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[Congressional Bills 104th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 678 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

104th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 678

   To provide for the coordination and implementation of a national 
     aquaculture policy for the private sector by the Secretary of 
   Agriculture, to establish an aquaculture development and research 
                    program, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             April 5, 1995

    Mr. Akaka (for himself, Mr. Leahy, Mr. Craig, Mr. Campbell, Mr. 
  Feingold, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Johnston, and Mr. Breaux) introduced the 
 following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on 
                  Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 
   To provide for the coordination and implementation of a national 
     aquaculture policy for the private sector by the Secretary of 
   Agriculture, to establish an aquaculture development and research 
                    program, and for other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS; REFERENCES.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``National 
Aquaculture Development, Research, and Promotion Act of 1995''.
    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents of this Act is as 
follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents; references.
Sec. 2. Findings and purpose.
Sec. 3. Definitions.
Sec. 4. National aquaculture development plan.
Sec. 5. National Aquaculture Information Center; assignment of new 
                            programs.
Sec. 6. Coordination with the aquaculture industry.
Sec. 7. National policy for private aquaculture.
Sec. 8. Water quality assessment.
Sec. 9. Native American fishpond revitalization.
Sec. 10. Aquaculture education.
Sec. 11. Authorization of appropriations.
Sec. 12. Eligibility of aquaculture farmers for farm credit assistance.
Sec. 13. International aquaculture information and data collection.
Sec. 14. Aquaculture information network report.
Sec. 15. Voluntary certification of quality standards.
Sec. 16. Implementation report.
    (c) References to National Aquaculture Act of 1980.--Except as 
otherwise expressly provided, whenever in this Act an amendment or 
repeal is expressed in terms of an amendment to, or repeal of, a 
section or other provision, the reference shall be considered to be 
made to a section or other provision of the National Aquaculture Act of 
1980 (16 U.S.C. 2801 et seq.).

SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.

