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(A) the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries 
Commission; 
(B) the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Com-
mission; and 
(C) the Pacific States Marine Commission. 
(10) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of the Interior. 
(11) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means each of 
the several States, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, 
Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, the United 
States Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia. 
(12) STATE AGENCY.—The term ‘‘State agency’’ 
means— 
(A) the fish and wildlife agency of a State; 
and 
(B) any department or division of a depart-
ment or agency of a State that manages in the 
public trust the inland or marine fishery re-
sources of the State or sustains the habitat for 
those fishery resources pursuant to State law or 
the constitution of the State. 
SEC. 203. NATIONAL FISH HABITAT BOARD. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—
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(1) FISH HABITAT BOARD.—There is established 
a board, to be known as the ‘‘National Fish Habitat 
Board’’, whose duties are— 
(A) to promote, oversee, and coordinate the 
implementation of this title; 
(B) to establish national goals and prior-
ities for fish habitat conservation; 
(C) to recommend to Congress entities for 
designation as Partnerships; and 
(D) to review and make recommendations 
regarding fish habitat conservation projects. 
(2) MEMBERSHIP.—The Board shall be composed 
of 26 members, of whom— 
(A) one shall be a representative of the De-
partment of the Interior; 
(B) one shall be a representative of the 
United States Geological Survey; 
(C) one shall be a representative of the De-
partment of Commerce; 
(D) one shall be a representative of the De-
partment of Agriculture; 
(E) one shall be a representative of the As-
sociation of Fish and Wildlife Agencies; 
(F) four shall be representatives of State 
agencies, one of whom shall be nominated by a
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regional association of fish and wildlife agencies 
from each of the Northeast, Southeast, Midwest, 
and Western regions of the United States; 
(G) two shall be representatives of either— 
(i) Indian Tribes in the State of Alas-
ka; or 
(ii) Indian Tribes in States other than 
the State of Alaska; 
(H) one shall be a representative of either— 
(i) the Regional Fishery Management 
Councils established under section 302 of the 
Magnuson-Stevens 
Fishery 
Conservation 
and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1852); or 
(ii) a representative of the Marine 
Fisheries Commissions; 
(I) one shall be a representative of the 
Sportfishing and Boating Partnership Council; 
(J) seven shall be representatives selected 
from at least one from each of the following: 
(i) the recreational sportfishing indus-
try; 
(ii) the commercial fishing industry; 
(iii) marine recreational anglers; 
(iv) freshwater recreational anglers;
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(v) habitat conservation organizations; 
and 
(vi) science-based fishery organizations; 
(K) one shall be a representative of a na-
tional private landowner organization; 
(L) one shall be a representative of an agri-
cultural production organization; 
(M) one shall be a representative of local 
government interests involved in fish habitat res-
toration; 
(N) two shall be representatives from dif-
ferent sectors of corporate industries, which may 
include— 
(i) natural resource commodity inter-
ests, such as petroleum or mineral extrac-
tion; 
(ii) natural resource user industries; 
and 
(iii) industries with an interest in fish 
and fish habitat conservation; and 
(O) one shall be a leadership private sector 
or landowner representative of an active partner-
ship. 
(3) COMPENSATION.—A member of the Board 
shall serve without compensation.
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(4) TRAVEL EXPENSES.—A member of the Board 
may be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in 
lieu of subsistence, at rates authorized for an em-
ployee of an agency under subchapter I of chapter 57 
of title 5, United States Code, while away from the 
home or regular place of business of the member in 
the performance of the duties of the Board. 
(b) APPOINTMENT AND TERMS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as otherwise provided 
in this section, a member of the Board described in 
any of subparagraphs (F) through (O) of subsection 
(a)(2) shall serve for a term of 3 years. 
(2) INITIAL BOARD MEMBERSHIP.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The initial Board shall 
consist of representatives as described in sub-
paragraphs (A) through (F) of subsection (a)(2). 
(B) REMAINING MEMBERS.—Not later than 
60 days after the date of enactment of this Act, 
the representatives of the initial Board under 
subparagraph (A) shall appoint the remaining 
members of the Board described in subpara-
graphs (H) through (O) of subsection (a)(2). 
(C) TRIBAL REPRESENTATIVES.—Not later 
than 60 days after the enactment of this Act, the 
Secretary shall provide to the Board a rec-
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ommendation of not fewer than three Tribal rep-
resentatives, from which the Board shall appoint 
one representative pursuant to subparagraph (G) 
of subsection (a)(2). 
(3) STAGGERED
TERMS.—Of the members de-
scribed in subsection (a)(2)(J) initially appointed to 
the Board— 
(A) two shall be appointed for a term of 1 
year; 
(B) two shall be appointed for a term of 2 
years; and 
(C) three shall be appointed for a term of 
3 years. 
(4) VACANCIES.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—A vacancy of a member 
of the Board described in subparagraph (H), (I), 
(J), (K), (L), (M), (N), or (O) of subsection 
(a)(2) shall be filled by an appointment made by 
the remaining members of the Board. 
(B) TRIBAL REPRESENTATIVES.—Following 
a vacancy of a member of the Board described in 
subparagraph (G) of subsection (a)(2), the Sec-
retary shall recommend to the Board a list of not 
fewer than three Tribal representatives, from
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which the remaining members of the Board shall 
appoint a representative to fill the vacancy. 
(5) CONTINUATION OF SERVICE.—An individual 
whose term of service as a member of the Board ex-
pires may continue to serve on the Board until a suc-
cessor is appointed. 
(6) REMOVAL.—If a member of the Board de-
scribed in any of subparagraphs (H) through (O) of 
subparagraph (a)(2) misses three consecutive regu-
larly scheduled Board meetings, the members of the 
Board may— 
(A) vote to remove that member; and 
(B) appoint another individual in accord-
ance with paragraph (4). 
(c) CHAIRPERSON.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The representative of the As-
sociation of Fish and Wildlife Agencies appointed 
under subsection (a)(2)(E) shall serve as Chairperson 
of the Board. 
(2) TERM.—The Chairperson of the Board shall 
serve for a term of 3 years. 
(d) MEETINGS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Board shall meet— 
(A) at the call of the Chairperson; but
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(B) not less frequently than twice each cal-
endar year. 
(2) PUBLIC ACCESS.—All meetings of the Board 
shall be open to the public. 
(e) PROCEDURES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Board shall establish pro-
cedures to carry out the business of the Board, includ-
ing— 
(A) a requirement that a quorum of the 
members of the Board be present to transact 
business; 
(B) a requirement that no recommendations 
may be adopted by the Board, except by the vote 
of two-thirds of all members; 
(C) procedures for establishing national 
goals and priorities for fish habitat conservation 
for the purposes of this title; 
(D) procedures for designating Partnerships 
under section 204; and 
(E) procedures for reviewing, evaluating, 
and making recommendations regarding fish 
habitat conservation projects. 
(2) QUORUM.—A majority of the members of the 
Board shall constitute a quorum.
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SEC. 204. FISH HABITAT PARTNERSHIPS. 
(a) AUTHORITY TO RECOMMEND.—The Board may 
recommend to Congress the designation of Fish Habitat 
Partnerships in accordance with this section. 
(b) PURPOSES.—The purposes of a Partnership shall 
be— 
(1) to work with other regional habitat conserva-
tion programs to promote cooperation and coordina-
tion to enhance fish populations and fish habitats; 
(2) to engage local and regional communities to 
build support for fish habitat conservation; 
(3) to involve diverse groups of public and pri-
vate partners; 
(4) to develop collaboratively a strategic vision 
and achievable implementation plan that is scientif-
ically sound; 
(5) to leverage funding from sources that support 
local and regional partnerships; 
(6) to use adaptive management principles, in-
cluding 
evaluation 
of 
project 
success 
and 
functionality; 
(7) to develop appropriate local or regional habi-
tat evaluation and assessment measures and criteria 
that are compatible with national habitat condition 
measures; and
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(8) to implement local and regional priority 
projects that improve conditions for fish and fish 
habitat. 
(c) CRITERIA FOR DESIGNATION.—An entity seeking 
to be designated by Congress as a Partnership shall— 
(1) submit to the Board an application at such 
time, in such manner, and containing such informa-
tion as the Board may reasonably require; and 
(2) demonstrate to the Board that the entity 
has— 
(A) a focus on promoting the health of im-
portant fish and fish habitats; 
(B) an ability to coordinate the implemen-
tation of priority projects that support the goals 
and national priorities set by the Board that are 
within the Partnership boundary; 
(C) a self-governance structure that sup-
ports the implementation of strategic priorities 
for fish habitat; 
(D) the ability to develop local and regional 
relationships with a broad range of entities to 
further strategic priorities for fish and fish habi-
tat; 
(E) a strategic plan that details required 
investments for fish habitat conservation that ad-
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dresses the strategic fish habitat priorities of the 
Partnership and supports and meets the strategic 
priorities of the Board; 
(F) the ability to develop and implement 
fish habitat conservation projects that address 
strategic priorities of the Partnership and the 
Board; and 
(G) the ability to develop fish habitat con-
servation priorities based on sound science and 
data, the ability to measure the effectiveness of 
fish habitat projects of the Partnership, and a 
clear plan as to how Partnership science and 
data components will be integrated with the 
overall Board science and data effort. 
(d) REQUIREMENTS FOR RECOMMENDATION TO CON-
GRESS.—The Board may recommend to Congress for des-
ignation an application for a Partnership submitted under 
subsection (c) if the Board determines that the applicant— 
(1) meets the criteria described in subsection 
(c)(2); 
(2) identifies representatives to provide support 
and technical assistance to the Partnership from a di-
verse group of public and private partners, which 
may include State or local governments, nonprofit en-
tities, Indian Tribes, and private individuals, that