II 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 1748 

To amend the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act 

to promote sustainable conservation and management for the Gulf of 

Mexico and South Atlantic fisheries and the communities that rely on 

them, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

AUGUST 3, 2017 

Mr. RUBIO (for himself and Mr. NELSON) introduced the following bill; which 

was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 

Transportation 

A BILL 

To amend the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and 

Management Act to promote sustainable conservation 

and management for the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic fisheries and the communities that rely on them, 

and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 

4 (a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 

5 ‘‘Florida Fisheries Improvement Act of 2017’’. 

6 (b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents of 

7 this Act is as follows: 

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Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 

Sec. 2. References to the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. 

TITLE I—CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT 

Sec. 101. Regional fishery management councils. 

Sec. 102. Contents of fishery management plans. 

Sec. 103. Funding for stock assessments, surveys, and data collection. 

Sec. 104. Capital construction. 

Sec. 105. Fisheries disaster relief. 

Sec. 106. Regional fishery conservation and management authorities. 

Sec. 107. Study of allocations in mixed-use fisheries in the Gulf of Mexico and 

South Atlantic. 

Sec. 108. Requirements relating to experimental fishing permits for fishing in 

Gulf of Mexico or South Atlantic. 

TITLE II—FISHERY INFORMATION, RESEARCH, AND 

DEVELOPMENT 

Sec. 201. Fisheries research. 

Sec. 202. Improving science. 

1 SEC. 2. REFERENCES TO THE MAGNUSON-STEVENS FISH2 ERY CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT ACT. 

3 Except as otherwise expressly provided, wherever in 

4 this Act an amendment or repeal is expressed in terms 

5 of an amendment to, or repeal of, a section or other provi6 sion, the reference shall be considered to be made to a 

7 section or other provision of the Magnuson-Stevens Fish8 ery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1801 

9 et seq.). 

10 TITLE I—CONSERVATION AND 

11 MANAGEMENT 

12 SEC. 101. REGIONAL FISHERY MANAGEMENT COUNCILS. 

13 (a) VOTING MEMBERS.—Section 302(b)(2)(D) (16 

14 U.S.C. 1852(b)(2)(D)) is amended— 

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1 (1) in clause (i), in the matter before subclause 

2 (I)— 

3 (A) by striking ‘‘Fisheries’’ and inserting 

4 ‘‘Fishery’’; and 

5 (B) by inserting ‘‘or the South Atlantic 

6 Fishery Management Council’’ after ‘‘Manage7 ment Council’’; and 

8 (2) by striking clause (iv). 

9 (b) COMMITTEES AND ADVISORY PANELS.—Section 

10 302(g)(1)(B) (16 U.S.C. 1852(g)(1)(B)) is amended to 

11 read as follows: 

12 ‘‘(B) Each scientific and statistical com13 mittee shall— 

14 ‘‘(i) provide its Council ongoing sci15 entific advice for fishery management deci16 sions, including recommendations for ac17 ceptable biological catch, preventing over18 fishing, maximum sustainable yield, achiev19 ing rebuilding targets, and reports on 

20 stock status and health, bycatch, habitat 

21 status, social and economic impacts of 

22 management measures, and sustainability 

23 of fishing practices; and 

24 ‘‘(ii) carry out the requirements of 

25 this subparagraph in a transparent manmstockstill on DSK30JT082PROD with BILLS

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1 ner, allowing for public involvement in the 

2 process.’’. 

3 (c) FUNCTIONS.—Section 302(h) (16 U.S.C. 

4 1852(h)) is amended— 

5 (1) in paragraph (7)(C), by striking ‘‘and’’ at 

6 the end; 

7 (2) by redesignating paragraph (8) as para8 graph (9); and 

9 (3) by inserting after paragraph (7) the fol10 lowing: 

11 ‘‘(8) have the authority to use alternative fish12 ery management measures in a recreational fishery 

13 (or the recreational component of a mixed-use fish14 ery), including extraction rates, fishing mortality, 

15 and harvest control rules, to the extent they are in 

16 accordance with the requirements of this Act; and’’. 

17 (d) WEBCASTS OF COUNCIL MEETINGS.—Section 

18 302(i)(2) (16 U.S.C. 1852(i)(2)) is amended by adding 

19 at the end the following: 

20 ‘‘(G) Unless closed in accordance with 

21 paragraph (3), each Council shall, where prac22 ticable, make available on the Internet website 

23 of the Council a video or audio webcast of each 

24 meeting of the Council and each meeting of the 

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1 cil not later than 30 days after the date of the 

2 conclusion of such meeting.’’. 

