishing licenses, and migratory birds; exception; “wild animals” defined.

The Council of the District of Columbia is authorized to restrict, prohibit, regulate, and control hunting and fishing and the taking, possession, and sale of wild animals in the District; provided, that the District assents to the provisions of the Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Act, approved August 9, 1950 (64 Stat. 430; 16 U.S.C. §§ 777 -777n ), the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act, approved September 2, 1937 (50 Stat. 917; 16 U.S.C. §§ 669 -669k ), and 18 U.S.C. § 701 , including a prohibition against the diversion of fishing license fees paid by sport fishermen for any purpose other than the administration of the District’s fish and wildlife agency; provided further, that nothing herein contained shall authorize the Council to prohibit, restrict, regulate, or control the killing, capture, purchase, sale, or possession of migratory birds as defined in regulations issued pursuant to the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of July 3, 1918, as amended (16 U.S.C. §§ 703 -712 ) and taken for scientific, propagating, or other purposes under permits issued by the Secretary of the Interior; and provided further, that nothing herein contained shall authorize the Council to prohibit, restrict, regulate, or control the sale or possession of wild animals taken legally in any state, territory or possession of the United States or in any foreign country, or produced on a game farm, except as may be necessary to protect the public health or safety. As used in this section the term "wild animals" includes not-ordinarily-domesticated mammals, birds, fish, amphibians, invertebrates, and reptiles.