    (a) Findings.--Subsection (a) of section 2 (16 U.S.C. 2801(a)) is 
amended to read as follows:
    ``(a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
            ``(1) The wild harvest or capture of certain seafood 
        species exceeds levels of optimum sustainable yield, thereby 
        making it more difficult to meet the increasing demand for 
        aquatic food.
            ``(2) To satisfy the domestic market for aquatic food, the 
        United States imports more than 59 percent of its seafood. This 
        dependence on imports adversely affects the national balance of 
        payments and contributes to the uncertainty of supplies and 
        product quality.
            ``(3) Although aquaculture currently contributes 
        approximately 16 percent by weight of world seafood production, 
        less than 9 percent by weight of current United States seafood 
        production results from aquaculture. As a result, domestic 
        aquaculture production has the potential for significant 
        growth.
            ``(4) Aquaculture production of aquatic animals and plants 
        is a source of food, industrial materials, pharmaceuticals, 
        energy, and aesthetic enjoyment, and can assist in the control 
        and abatement of pollution.
            ``(5) The rehabilitation and enhancement of fish and 
        shellfish resources are desirable applications of aquaculture 
        technology.
            ``(6) The principal responsibility for the development of 
        aquaculture in the United States must rest with the private 
        sector.
            ``(7) Despite its potential, the development of aquaculture 
        in the United States has been inhibited by many scientific, 
        economic, legal, and production factors, such as--
                    ``(A) inadequate credit;
                    ``(B) limited research and development and 
                demonstration programs;
                    ``(C) diffused legal jurisdiction;
                    ``(D) inconsistent interpretations between Federal 
                agencies;
                    ``(E) the lack of management information;
                    ``(F) the lack of supportive policies of the 
                Federal Government;
                    ``(G) the lack of therapeutic compounds for 
                treatment of the diseases of aquatic animals and 
                plants; and
                    ``(H) the lack of reliable supplies of seed stock.
            ``(8) Many areas of the United States are suitable for 
        aquaculture, but are subject to land-use or water-use 
        management policies and regulations that do not adequately 
        consider the potential for aquaculture and may inhibit the 
        development of aquaculture.
            ``(9) In 1990, the United States ranked only tenth in the 
        world in aquaculture production based on total value of 
        products.
            ``(10) Despite the current and increasing importance of 
        private aquaculture to the United States economy and to rural 
        areas in the United States, Federal efforts to nurture 
        aquaculture development have failed to keep pace with the needs 
        of fish and aquatic plant farmers.
            ``(11) The United States has a premier opportunity to 
        expand existing aquaculture production and develop new 
        aquaculture industries to serve national needs and the global 
        marketplace.
            ``(12) United States aquaculture provides wholesome 
        products for domestic consumers and contributes significantly 
        to employment opportunities and the quality of life in rural 
        areas in the United States.
            ``(13) Since 1980, the United States trade deficit in 
        edible fishery products has increased by 48 percent, from 
        $1,777,921,000 to $2,634,738,000 in 1991.
            ``(14) Aquaculture is poised to become a major growth 
        industry of the 21st century. With global seafood demand 
        projected to increase 70 percent by 2025, and harvests from 
        capture fisheries stable or declining, aquaculture would have 
        to increase production by 700 percent, a total of 77 million 
        metric tons annually.
            ``(15) Private aquaculture production in the United States 
        has increased an average of 20 percent by weight annually since 
        1980, and is one of the fastest growing segments of United 
        States and world agriculture.
            ``(16) In 1990, private United States aquaculture 
        production was 860,750,000 pounds, worth $761,500,000, up from 
        203,178,000 pounds, worth $191,977,000, in 1980.
            ``(17) Since 1960, per capita consumption of aquatic foods 
        in the United States has increased by 49 percent to 14.9 pounds 
        in 1991, and could reach 20 pounds by the year 2000. Total 
        United States demand is projected to double by 2020.''.
    (b) Purpose.--Subsection (b) of section 2 (16 U.S.C. 2801(b)) is 
amended to read as follows:
    ``(b) Purpose.--It is the purpose of this Act to promote 
aquaculture in the United States by--
            ``(1) declaring a national aquaculture policy;
            ``(2) establishing private aquaculture as a form of 
        agriculture;
            ``(3) establishing cultivated aquatic animals, plants, 
        microorganisms, and their products produced by private persons 
        and moving in standard commodity channels as agricultural 
        livestock, crops, and commodities;
            ``(4) establishing the Department as the lead Federal 
        agency for the development, implementation, promotion, and 
        coordination of national policy and programs for private 
        aquaculture by--
                    ``(A) designating the Secretary as the permanent 
                chairperson of a Federal interagency aquaculture 
                coordinating group;
                    ``(B) assigning overall responsibility to the 
                Secretary for coordinating, developing, and carrying 
                out policies and programs for private aquaculture; and
                    ``(C) authorizing the establishment of a National 
                Aquaculture Information Center within the Department to 
                support the United States aquaculture industry; and
            ``(5) encouraging--
                    ``(A) aquaculture activities and programs in both 
                the public and private sectors of the economy of the 
                United States;
                    ``(B) the creation of new industries and job 
                opportunities related to aquaculture activities;
                    ``(C) the reduction of the fisheries trade deficit; 
                and
                    ``(D) other national policy benefits deriving from 
                aquaculture activities.''.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    Section 3 (16 U.S.C. 2802) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1), by striking ``the propagation'' and 
        all that follows through the period at the end and inserting 
        ``the controlled cultivation of aquatic plants, animals, and 
        microorganisms.'';
            (2) in paragraph (3), by inserting before the period at the 
        end the following: ``or microorganism'';
            (3) by redesignating paragraphs (7) through (9) as 
        paragraphs (9) through (11), respectively;
            (4) by redesignating paragraphs (5) and (6) as paragraphs 
        (6) and (7), respectively;
            (5) by inserting after paragraph (4) the following:
            ``(5) The term `Department' means the United States 
        Department of Agriculture.''; and
            (6) by inserting before paragraph (9) (as redesignated by 
        paragraph (3)) the following:
            ``(8) The term `private aquaculture' means the controlled 
        cultivation of aquatic plants, animals, and microorganisms 
        other than cultivation carried out by the Federal Government or 
        any State or local government.''.

SEC. 4. NATIONAL AQUACULTURE DEVELOPMENT PLAN.

