I 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 4679 

To require the Comptroller General of the United States to submit to Congress a report examining efforts by the Regional Fishery Management 

Councils, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, and the 

National Marine Fisheries Service to prepare and adapt United States 

fishery management for the impacts of climate change, and for other 

purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

OCTOBER 15, 2019 

Mr. CUNNINGHAM (for himself, Mr. MAST, Mr. ROONEY of Florida, and Mr. 

HUFFMAN) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources 

A BILL 

To require the Comptroller General of the United States 

to submit to Congress a report examining efforts by 

the Regional Fishery Management Councils, the Atlantic 

States Marine Fisheries Commission, and the National 

Marine Fisheries Service to prepare and adapt United 

States fishery management for the impacts of climate 

change, 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, 


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1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Climate-Ready Fish3 eries Act of 2019’’. 

4 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

5 Congress finds the following: 

6 (1) According to the Fourth National Climate 

7 Assessment, climate change, which results in ocean 

8 warming, acidification, and oxygen loss, is rapidly al9 tering the abundance, productivity, and distribution 

10 of fish stocks. 

11 (2) United States commercial and recreational 

12 fisheries generate approximately $210 billion in sales 

13 impacts each year and are a critical economic driver 

14 for thousands of coastal communities. 

15 (3) Changing water temperatures have already 

16 affected many commercially and recreationally tar17 geted fish stocks. 

18 (4) Changing conditions and effects on fish 

19 stocks are impacting subsistence fishing, which is 

20 critical to food security and culture for Alaska Na21 tive and American Indian tribes, and fishing commu22 nities throughout the Nation, according to the 

23 Fourth National Climate Assessment. 

24 (5) The impacts of climate change on fish are 

25 resulting in a cascade of management and sustainVerDate Sep 11 2014 02:16 Oct 17, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H4679.IH H4679

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1 ability challenges, which negatively affect marine 

2 ecosystems, fishermen, and fishing communities. 

3 (6) A better understanding of current efforts 

4 underway by the Regional Fishery Management 

5 Councils, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Com6 mission, and the National Marine Fisheries Service 

7 to address the impact of climate change on fishery 

8 management is needed to ensure our fisheries and 

9 their marine ecosystems are well prepared for chang10 ing ocean conditions. 

11 SEC. 3. REPORT ON EFFORTS TO PREPARE AND ADAPT 

12 UNITED STATES FISHERY MANAGEMENT FOR 

13 THE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE. 

14 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after the 

15 date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General 

16 of the United States shall submit a report to Congress 

17 examining efforts by the Regional Fishery Management 

18 Councils, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commis19 sion, and the National Marine Fisheries Service to prepare 

20 and adapt to the impacts of climate change. 

21 (b) CONTENTS OF STUDY.—The report required 

22 under subsection (a) shall include— 

23 (1) an examination of current or previous ef24 forts, and whether those efforts have resulted in 

25 changes to management, by the Regional Fishery 


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1 Management Councils, the Atlantic States Marine 

2 Fisheries Commission, and the National Marine 

3 Fisheries Service to prepare and adapt Federal and 

4 jointly managed fisheries for the impacts of climate 

5 change; 

6 (2) an examination of any guidance issued to 

7 the Regional Fishery Management Councils by the 

8 National Marine Fisheries Service to prepare and 

9 adapt Federal fishery management for the impacts 

10 of climate change and whether and how that guid11 ance has been utilized; 

12 (3) identification of and recommendations for 

13 how best to address the most significant economic, 

14 social, ecological, or other knowledge gaps, as well as 

15 key funding gaps, that would increase the ability of 

16 the Regional Fishery Management Councils, the At17 lantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, or the 

18 National Marine Fisheries Service to prepare and 

19 adapt fishery management for the impacts of climate 

20 change; 

21 (4) recommendations for how the Regional 

22 Fishery Management Councils, the Atlantic States 

23 Marine Fisheries Commission, and the National Ma24 rine Fisheries Service can better adapt fishery man25 agement and prepare associated fishing industries 


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1 and dependent communities for the impacts of cli2 mate change; and 

3 (5) recommendations for how to enhance the 

4 capacity of the National Marine Fisheries Service to 

5 monitor climate-related changes to fisheries and ma6 rine ecosystems, to understand the mechanisms of 

7 change, to evaluate risks and priorities, to provide 

8 forecasts and projections of future conditions, to 

9 communicate scientific advice, and to better manage 

10 fisheries under changing conditions due to climate 

11 change. 

Æ 


pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS