‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—A fishing capacity re-
duction program shall, in accordance with regu-
lations issued by the Secretary and subject to 
the availability of appropriations, include the 
provision of financial assistance for programs 
providing economic assistance, job training, and 
health insurance to crew members and other in-
dividuals employed in the fishing industry or in 
shoreside businesses that have substantial in-
volvement in the fishing industry, with an em-
phasis on such crew members and individuals 
who experience job loss or other significant neg-
ative economic impacts because of a decline in 
employment opportunities as a result of the 
program. 
‘‘(B) 
REGULATIONS; 
FORMULAS.—The 
Secretary shall issue regulations governing the 
provision of assistance under this paragraph, 
including formulas for calculating the amount 
of assistance provided with respect to a fishing 
capacity reduction program. 
‘‘(C) ALLOCATION
OF
FUNDS.—Of the 
total amount of funds obligated or expended 
under this subsection for a fishing capacity re-
duction program, the Secretary shall use to 
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carry out this paragraph a percentage that the 
Secretary determines is sufficient to ensure the 
availability of a reasonable level of assistance 
for individuals involved in the fishing industry 
who experience job loss or other significant neg-
ative economic impacts because of a decline in 
employment opportunities as a result of the 
program. 
‘‘(D) REGULATIONS.—The Secretary shall 
issue regulations that to the extent practicable 
fairly distribute funds used under subparagraph 
(C), taking into account local and regional 
economies, fishing communities, participants in 
the fishery, boat sizes and gear types, and em-
ployment history in the fishery.’’. 
(b) VESSEL BUYBACKS.—Section 312(b) (16 U.S.C. 
1861a(b)) is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(5)(A) The Secretary shall ensure for each 
vessel buyback program, that a specific percentage 
of the funds made available under this section are 
used for retirement of vessels that were active in the 
affected fishery, but no longer comply with relevant 
safety standards as a result of the application, under 
the Fishery Management Amendments of 2005, of 
the stability and watertight integrity standards of 
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subpart E of part 28 of title 46, Code of Federal 
Regulations, to fishing vessels that are between 50 
feet and 79 feet in length. 
‘‘(B) The Secretary shall issue regulations for 
each vessel buyback program that establish the per-
centage referred to in subparagraph (A) and proce-
dures and requirements for implementing subpara-
graph (A).’’. 
SEC. 9. INDIVIDUAL FISHING QUOTAS. 
(a) HOLDING OF QUOTA BY FISH PROCESSOR.—Sec-
tion 303(d)(5) (16 U.S.C. 1853(d)(5)) is amended by 
striking ‘‘and’’ after the semicolon at the end of subpara-
graph (B), by striking the period at the end of subpara-
graph (C) and inserting a semicolon, and by adding at 
the end the following: 
‘‘(D) requires as a condition of eligibility 
for individual fishing quotas that persons, other 
than entry-level fishermen, must demonstrate a 
present or historic participation in harvesting 
activity in the fishery; and 
‘‘(E) takes into account the level of present 
or historic participation in harvesting activity in 
the 
fishery 
in 
determining 
allocation 
of 
quotas.’’. 
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(b) CITIZENSHIP OF HOLDERS OF QUOTAS.—Section 
303(d) (16 U.S.C. 1853(d)) is further amended by adding 
at the end the following: 
‘‘(7) CITIZENSHIP OF HOLDERS OF QUOTAS.— 
A person is eligible to be issued an individual fishing 
quota only if— 
‘‘(A) the person— 
‘‘(i) is a United States citizen; or 
‘‘(ii) is an alien lawfully admitted for 
permanent residence in the United States; 
and 
‘‘(B) the individual quota system under 
which the quota is issued is approved in a ref-
erendum conducted in accordance with para-
graph (8).’’. 
(c) REFERENDUM REQUIREMENTS.—Section 303(d) 
(16 U.S.C. 1853(d)) is further amended by adding at the 
end the following: 
‘‘(8) REFERENDUM REQUIREMENTS.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—A Council may not 
submit, and the Secretary may not approve or 
implement, any fishery management plan, plan 
amendment, or regulation under this Act that 
creates an individual fishing quota program, 
unless development of the plan, amendment, or 
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regulation is approved by a referendum con-
ducted in accordance with this paragraph. 
‘‘(B) CONDUCT BY SECRETARY.—The Sec-
retary— 
‘‘(i) shall conduct each referendum re-
quired under this paragraph; and 
‘‘(ii) shall conduct a referendum 
under this paragraph upon the request of 
a Council. 
‘‘(C) VOTE
REQUIREMENT.—A fishery 
management plan, plan amendment, or regula-
tion referred to in subparagraph (A) shall be 
approved in a referendum required under this 
paragraph only by the affirmative vote of two- 
thirds of the votes cast by persons who are de-
termined by the Council, based upon require-
ments issued by the Secretary, to be eligible to 
vote in the referendum. 
‘‘(D) ELIGIBILITY
TO
VOTE.—The Sec-
retary shall issue requirements for procedures 
and voting eligibility for referenda under this 
paragraph. The requirements shall be designed 
to ensure that— 
‘‘(i) such referenda are conducted in a 
fair and equitable manner; 
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‘‘(ii) individuals who are permit hold-
ers are eligible to vote; and 
‘‘(iii) crew members who make a sig-
nificant percentage of their income from 
the fishery that would be subject to the 
proposed fishing quota system, and a sig-
nificant share of their total income from 
fishing, are eligible to vote.’’. 
(d) LIMITATION ON APPLICATION TO EXISTING PRO-
GRAMS.—This section and the amendments made by this 
section shall not apply with respect to any individual fish-
ing quota program established before the date of the en-
actment of this Act. 