    Section 4 (16 U.S.C. 2803) is amended--
            (1) in the second sentence of subsection (c)--
                    (A) in subparagraph (A), by adding ``and'' at the 
                end;
                    (B) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``; and'' and 
                inserting a period; and
                    (C) by striking subparagraph (C);
            (2) in the second sentence of subsection (d), by striking 
        ``Secretaries determine'' and inserting ``Secretary, in 
        consultation with the other Secretaries, determines'';
            (3) in subsection (e)--
                    (A) by striking ``Secretaries'' and inserting 
                ``Secretary''; and
                    (B) by inserting ``and in consultation with the 
                other Secretaries and representatives of other Federal 
                agencies'' after ``coordinating group''; and
            (4) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(f) Accomplishments in Aquaculture Programs.--Not later than 
December 31, 1995, the Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of 
Commerce and the Secretary of the Interior, shall submit to Congress a 
report evaluating the actions taken in accordance with subsection (d) 
with respect to the Plan, and making recommendations for updating and 
modifying the Plan. The report shall also contain a compendium on 
Federal regulations relating to aquaculture.''.

SEC. 5. NATIONAL AQUACULTURE INFORMATION CENTER; ASSIGNMENT OF NEW 
              PROGRAMS.

    Section 5 (16 U.S.C. 2804) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (b)(3), by striking ``Secretaries deem'' 
        and inserting ``Secretary, in consultation with the other 
        Secretaries, considers'';
            (2) in subsection (c)(1)(B)--
                    (A) by striking ``Secretary shall--'' and inserting 
                ``Secretary--'';
                    (B) by striking clause (i) and inserting the 
                following:
                    ``(i) may establish, within the Department, within 
                the Agricultural Research Service, a National 
                Aquaculture Information Center that shall--
                            ``(I) serve as a repository and 
                        clearinghouse for the information collected 
                        under subparagraph (A) and other provisions of 
                        this Act;
                            ``(II) carry out a program to notify 
                        organizations, institutions, and individuals 
                        known to be involved in aquaculture of the 
                        existence of the Center and the kinds of 
                        information that the Center can make available 
                        to the public; and
                            ``(III) make available, on request, 
                        information described in subclause (I) 
                        (including information collected under 
                        subsection (e));'';
                    (C) in clause (ii)--
                            (i) by inserting ``shall'' before 
                        ``arrange''; and
                            (ii) by striking the comma and inserting a 
                        semicolon; and
                    (D) in clause (iii), by inserting ``shall'' before 
                ``conduct'';
            (3) in the first sentence of subsection (d), by striking 
        ``Interior,,'' and inserting ``Interior,''; and
            (4) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(e) Assignment of New Programs.--In consultation with 
representatives of the United States aquaculture industry and in 
coordination with the Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of 
Commerce, and the heads of other appropriate Federal agencies, the 
Secretary may assess Federal aquatic animal health programs and make 
recommendations as to the appropriate assignment to Federal agencies of 
new programs, initiatives, and activities in support of aquaculture and 
resource stewardship and management.''.

SEC. 6. COORDINATION WITH THE AQUACULTURE INDUSTRY.

    Section 6(b) (16 U.S.C. 2805(b)) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (5), by striking ``and'' at the end;
            (2) in paragraph (6), by striking the period at the end and 
        inserting ``; and''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(7) in order to facilitate improved communication and 
        interaction among aquaculture producers, the aquaculture 
        community, the Federal Government, and the coordinating group, 
        establish a working relationship with national organizations, 
        commodity associations, and professional societies representing 
        aquaculture interests.''.

SEC. 7. NATIONAL POLICY FOR PRIVATE AQUACULTURE.

    The Act (16 U.S.C. 2801 et seq.) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating sections 7 through 11 as sections 12 
        through 16, respectively; and
            (2) by inserting after section 6 the following:

``SEC. 7. NATIONAL POLICY FOR PRIVATE AQUACULTURE.