3 SEC. 102. CONTENTS OF FISHERY MANAGEMENT PLANS. 

4 (a) LIMITATIONS.—Section 303 (16 U.S.C. 1853) is 

5 amended by adding at the end the following: 

6 ‘‘(d) LIMITATIONS.— 

7 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The requirements under 

8 subsection (a)(15) shall not— 

9 ‘‘(A) apply to a species in a fishery that 

10 has a mean life cycle of 12 months or less, or 

11 to a species in a fishery with respect to which 

12 the vast majority of spawning and recruitment 

13 occurs beyond State waters and the exclusive 

14 economic zone, unless the Secretary has deter15 mined the fishery is subject to overfishing of 

16 that species; or 

17 ‘‘(B) limit or otherwise affect the require18 ments of section 301(a)(1) or 304(e) of this 

19 Act. 

20 ‘‘(2) CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this sub21 section shall be construed to affect any effective date 

22 regarding the requirements under subsection (a)(15) 

23 otherwise provided for under an international agree24 ment in which the United States participates.’’. 

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1 (b) RELATIONSHIP OF CATCH LIMIT REQUIREMENTS

2 TO INTERNATIONAL FISHERY EFFORTS.—Such section is 

3 further amended by adding at the end the following: 

4 ‘‘(e) CONSIDERATION OF INTERNATIONAL FISHERY

5 EFFORTS IN DEVELOPING CATCH LIMITS.— 

6 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Each annual catch limit 

7 developed under section 302(h)(6) and each mecha8 nism established under subsection (a)(15) of this 

9 section— 

10 ‘‘(A) may take into account management 

11 measures under international agreements in 

12 which the United States participates; and 

13 ‘‘(B) in the case of an annual catch limit 

14 developed by a Council for a species, shall take 

15 into account fishing for the species outside the 

16 exclusive economic zone and the life-history 

17 characteristics of the species that are not sub18 ject to the jurisdiction of the Council. 

19 ‘‘(2) EXCEPTION TO ANNUAL CATCH LIMIT RE20 QUIREMENT.—If fishery management activities by 

21 another country with respect to fishing outside the 

22 exclusive economic zone may hinder conservation ef23 forts by United States fishermen for a fish species 

24 for which any of the recruitment, distribution, life 

25 history, or fishing activities are transboundary, and 

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1 for which there is no informal transboundary agree2 ment with that country in effect— 

3 ‘‘(A) notwithstanding section 302(h)(6), no 

4 annual catch limit is required to be developed 

5 for the species by a Council; and 

6 ‘‘(B) if an annual catch limit is developed 

7 by a Council for the species, the catch limit 

8 shall take into account fishing for the species 

9 outside the exclusive economic zone that is not 

10 subject to the jurisdiction of the Council.’’. 

11 SEC. 103. FUNDING FOR STOCK ASSESSMENTS, SURVEYS, 

12 AND DATA COLLECTION. 

13 Section 311(e)(1) (16 U.S.C. 1861(e)(1)) is amend14 ed— 

15 (1) in subparagraph (E), by striking ‘‘; and’’ 

16 and inserting a semicolon; 

17 (2) in subparagraph (F), by striking the period 

18 at the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 

19 (3) by inserting after subparagraph (F) the fol20 lowing: 

21 ‘‘(G) the costs of stock assessments, sur22 veys, and data collection in fisheries managed 

23 under this Act.’’. 

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1 SEC. 104. CAPITAL CONSTRUCTION. 

2 (a) DEFINITIONS; ELIGIBLE AND QUALIFIED FISH3 ERY FACILITIES.—Section 53501 of title 46, United 

4 States Code, is amended— 

5 (1) by striking ‘‘(7) UNITED STATES FOREIGN

6 TRADE.—’’ and inserting ‘‘(11) UNITED STATES

7 FOREIGN TRADE.—’’; 

8 (2) by striking ‘‘(8)VESSEL.—’’ and inserting 

9 ‘‘(12) VESSEL.—’’; 

10 (3) by redesignating paragraphs (5), (6), and 

11 (7) as paragraphs (8), (9), and (10), respectively; 

12 (4) by redesignating paragraphs (2), (3), and 

13 (4) as paragraphs (4), (5), and (6), respectively; 

14 (5) by redesignating paragraph (1) as para15 graph (2); 