SEC. 10. COMPLIANCE WITH NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL 
POLICY ACT OF 1969. 
(a) PLANS DEEMED TO COMPLY WITH NEPA.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Title III is amended by add-
ing at the end following: 
‘‘SEC. 315. COMPLIANCE WITH NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL 
POLICY ACT OF 1969. 
‘‘Any fishery management plan, amendment to such 
a plan, or regulation implementing such a plan that is pre-
pared in accordance with applicable provisions of sections 
303 and 304 is deemed to have been prepared in compli-
ance with the requirements of section 102(2)(C) of the 
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National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 
4332(2)(C)).’’. 
(2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of con-
tents in the first section is amended by inserting 
after the item relating to section 314 the following: 
‘‘Sec. 315. Compliance with National Environmental Policy Act of 1969.’’. 
(b) REQUIRED FISHERY MANAGEMENT PLAN PROVI-
SION; FISHERY IMPACT STATEMENT.—Section 303(a)(9) 
(16 U.S.C. 1853(a)(9)) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(9) include a fishery impact statement for the 
plan or amendment (in the case of a plan or amend-
ment submitted to or prepared by the Secretary 
after the date of the enactment of the Fishery Man-
agement Amendments of 2006), that shall— 
‘‘(A) assess, specify, and describe the likely 
effects, including the cumulative impacts, of the 
conservation and management measures on— 
‘‘(i) the fisheries, participants in the 
fisheries, and fishery communities affected 
by the plan or amendment; and 
‘‘(ii) on participants in the fisheries 
conducted in adjacent areas under the au-
thority of another Council, after consulta-
tion with such Council and representatives 
of those participants; 
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‘‘(B) describe reasonable alternatives to 
the measures that were considered by the Coun-
cil; 
‘‘(C) assess, specify, and describe the likely 
effects, including the cumulative impacts, of 
such alternatives on the fisheries, participants 
in the fisheries, and fishery communities that 
would be affected by the alternatives; and 
‘‘(D) include the Council’s evaluation of 
each such alternative;’’. 
SEC. 11. GRANTS FOR CONSTRUCTION OR REPAIR OF 
WHARVES AND RELATED FACILITIES. 
(a) AUTHORIZATION
OF GRANTS.—Title III (16 
U.S.C. 1851 et seq.) is further amended by adding at the 
end following: 
‘‘SEC. 317. GRANTS FOR CONSTRUCTION OR REPAIR OF 
WHARVES AND RELATED FACILITIES. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall establish a 
program to award grants to State governments, local gov-
ernments, nonprofit organizations, or fishing cooperatives 
to construct or improve wharves or other facilities in 
coastal areas for use in the commercial fishing industry. 
‘‘(b) PROJECT ELIGIBILITY.—In determining wheth-
er to award a grant under this section for a project, the 
Secretary shall consider— 
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‘‘(1) the economic significance of the project to 
the commercial fishing industry in the area in which 
the project will be carried out; and 
‘‘(2) whether a business plan or a harbor devel-
opment plan exists for the area in which the project 
will be carried out, and whether the project is con-
sistent with such plan. 
‘‘(c) COST SHARING.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—The amount of a grant 
awarded under this section to carry out a project 
may not exceed 75 percent of the total cost of a 
project. 
‘‘(2) NON-FEDERAL SHARE.—The non-Federal 
share of the cost of a project carried out with a 
grant under this section may be provided in cash or 
in kind, including by a donation of land. 
‘‘(d) REGULATIONS.—The Secretary shall issue regu-
lations governing grants under this section, including— 
‘‘(1) application requirements; 
‘‘(2) eligibility standards; 
‘‘(3) procedures for ensuring that projects are 
not converted to uses that are inconsistent with the 
purposes for which a grant is awarded; and 
‘‘(4) allowable administrative costs. 
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‘‘(e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—In ad-
dition to the other amounts authorized by this Act, for 
grants under this section there is authorized to be appro-
priated to the Secretary $10,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2007 through 2011.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of contents 
in the first section is further amended by inserting after 
the item relating to section 316 the following: 
‘‘Sec. 317. Grants for construction or repair of wharves and related facilities.’’. 
SEC. 12. FISHERY SCIENCE EDUCATION PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Commerce shall 
establish the Fishery Science Education Program, which 
shall consist of— 
(1) the Centers for Fishery Science Excellence 
Program established under subsection (c); and 
(2) the Fishery Science Scholars Program es-
tablished under subsection (d). 
(b) PROGRAM PURPOSE.—The purpose of the Fish-
ery Science Education Program is to facilitate an increase 
in the number of persons with post-baccalaureate degrees 
in subjects related to fishery science, including fishery 
oceanography, fishery ecology, and fishery anthropology, 
who have the ability, upon completion of their post-bacca-
laureate degrees, to conduct high quality scientific re-
search in fishery stock assessment, fishery population dy-
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namics, and related fields, for government, non-profit, and 
private sector entities. 
(c) CENTERS FOR FISHERY SCIENCE EXCELLENCE 
PROGRAM.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall establish 
the Centers for Fishery Science Excellence Program, 
under which— 
(A) such Centers shall be established in ac-
cordance with this subsection at institutions of 
higher education in States that are within Fish-
ery Management Council regions; and 
(B) at least one such Center shall be es-
tablished in each Fishery Management Council 
region. 
(2) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the program is 
to promote the development of high quality post-bac-
calaureate level programs in subjects referred to in 
subsection (b) at institutions of higher education. 
(3) ELIGIBILITY.—An institution shall be eligi-
ble to participate in the program if— 
(A) the institution is an institution of high-
er education that demonstrates a strong, ongo-
ing commitment to high quality education in 
subjects referred to in subsection (b), including 
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