servation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1851 et seq.) 
is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘SEC. 321. REQUIRED POSSESSION OF DESCENDING DE-
VICES. 
‘‘(a) REQUIRE GEAR IN THE GULF REEF FISH FISH-
ERY.—It shall be unlawful for a person on board a com-
mercial or recreational vessel to fish for Gulf reef fish in 
the Gulf of Mexico Exclusive Economic Zone without pos-
sessing on board the vessel a venting tool or a descending 
device that is rigged and ready for use while fishing is 
occurring. 
‘‘(b) SAVINGS CLAUSE.—No provision of this section 
shall be interpreted to affect any program or activity car-
ried out by the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council 
established by the Resources and Ecosystems Sustain-
ability, Tourist Opportunities, and Revived Economies of 
the Gulf Coast States Act of 2012 (33 U.S.C. 1321 note), 
or any project contained in an approved Restoration Plan 
developed by any Natural Resources Damage Assessment 
Trustee Implementation Group to reduce post-release 
mortality from barotrauma in Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish 
Recreational Fisheries. 
‘‘(c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) DESCENDING
DEVICE.—The term ‘de-
scending device’ means an instrument that— 
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‘‘(A) will release fish at a depth sufficient 
for the fish to be able to recover from the ef-
fects of barotrauma; 
‘‘(B) is a weighted hook, lip clamp, or box 
that will hold the fish while it is lowered to 
depth, or another device determined to be ap-
propriate by the Secretary; and 
‘‘(C) is capable of— 
‘‘(i) releasing the fish automatically; 
‘‘(ii) releasing the fish by actions of 
the operator of the device; or 
‘‘(iii) allowing the fish to escape on its 
own. 
‘‘(2) VENTING TOOL.—The term ‘venting tool’ 
has the meaning given to it by the Gulf of Mexico 
Fishery Management Council. 
‘‘(3) GULF REEF FISH.—The term ‘Gulf reef 
fish’ means any fish chosen by the Gulf of Mexico 
Fishery Management Council that is in the reef 
Fishery Management Plan for the purposes of this 
Act.’’; 
(b) CIVIL PENALTIES.—Section 308(a) of the Mag-
nuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act 
(16 U.S.C. 1858(a)) is amended by inserting ‘‘or section 
321’’ after ‘‘section 307’’. 
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(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 
this Act shall take effect 1 year after the date of enact-
ment of this Act. 
(d) SUNSET.—Five years after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation 
and Management Act is amended— 
(1) in section 308(a), by striking ‘‘or section 
321’’; and 
(2) by striking title 321. 
SEC. 3. IMPROVING DISCARD MORTALITY DATA. 
(a) AGREEMENT.—Within 60 days of the date of en-
actment of this Act, the Secretary shall enter into an 
agreement with the National Academy of Sciences to con-
duct a study and produce a report on discard mortality 
in the Gulf of Mexico reef fish fisheries. Such study shall 
include— 
(1) assessment of gaps and biases in reporting 
of discards and associated discard mortality; 
(2) assessment of uncertainty and likely im-
pacts of such uncertainty in discard mortality; 
(3) assessment of the effectiveness and usage 
rates of barotrauma-reducing devices; 
(4) recommendations for future research prior-
ities; and 
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(5) recommendations for standardized reporting 
and quantification of discards for fisheries under the 
Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish Fishery Management Plan. 
(b) DEADLINE.—The National Academy of Sciences 
shall complete the study described in subsection (a) and 
transmit the final report to the Secretary within 2 years 
of the date of enactment of this Act. The Secretary shall, 
within 3 months of receiving such study and report, sub-
mit such study and report in (a) to the Committee on 
Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and 
the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Rep-
resentatives. 
(c) PLAN.—Within 1 year of receiving the study and 
report in described in subsection (a), the Gulf of Mexico 
Fishery Management Council and the Secretary shall— 
(1) develop guidance for minimum standards 
for quantifying and reporting discards and associ-
ated mortality in the Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish Fish-
ery Management Plan; and 
(2) develop a plan to assess and monitor the ef-
fectiveness and usage of barotrauma-reducing de-
vices and the impact on discard mortality rates in 
Gulf of Mexico reef fish fisheries. 
(d) FOLLOW-UP REPORT.—Within 3 years of devel-
oping minimum standards and developing the assessment 
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and monitoring plan in subsection (c), the Secretary shall 
provide a detailed report on implementation to the Com-
mittee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the 
Senate and the Committee on Natural Resources of the 
House of Representatives. 
Æ 
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