16 (6) by inserting before paragraph (2), as redes17 ignated, the following: 

18 ‘‘(1) AGREEMENT FISHERY FACILITY.—The 

19 term ‘agreement fishery facility’ means an eligible 

20 fishery facility or a qualified fishery facility that is 

21 subject to an agreement under this chapter.’’; 

22 (7) by inserting after paragraph (2), as redesig23 nated, the following: 

24 ‘‘(3) ELIGIBLE FISHERY FACILITY.—The term 

25 ‘eligible fishery facility’ means— 

26 ‘‘(A) for operations on land— 

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1 ‘‘(i) a structure or an appurtenance 

2 thereto designed for unloading and receiv3 ing from a vessel, processing, holding 

4 pending processing, distribution after proc5 essing, or holding pending distribution, of 

6 fish from a fishery; 

7 ‘‘(ii) the land necessary for the struc8 ture or appurtenance described in sub9 section (1); and 

10 ‘‘(iii) equipment that is for use with 

11 the structure or appurtenance that is nec12 essary to perform a function described in 

13 clause (i); 

14 ‘‘(B) for operations not on land, a vessel 

15 built in the United States and used for, 

16 equipped to be used for, or of a type normally 

17 used for, processing fish; or 

18 ‘‘(C) for aquaculture, including operations 

19 on land or elsewhere— 

20 ‘‘(i) a structure or an appurtenance 

21 thereto designed for aquaculture; 

22 ‘‘(ii) the land necessary for the struc23 ture or appurtenance; 

24 ‘‘(iii) equipment that is for use with 

25 the structure or appurtenance and that is 

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1 necessary to perform a function described 

2 in clause (i); and 

3 ‘‘(iv) a vessel built in the United 

4 States and used for, equipped to be used 

5 for, or of a type normally used for, aqua6 culture.’’. 

7 (8) by inserting after paragraph (6), as redesig8 nated, the following: 

9 ‘‘(7) QUALIFIED FISHERY FACILITY.—The term 

10 ‘qualified fishery facility’ means— 

11 ‘‘(A) for operations on land— 

12 ‘‘(i) a structure or an appurtenance 

13 thereto designed for unloading and receiv14 ing from a vessel, processing, holding 

15 pending processing, distribution after proc16 essing, or holding pending distribution, of 

17 fish from a fishery; 

18 ‘‘(ii) the land necessary for the struc19 ture or appurtenance; and 

20 ‘‘(iii) equipment that is for use with 

21 the structure or appurtenance and nec22 essary to perform a function described in 

23 clause (i); 

24 ‘‘(B) for operations not on land, a vessel 

25 built in the United States and used for, 

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1 equipped to be used for, or of a type normally 

2 used for, processing fish; or 

3 ‘‘(C) for aquaculture, including operations 

4 on land or elsewhere— 

5 ‘‘(i) a structure or an appurtenance 

6 thereto designed for aquaculture; 

7 ‘‘(ii) the land necessary for the struc8 ture or appurtenance; 

9 ‘‘(iii) equipment that is for use with 

10 the structure or appurtenance and nec11 essary for performing a function described 

12 in clause (i); and 

13 ‘‘(iv) a vessel built in the United 

14 States.’’. 

15 (b) ELIGIBLE FISHERY FACILITIES.— 

16 (1) DEFINITION OF SECRETARY.—Paragraph 

17 (9)(A) of section 53501 of title 46, United States 

18 Code, as redesignated by subsection (a) of this sec19 tion, is amended to read as follows: 

20 ‘‘(A) the Secretary of Commerce with re21 spect to— 

22 ‘‘(i) an eligible vessel or a qualified 

23 vessel operated or to be operated in the 

24 fisheries of the United States; or 

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1 ‘‘(ii) an eligible fishery facility or a 

2 qualified fishery facility; and’’. 

3 (2) ESTABLISHING A CAPITAL CONSTRUCTION

4 FUND.—Section 53503 of title 46, United States 

5 Code, is amended— 

6 (A) in subsection (a)— 

7 (i) by inserting ‘‘or eligible fishery fa8 cility’’ after ‘‘eligible vessel’’; and 

9 (ii) by striking the period at the end 

10 and inserting ‘‘or fishery facility.’’; and 

11 (B) by amending subsection (b) to read as 

12 follows: 

13 ‘‘(b) ALLOWABLE PURPOSE.—The purpose of the 

14 agreement shall be— 

15 ‘‘(1) to provide replacement vessels, additional 

16 vessels, or reconstructed vessels, built in the United 

17 States and documented under the laws of the United 

18 States, for operation in the United States foreign, 

19 Great Lakes, noncontiguous domestic, or short sea 

20 transportation trade or in the fisheries of the United 

21 States; or 

22 ‘‘(2) to provide for the acquisition, construction, 

23 or reconstruction of a fishery facility.’’. 