    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary, in consultation with the 
Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of the Interior, and the heads of 
other agencies, as appropriate, shall coordinate and implement a 
national policy for private aquaculture in accordance with this 
section.
    ``(b) Department Aquaculture Plan.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall develop and 
        implement a Department Aquaculture Plan (referred to in this 
        section as the `plan') for a unified Department aquaculture 
        program to support the development of private United States 
        aquaculture.
            ``(2) Elements of plan.--The plan shall address--
                    ``(A) individual agency programs related to 
                aquaculture in the Department that are consistent with 
                Department programs applied to other agricultural 
                programs, livestock, crops, products, and commodities 
                under the jurisdiction of Department agencies;
                    ``(B) the treatment of cultivated aquatic animals 
                as livestock and cultivated aquatic plants as 
                agricultural crops; and
                    ``(C) means for effective coordination and 
                implementation of aquaculture activities and programs 
                within the Department, including individual agency 
                commitments of personnel and resources.
            ``(3) Deadline.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
        enactment of the National Aquaculture Development, Research, 
        and Promotion Act of 1995, the Secretary shall submit the plan 
        to Congress.
            ``(4) Reports.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the 
        submission of the plan pursuant to paragraph (3), and annually 
        thereafter, the Secretary shall report to Congress on actions 
        taken to implement the plan during the year preceding the date 
        of the report.
            ``(5) National aquaculture information center.--
                    ``(A) In general.--In carrying out section 5, the 
                Secretary may maintain and support a National 
                Aquaculture Information Center (referred to in this 
                paragraph as the `Center') as a repository for 
                information on national and international aquaculture.
                    ``(B) Public access.--Information in the Center 
                shall be made available to the public.
                    ``(C) International exchange.--The head of the 
                Center shall arrange with foreign nations for the 
                exchange of information relating to aquaculture and 
                shall support a translation service.
                    ``(D) Support.--The Center shall provide direct 
                support to the coordinating group.
    ``(c) National Aquaculture Development Plan.--
            ``(1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
        enactment of the National Aquaculture Development, Research, 
        and Promotion Act of 1995, the Secretary shall revise the 
        National Aquaculture Development Plan required to be 
        established under section 4.
            ``(2) Coordination.--The Secretary shall integrate and 
        coordinate the aquaculture and related missions, major 
        objectives, and program components of individual aquaculture 
        plans of the coordinating group members.
            ``(3) Submission to congress.--Not later than 1 year after 
        the date of enactment of the National Aquaculture Development, 
        Research, and Promotion Act of 1995, the Secretary shall submit 
        a revised Plan to Congress.
            ``(4) Updates.--Not later than 5 years after the date of 
        the submission of the revised Plan pursuant to paragraph (3), 
        and annually thereafter, the Secretary shall revise the 
        National Aquaculture Development Plan.
    ``(d) Treatment of Aquaculture.--The Secretary shall, for all 
purposes, treat--
            ``(1) private aquaculture as a form of agriculture; and
            ``(2) cultivated aquatic animals, plants, and 
        microorganisms, and products of the animals, plants, and 
        microorganisms, produced by private persons and moving in 
        standard commodity channels as agricultural livestock, crops, 
        and commodities.
    ``(e) Resolution of Interagency Conflict.--In consultation with 
representatives of affected Federal agencies, the Secretary shall be 
responsible for resolving any interagency conflict in the coordination 
or implementation of the policy described in this section.
    ``(f) Private Aquaculture Policy Coordination, Development, and 
Implementation.--
            ``(1) Responsibility.--The Secretary shall have overall 
        responsibility for coordinating, developing, and carrying out 
        policies and programs for private aquaculture.
            ``(2) Duties.--The Secretary shall--
                    ``(A) coordinate all intradepartmental functions 
                and activities relating to private aquaculture;
                    ``(B) establish procedures for the coordination of 
                functions, and consultation, with the coordinating 
                group; and
                    ``(C) recommend to the Agricultural Research 
                Service methods by which the aquaculture resources of 
                the Service can be made more easily retrievable and can 
                be more widely disseminated.
            ``(3) Liaison.--
                    ``(A) Agencies of the department.--To facilitate 
                communication and interaction between the aquaculture 
                community and the Department, the head of each agency 
                of the Department shall, if requested by the Secretary, 
                designate an officer or employee of the agency to be 
                the liaison of the agency with the Secretary.
                    ``(B) Departments of commerce and interior.--The 
                Secretary of Commerce and the Secretary of the Interior 
                shall each designate an officer or employee of their 
                respective Departments to be the liaison of their 
                respective Departments with the Secretary.''.

SEC. 8. WATER QUALITY ASSESSMENT.

    The Act (16 U.S.C. 2801 et seq.) is amended by inserting after 
section 7 (as added by section 7) the following:

``SEC. 8. WATER QUALITY ASSESSMENT.

