I 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1207 
To amend the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act 
to require the Secretary of Commerce to develop a plan to conduct 
stock assessments for all stocks of fish for which a fishery management 
plan is in effect under that Act, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 2, 2015 
Mr. WITTMAN introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Natural Resources 
A BILL 
To amend the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and 
Management Act to require the Secretary of Commerce 
to develop a plan to conduct stock assessments for all 
stocks of fish for which a fishery management plan is 
in effect under that Act, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Healthy Fisheries 
through Better Science Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. DEFINITION OF STOCK ASSESSMENT. 
Section 3 of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Con-
servation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1802) is 
amended by redesignating the paragraphs after paragraph 
(42) in order as paragraphs (44) through (52), and by 
inserting after paragraph (42) the following: 
‘‘(43) The term ‘stock assessment’ means an 
evaluation of the past, present, and future status of 
a stock of fish, that includes— 
‘‘(A) a range of life history characteristics 
for such stock, including— 
‘‘(i) the geographical boundaries of 
such stock; and 
‘‘(ii) information on age, growth, nat-
ural mortality, sexual maturity and repro-
duction, feeding habits, and habitat pref-
erences of such stock; and 
‘‘(B) fishing for the stock.’’. 
SEC. 3. STOCK ASSESSMENT PLAN. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 404 of the Magnuson-Ste-
vens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 
U.S.C. 18881c) is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(e) STOCK ASSESSMENT PLAN.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall develop 
and publish in the Federal Register, on the same 
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schedule as required for the strategic plan required 
under section 404(b) of such Act, a plan to conduct 
stock assessments for all stocks of fish for which a 
fishery management plan is in effect under this Act. 
‘‘(2) CONTENTS.—The plan shall— 
‘‘(A) for each stock of fish for which a 
stock assessment has previously been con-
ducted— 
‘‘(i) establish a schedule for updating 
the stock assessment that is reasonable 
given the biology and characteristics of the 
stock; and 
‘‘(ii) subject to the availability of ap-
propriations, require completion of a new 
stock assessment, or an update of the most 
recent stock assessment— 
‘‘(I) every 5 years; or 
‘‘(II) within such other time pe-
riod specified and justified by the Sec-
retary in the plan; 
‘‘(B) for each stock of fish for which a 
stock assessment has not previously been con-
ducted— 
‘‘(i) establish a schedule for con-
ducting an initial stock assessment that is 
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reasonable given the biology and character-
istics of the stock; and 
‘‘(ii) subject to the availability of ap-
propriations, require completion of the ini-
tial stock assessment within 3 years after 
the plan is published in the Federal Reg-
ister unless another time period is specified 
and justified by the Secretary in the plan; 
and 
‘‘(C) identify data and analysis, especially 
concerning recreational fishing, that, if avail-
able, would reduce uncertainty in and improve 
the accuracy of future stock assessments, in-
cluding whether such data and analysis could 
be 10 provided by nongovernmental sources, in-
cluding fishermen, fishing communities, univer-
sities, and research institutions. 
‘‘(3) WAIVER OF STOCK ASSESSMENT REQUIRE-
MENT.—Notwithstanding subparagraphs (A)(ii) and 
(B)(ii), a stock assessment is not required for a 
stock of fish in the plan if the Secretary determines 
that such a stock assessment is not necessary and 
justifies such determination in the Federal Register 
notice required by this subsection.’’. 
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(b) DEADLINE.—Notwithstanding paragraph (1) of 
section 404(e) of such Act, as amended by this section, 
the Secretary of Commerce shall issue the first stock as-
sessment plan under such section by not later than 1 year 
after the date of enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 4. IMPROVING SCIENCE. 
(a) INCORPORATION OF INFORMATION FROM WIDE 
VARIETY OF SOURCES.—Section 2(a)(8) of the Magnu-
son-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act 
(16 U.S.C. 1801) is amended by adding at the end the 
following: ‘‘Fisheries management is most effective when 
it incorporates information provided by governmental and 
nongovernmental sources, including State and Federal 
agency staff, fishermen, fishing communities, universities, 
research institutions, and other appropriate entities. As 
appropriate, such information should be considered the 
best scientific information available and form the basis of 
conservation and management measures as required by 
this Act.’’. 
(b) IMPROVING DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 404 of the Magnu-
son-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management 
Act (16 U.S.C. 1881c), as amended by this Act, is 
further amended by adding at the end the following: 
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‘‘(f) IMPROVING DATA COLLECTION
AND ANAL-
YSIS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, in consulta-
tion with the science and statistical committee of the 
Councils established under section 302(g), shall de-
velop and publish in the Federal Register guidelines 
that will facilitate greater incorporation of data, 
analysis, and stock assessments from nongovern-
mental sources, including fishermen, fishing commu-
nities, universities, and research institutions, into 
fisheries management decisions. 
‘‘(2) CONTENT.—The guidelines shall— 
‘‘(A) identify types of data and analysis, 
especially concerning recreational fishing, that 
can be reliably used as the best scientific infor-
mation available for purposes of this Act and 
the basis for establishing conservation and man-
agement measures as required by section 
303(a)(1), including setting standards for the 
collection and use of such data and analysis in 
stock assessments and for other purposes; 
‘‘(B) provide specific guidance for col-
lecting data and performing analyses identified 
as necessary to reduce the uncertainty referred 
to in section 404(e)(2)(C); and 
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‘‘(C) establish a registry of persons pro-
viding such information. 
‘‘(3) ACCEPTANCE
AND
USE
OF
DATA
AND 
ANALYSES.—The Secretary and Regional Fishery 
Management Councils shall— 
‘‘(A) use all data and analyses that meet 
the guidelines published under paragraph (1) as 
the best scientific information available for pur-
poses of this Act in fisheries management deci-
sions, unless otherwise determined by the 
science and statistical committee of the Coun-
cils established pursuant to section 302(g) of 
the Act; 
‘‘(B) explain in the Federal Register notice 
announcing the fishery management decision 
how such data and analyses have been used to 
establish conservation and management meas-
ures; and 
‘‘(C) if any such data or analysis is not 
used, provide in the Federal Register notice an-
nouncing the fishery management decision an 
explanation developed by such science and sta-
tistical committee of why such data or analysis 
was not used.’’. 
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(c) DEADLINE.—The Secretary of Commerce shall 
develop and publish guidelines under the amendment 
made by subsection (a) by not later than 1 year after the 
date of enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 5. COST REDUCTION REPORT. 
Within 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, 
the Secretary of Commerce, in consultation with the Re-
gional Fishery Management Councils, shall submit a re-
port to Congress that, with respect to each fishery gov-
erned by a fishery management plan in effect under the 
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Manage-
ment Act (16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.)— 
(1) identifies the goals of the applicable pro-
grams governing monitoring and enforcement of 
fishing that is subject to such plan; 
(2) identifies methods to accomplish those 
goals, including human observers, electronic moni-
toring, and vessel monitoring systems; 
(3) certifies which such methods are most cost- 
effective for fishing that is subject to such plan; and 
(4) explains why such most-cost-effective meth-
ods are not required, if applicable. 
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SEC. 6. COST SHARING. 
Section 304(d) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 
Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1854(d)) 
is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(3) The Secretary shall not collect any fee 
under this section or section 313(a) before preparing 
an analysis that identifies the costs that will be re-
covered by the fee and the costs that will not be re-
covered by the fee. Such analysis shall be included 
in the applicable fisheries management plan.’’. 
Æ 
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