24 (c) AGREEMENT FISHERY FACILITIES.— 

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1 (1) DEPOSITS AND WITHDRAWALS.—Section 

2 53504(b) of title 46, United States Code, is amend3 ed by striking the period at the end and inserting 

4 ‘‘or an agreement fishery facility.’’. 

5 (2) CEILING ON DEPOSITS.—Section 53505 of 

6 title 46, United States Code, is amended— 

7 (A) in subsection (a)— 

8 (i) in paragraph (1), by inserting ‘‘or 

9 agreement fishery facilities’’ after ‘‘agree10 ment vessels’’; 

11 (ii) in paragraph (2), by striking the 

12 semicolon at the end and inserting ‘‘or 

13 agreement fishery facilities;’’ and 

14 (iii) in paragraph (3) by inserting ‘‘or 

15 agreement fishery facility’’ after ‘‘agree16 ment vessel’’ both places that term ap17 pears; and 

18 (B) in subsection (b)— 

19 (i) by inserting ‘‘or agreement fishery 

20 facility’’ after ‘‘an agreement vessel’’; and 

21 (ii) by inserting ‘‘or fishery facility’’ 

22 after ‘‘the vessel’’. 

23 (d) TECHNICAL AMENDMENT.—Paragraph 

24 (8)(A)(iii) of section 53501 of title 46, United States 

25 Code, as redesignated by subsection (a) of this section, 

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1 is amended by striking ‘‘trade trade’’ and inserting 

2 ‘‘trade’’. 

3 SEC. 105. FISHERIES DISASTER RELIEF. 

4 Section 312(a) (16 U.S.C. 1861a(a)) is amended— 

5 (1) by redesignating paragraphs (2) through 

6 (4) as paragraphs (3) through (5), respectively; and 

7 (2) by inserting after paragraph (1) the fol8 lowing: 

9 ‘‘(2) The Secretary shall make a decision re10 garding a request under paragraph (1) not later 

11 than 90 days after the date the Secretary receives 

12 a complete estimate of the economic impact of the 

13 fishery resource disaster from the affected State, 

14 tribal government, or fishing community.’’. 

15 SEC. 106. REGIONAL FISHERY CONSERVATION AND MAN16 AGEMENT AUTHORITIES. 

17 (a) IN GENERAL.—Title III (16 U.S.C. 1851 et seq.) 

18 is amended by inserting after section 313, the following: 

19 ‘‘SEC. 313A. GULF OF MEXICO FISHERIES CONSERVATION 

20 AND MANAGEMENT. 

21 ‘‘At least once every 5 years, the Gulf of Mexico Fish22 ery Management Council shall review, in accordance with 

23 the provisions of this Act, any allocation of fishing privi24 leges among the commercial, recreational, and charter 

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1 ment plan prepared by the Council, except that the Coun2 cil may delay action for not more than 3 additional 1-year 

3 periods if necessary. 

4 ‘‘SEC. 313B. SOUTH ATLANTIC FISHERIES CONSERVATION 

5 AND MANAGEMENT. 

6 ‘‘At least once every 5 years, the South Atlantic Fish7 ery Management Council shall review, in accordance with 

8 the provisions of this Act, any allocation of fishing privi9 leges among the commercial, recreational, and charter 

10 components of a fishery managed under a fishery manage11 ment plan prepared by the Council, except that the Coun12 cil may delay action for not more than 3 additional 1-year 

13 periods if necessary.’’. 

14 (b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents in 

15 the first section is amended by inserting after the item 

16 relating to section 313, the following: 

‘‘313A. Gulf of Mexico fisheries conservation and management. 

‘‘313B. South Atlantic fisheries conservation and management.’’. 