    ``(a) Assessment.--The Administrator of the Environmental 
Protection Agency is authorized to carry out, in collaboration with the 
Secretary, collaborative interagency programs that demonstrate the 
application of aquaculture to environmental enhancement and assessment, 
including a program to assess the environmental impact of waterborne 
contaminants on naturally occurring aquatic organisms and ecosystems 
using aquaculture-raised organisms to serve as an indicator of 
environmental pollution.
    ``(b) Grants; Cooperative Agreements.--The Administrator may 
provide grants or enter into cooperative agreements or contracts with 
private research organizations for research and demonstration of the 
technology authorized by this section.''.

SEC. 9. NATIVE AMERICAN FISHPOND REVITALIZATION.

    The Act (16 U.S.C. 2801 et seq.) is amended by inserting after 
section 8 (as added by section 8) the following:

``SEC. 9. NATIVE AMERICAN FISHPOND REVITALIZATION.

    ``(a) Definition of Native American.--As used in this section, the 
term `Native American' means--
            ``(1) an Indian, as defined in section 4(d) of the Indian 
        Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 
        450b(d));
            ``(2) a Native Hawaiian, as defined in section 8(3) of the 
        Native Hawaiian Health Care Act of 1988 (42 U.S.C. 11707(3)) or 
        section 815(3) of the Native American Programs Act (42 U.S.C. 
        2992c(3));
            ``(3) an Alaska Native, within the meaning provided for the 
        term `Native' in section 3(b) of the Alaska Native Claims 
        Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 1602(b)); and
            ``(4) a Pacific Islander, within the meaning of the Native 
        American Programs Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 2991 et seq.)
    ``(b) Authorization of Program.--The Secretary of Agriculture is 
authorized to carry out a program to revitalize fishponds used by 
Native Americans to cultivate aquatic species.
    ``(c) Grants; Cooperative Agreements.--The Secretary may provide 
grants or enter into cooperative agreements with individuals and 
organizations, including Native American organizations, to promote 
fishpond revitalization. Funds provided under this section may be used 
to engage in fishpond research, pond culture technology development, 
the application of traditional pond culture techniques and modern 
aquaculture practices to ancient fishponds, technical assistance and 
technology transfer, and such other activities as the Secretary 
determines are appropriate.''.

SEC. 10. AQUACULTURE EDUCATION.

    The Act (16 U.S.C. 2801 et seq.) is amended by inserting after 
section 9 (as added by section 9) the following:

``SEC. 10. AQUACULTURE EDUCATION.

    ``(a) Definitions.--As used in this section:
            ``(1) Postsecondary vocational institution.--The term 
        `postsecondary vocational institution' has the same meaning 
        given the term by section 481(c) of the Higher Education Act of 
        1965 (20 U.S.C. 1088(c)), except that the term only includes an 
        institution that awards an associates degree but does not award 
        a bachelor's degree.
            ``(2) Secondary school.--The term `secondary school' has 
        the same meaning given the term by section 14101(25) of the 
        Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
        8801(25)).
    ``(b) Authorization of Program.--The Secretary is authorized to 
establish a program to expand and improve instruction, on aquaculture 
and the basic principles of aquaculture farming, in the agriculture 
curriculum for students attending secondary schools and postsecondary 
vocational institutions.
    ``(c) Grants and Curriculum.--In carrying out subsection (b), the 
Secretary may--
            ``(1) make grants to--
                    ``(A) establish and maintain aquaculture learning 
                centers in secondary schools and postsecondary 
                vocational institutions;
                    ``(B) promote aquaculture technology transfer; and
                    ``(C) educate consumers and the public concerning 
                the benefits of aquaculture; and
            ``(2) develop curriculum and supporting materials on 
        aquaculture farming, field test the content of the curriculum, 
        and supply training to educators at secondary schools and 
        postsecondary vocational institutions on the aquaculture 
        curriculum and materials developed.
    ``(d) Priority for Grants.--In awarding grants under subsection 
(c)(1), the Secretary shall give priority to--
            ``(1) the ability of the proposed aquaculture learning 
        center to gain access to--
                    ``(A) a commercial aquaculture farm;
                    ``(B) a regional aquaculture center established by 
                the Secretary under section 1475(d) of the National 
                Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy 
                Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3322(d));
                    ``(C) an aquaculture research facility; or
                    ``(D) a similar venture that would afford students 
                the opportunity to experience aquaculture research and 
                development or commercialization;
            ``(2) the ability of the center to achieve outreach to 
        minority audiences or students in inner-city schools;
            ``(3) the ability of the center to foster awareness of 
        aquaculture among consumers and the general public;
            ``(4) the ability of the center to serve as an aquaculture 
        education facility for visiting students participating in a 
        field trip or a similar educational experience for inservice 
        training; and
            ``(5) the level of assistance to be provided from non-
        Federal sources.
    ``(e) Limitation.--
            ``(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), a 
        grantee may not receive a grant under this section for more 
        than 5 fiscal years.
            ``(2) Waiver.--In the case of grantees that receive grants 
        under this section for fiscal year 1996, the Secretary may 
        waive the application of paragraph (1) to the grantees for the 
        fiscal year if the Secretary determines that the application of 
        paragraph (1) to the grantees would result in the termination 
        of an excessive number of grants.''.

