Executive Order 13474: Amendments to Executive Order 12962
President: George W. Bush
Required recreational fishing to be managed as a sustainable activity in federal conservation areas.
Status: In effect. Is Executive Order 13474 still in effect? Yes. Executive Order 13474 remains in effect. See Federal Register record.
What does Executive Order 13474 do?
The amendment updated the statutory references and inserted sustainable recreational fishing into the policy for refuges, parks, monuments, sanctuaries and other federal management areas. The signed amendment documents the revised policy; it does not identify any specific later fishery plan or regulatory change caused by it.
Before and after
Before the order
EO 12962 directed agencies to improve recreational fisheries under conservation law.
After the order
The amendment updated the statutory references and inserted sustainable recreational fishing into the policy for refuges, parks, monuments, sanctuaries and other federal management areas.
The signed amendment documents the revised policy; it does not identify any specific later fishery plan or regulatory change caused by it.
What did the signed order change?
EO 12962 directed agencies to improve recreational fisheries under conservation law. The amendment updated the statutory references and inserted sustainable recreational fishing into the policy for refuges, parks, monuments, sanctuaries and other federal management areas.
What happened later?
Signed EO 13474 — amendment to EO 12962: The signed amendment documents the revised policy; it does not identify any specific later fishery plan or regulatory change caused by it.
What does that evidence establish?
Sustainability and fishing access remain subject to applicable conservation statutes and area-specific rules. A policy instruction is not a guarantee of access in every protected area. The signed order states the original requirements.
Who had to do what
| Agency / office | Action | Timing / position |
|---|---|---|
| Federal agencies managing aquatic conservation or management areas | Manage recreational fishing as a sustainable activity in national wildlife refuges, national parks, national monuments, national marine sanctuaries, marine protected areas and other relevant federally managed areas or activities, consistent with applicable law. | Ongoing management; no fixed deadline. |
What happened next
EO 13474 signed.
The signed amendment documents the revised policy; it does not identify any specific later fishery plan or regulatory change caused by it.
Legal and source detail
How it works legally
Sustainability and fishing access remain subject to applicable conservation statutes and area-specific rules.
Sources by type
If a source is unavailable, first check the cited publisher or another official repository. The cited publisher remains the authority.
Primary and official sources
Orders, laws, court records and official implementation material.
- GovInfo — official executive-order record (opens in a new tab) Official record
How we checked this
Last checked against the sources above on September 26, 2026. How we research →