17 SEC. 107. STUDY OF ALLOCATIONS IN MIXED-USE FISH18 ERIES IN THE GULF OF MEXICO AND SOUTH 

19 ATLANTIC. 

20 (a) STUDY REQUIREMENTS.—Not later than 60 days 

21 after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 

22 of Commerce shall seek to enter into an arrangement with 

23 the National Academy of Sciences to conduct a study— 

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1 (1) to provide guidance on criteria that could be 

2 used for allocating fishing privileges, including con3 sideration of the conservation and socioeconomic 

4 benefits of the commercial, recreational, and charter 

5 components of a fishery, to the Gulf of Mexico and 

6 South Atlantic Regional Fishery Management Coun7 cils established under section 302 of the Magnuson8 Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act 

9 (16 U.S.C. 1852) in the preparation of a fishery 

10 management plan under that Act; and 

11 (2) to identify sources of information that could 

12 reasonably support the use of such criteria in alloca13 tion decisions. 

14 (b) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date 

15 the Secretary enters into an arrangement under sub16 section (a), the Secretary shall submit to the Committee 

17 on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate 

18 and the Committee on Natural Resources of the House 

19 of Representatives a report on the study conducted under 

20 subsection (a). 

21 (c) ALTERNATE CONTRACT SCIENTIFIC ORGANIZA22 TION.— 

23 (1) IN GENERAL.—If the Secretary is unable 

24 within the time period prescribed in subsection (a) 

25 to enter into an agreement described in such submstockstill on DSK30JT082PROD with BILLS

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1 section (a) with the National Academy of Sciences 

2 on terms acceptable to the Secretary, the Secretary 

3 shall seek to enter into such an agreement with the 

4 Atlantic Coastal Cooperative Statistics Program. 

5 (2) TREATMENT.—If the Secretary enters into 

6 an agreement with the Atlantic Coastal Cooperative 

7 Statistics Program as described in paragraph (1), 

8 any reference in this section to the National Acad9 emy of Sciences shall be treated as a reference to 

10 the Atlantic Coastal Cooperative Statistics Program. 

11 SEC. 108. REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO EXPERIMENTAL 

12 FISHING PERMITS FOR FISHING IN GULF OF 

13 MEXICO OR SOUTH ATLANTIC. 

14 Section 318(d) (16 U.S.C. 1867(d)) is amended— 

15 (1) by striking ‘‘Not later’’ and inserting the 

16 following: 

17 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later’’; and 

18 (2) by adding at the end the following: 

19 ‘‘(2) REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO GULF OF

20 MEXICO AND SOUTH ATLANTIC.— 

21 ‘‘(A) CONSULTATION.—The Regional Ad22 ministrator or Director shall consult with the 

23 State Fish and Wildlife Agency of any State 

24 with a fishing community that would be af25 fected by the issuance of an experimental fishmstockstill on DSK30JT082PROD with BILLS

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1 ing permit under paragraph (1) for fishing in 

2 Federal waters in the Gulf of Mexico or the 

3 South Atlantic before issuing such permit. 

4 ‘‘(B) LIMITATION.—The process created 

5 under paragraph (1) may not be used in such 

6 manner as to implement a region-wide limited 

7 access privilege program under section 303A or 

8 a sector allocation.’’. 

9 TITLE II—FISHERY INFORMA10 TION, RESEARCH, AND DE11 VELOPMENT 

12 SEC. 201. FISHERIES RESEARCH. 

13 (a) STOCK ASSESSMENT PLAN.—Section 404 (16 

14 U.S.C. 1881c) is amended by adding at the end the fol15 lowing: 

16 ‘‘(e) STOCK ASSESSMENT PLAN.— 

17 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, in consulta18 tion with the Councils, shall develop, submit to Com19 mittee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of 

20 the Senate and the Committee on Natural Resources 

21 of the House of Representatives, and publish in the 

22 Federal Register, on the same schedule as required 

23 for the strategic plan required under subsection (b), 

24 a plan to conduct stock assessments for all stocks of 

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1 fish for which a fishery management plan is in effect 

2 under this Act. 

3 ‘‘(2) CONTENTS.—The plan shall— 

4 ‘‘(A) for each stock of fish for which a 

5 stock assessment has previously been con6 ducted— 

7 ‘‘(i) establish a schedule for updating 

8 the stock assessment that is reasonable 

9 given the biology and characteristics of the 

10 stock; and 

11 ‘‘(ii) subject to the availability of ap12 propriations, require completion of a new 

13 stock assessment, or an update of the most 

14 recent stock assessment— 

15 ‘‘(I) at least once every 5 years, 

16 except a Council may delay action for 

17 not more than 3 additional 1-year pe18 riods; or 

19 ‘‘(II) within such other time pe20 riod specified and justified by the Sec21 retary in the plan; 