SEC. 11. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    The first sentence of section 15 (as redesignated by section 7(1)) 
is amended to read as follows: ``There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this Act (including the functions of the 
Joint Subcommittee on Aquaculture established under section 6(a)) 
$3,000,000 for each of fiscal years 1996 through 2000.''.

SEC. 12. ELIGIBILITY OF AQUACULTURE FARMERS FOR FARM CREDIT ASSISTANCE.

    (a) In General.--Section 343 of the Consolidated Farm and Rural 
Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1991) is amended by striking ``fish farming'' 
both places it appears in paragraphs (1) and (2) and inserting 
``aquaculture (as the term is defined in section 3(1) of the National 
Aquaculture Act of 1980 (16 U.S.C. 2802(1)))''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by subsection (a) shall 
become effective on October 1, 1995.

SEC. 13. INTERNATIONAL AQUACULTURE INFORMATION AND DATA COLLECTION.

    Section 502 of the Agricultural Trade Act of 1978 (7 U.S.C. 5692) 
is amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(d) International Aquaculture Information and Data Collection.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary is authorized to establish 
        and carry out a program of data collection, analysis, and 
        dissemination of information to provide continuing and timely 
        economic information concerning international aquaculture 
        production.
            ``(2) Consultation.--In carrying out paragraph (1), the 
        Secretary shall consult with the Joint Subcommittee on 
        Aquaculture established under section 6(a) of the National 
        Aquaculture Act of 1980 (16 U.S.C. 2805(a)), and 
        representatives of the United States aquaculture industry, 
        concerning means of effectively providing data described in 
        paragraph (1) to the Joint Subcommittee and the industry.''.

SEC. 14. AQUACULTURE INFORMATION NETWORK REPORT.

    Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, 
the Secretary of Agriculture shall report to Congress on the 
feasibility of expanding current information systems at regional 
aquaculture centers established by the Secretary under section 1475(d) 
of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy 
Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3322(d)), universities, research institutions, 
and the Agricultural Research Service to permit an on-line link between 
those entities for the sharing of data, publication, and technical 
assistance information involving aquaculture.

SEC. 15. VOLUNTARY CERTIFICATION OF QUALITY STANDARDS.

    The Act (16 U.S.C. 2801 et seq.) is amended by inserting after 
section 10 (as added by section 11) the following:

``SEC. 11. VOLUNTARY CERTIFICATION OF QUALITY STANDARDS.

    ``The Secretary shall develop, in consultation with representatives 
of the aquaculture industry, a plan for voluntary certification of 
guidelines to ensure the quality of aquatic species subject to this Act 
in order to promote the marketing and transportation of aquaculture 
products.''.

SEC. 16. IMPLEMENTATION REPORT.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture shall report to 
Congress on the progress made in carrying out this Act and the 
amendments made by this Act.
    (b) Contents.--The report required by subsection (a) shall 
include--
            (1) a description of all programs and activities of the 
        Department of Agriculture and all other agencies and 
        Departments in support of private aquaculture;
            (2) the specific authorities for the activities described 
        in paragraph (1); and
            (3) recommendations for such actions as the Secretary of 
        Agriculture determines are necessary to improve recognition and 
        support of private aquaculture in each agency of the Department 
        of Agriculture.
                                 <all>
S 678 IS----2
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