22 ‘‘(B) for each economically important stock 

23 of fish for which a stock assessment has not 

24 previously been conducted— 

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1 ‘‘(i) establish a schedule for con2 ducting an initial stock assessment that is 

3 reasonable given the biology and character4 istics of the stock; and 

5 ‘‘(ii) subject to the availability of ap6 propriations, require completion of the ini7 tial stock assessment not later than 3 

8 years after the date that the plan is pub9 lished in the Federal Register unless an10 other time period is specified and justified 

11 by the Secretary in the plan; and 

12 ‘‘(C) identify data and analysis, especially 

13 concerning recreational fishing, that, if avail14 able, would reduce uncertainty in and improve 

15 the accuracy of future stock assessments, in16 cluding whether that data and analysis could be 

17 provided by State fish and wildlife agencies, 

18 fishermen, fishing communities, universities, re19 search institutions, and philathropic organiza20 tions. 

21 ‘‘(3) WAIVER OF STOCK ASSESSMENT REQUIRE22 MENT.—Notwithstanding subparagraphs (A)(ii) and 

23 (B)(ii) of paragraph (2), a stock assessment shall 

24 not be required for a stock of fish in the plan if the 

25 Secretary determines that such a stock assessment 

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1 is not necessary and justifies the determination in 

2 the Federal Register notice required by this sub3 section.’’. 

4 (b) DEADLINE.—Notwithstanding paragraph (1) of 

5 section 404(e) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Con6 servation and Management Act, as added by this section, 

7 the Secretary of Commerce shall issue the first stock as8 sessment plan under that section by not later than 1 year 

9 after the date of the enactment of this Act. 

10 SEC. 202. IMPROVING SCIENCE. 

11 (a) IMPROVING DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS.— 

12 (1) IN GENERAL.—Section 404 (16 U.S.C. 

13 1881c), as amended by section 201 of this Act, is 

14 further amended by adding at the end the following: 

15 ‘‘(f) IMPROVING DATA COLLECTION AND ANAL16 YSIS.— 

17 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, in consulta18 tion with the scientific and statistical committees of 

19 the Councils established under section 302(g), shall 

20 develop and submit to the Committee on Commerce, 

21 Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the 

22 Committee on Natural Resources of the House of 

23 Representatives a report on facilitating greater in24 corporation of data, analysis, stock assessments, and 

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1 men, fishing communities, universities, research in2 stitutions, and philanthropic organizations, into fish3 eries management decisions. 

4 ‘‘(2) CONTENT.—The report under paragraph 

5 (1) shall— 

6 ‘‘(A) identify types of data and analysis, 

7 especially concerning recreational fishing, that 

8 can be reliably used for purposes of this Act 

9 and the basis for establishing conservation and 

10 management measures as required by section 

11 303(a)(1), including setting standards for the 

12 collection and use of that data and analysis in 

13 stock assessments and surveys and for other 

14 purposes; 

15 ‘‘(B) provide specific recommendations for 

16 collecting data and performing analyses identi17 fied as necessary to reduce the uncertainty re18 ferred to in section 404(e)(2)(C); 

19 ‘‘(C) consider the extent to which it is pos20 sible to establish a registry of persons providing 

21 such information; and 

22 ‘‘(D) consider the extent to which the ac23 ceptance and use of data and analysis identified 

24 in the report in fishery management decisions is 

25 practicable.’’. 

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1 (2) DEADLINE.—The Secretary of Commerce 

2 shall submit the report required by section 404(f) of 

3 the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and 

4 Management Act, as added by paragraph (1), not 

5 later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of 

6 this Act. 

7 (b) NAS REPORT RECOMMENDATIONS.—The Sec8 retary of Commerce shall consider, and to the extent fea9 sible, implement the recommendations of the National 

10 Academy of Sciences in its report entitled ‘‘Review of the 

11 Marine Recreational Information Program (2017)’’, in12 cluding— 

13 (1) prioritizing the evaluation of electronic data 

14 collection for the Fishing Effort Survey, including 

15 smartphone applications, electronic diaries for pro16 spective data collection, and an Internet website op17 tion; and 

18 (2) evaluating whether the design of the Marine 

19 Recreational Information Program for the purposes 

20 of stock assessment and the determination of stock 

21 management reference points is compatible with the 

22 needs of in-season management of annual catch lim23 its and, if such program is incompatible with such 

24 needs, determining an alternative method for in-sea25 son management that is consistent with the requiremstockstill on DSK30JT082PROD with BILLS

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1 ments of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conserva2 tion and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.). 

Æ 

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