I 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1826 
To reauthorize the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management 
Act, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 15, 2015 
Mr. SABLAN (for himself and Mr. HUFFMAN) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources 
A BILL 
To reauthorize the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation 
and Management 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 ‘‘Fishing Economy Im-
provement Act’’. 
SEC. 2. REFERENCES. 
Except as otherwise specifically provided, whenever in 
this Act an amendment or repeal is expressed in terms 
of an amendment to, or repeal of, a provision, the ref-
erence shall be considered to be made to a provision of 
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the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Manage-
ment Act (16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.). 
SEC. 3. AMENDMENTS TO DEFINITIONS. 
Section 3 (16 U.S.C. 1802) is amended— 
(1) by inserting after paragraph (1) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(1a) The term ‘artisanal fishing’ means sub-
sistence or small scale traditional fishing involving 
fishing households (as opposed to commercial com-
panies)— 
‘‘(A) using a relatively small amount of 
capital and energy and relatively small fishing 
vessels (if any); 
‘‘(B) making short fishing trips, close to 
shore; and 
‘‘(C) mainly for local consumption.’’; 
(2) by inserting after paragraph (27) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(27a) The term ‘marine aquaculture’ means 
the propagation and rearing of aquatic species in 
controlled or selected environments in the exclusive 
economic zone.’’; and 
(3) in paragraph (16), by adding at the end the 
following: ‘‘Such term does not include marine aqua-
culture.’’. 
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SEC. 4. AMENDMENTS RELATING TO HIGHLY MIGRATORY 
SPECIES. 
(a) PARTICIPATION
FOR UNITED STATES TERRI-
TORIES.—Section 102 (16 U.S.C. 1812) is amended by 
adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(d) UNITED STATES TERRITORIES.—The Secretary 
shall ensure participation for, and consider the interests 
of, United States territories and their fishing communities 
in managing highly migratory species that frequent the 
exclusive economic zone adjoining such territories.’’. 
(b) APPOINTMENTS TO COMMISSION FOR THE CON-
SERVATION AND MANAGEMENT OF HIGHLY MIGRATORY 
FISH STOCKS IN THE WESTERN AND CENTRAL PACIFIC 
OCEAN.—Section 503 of the Western and Central Pacific 
Fisheries Convention Implementation Act (16 U.S.C. 
6902) is amended by striking subsection (a) and inserting 
the following: 
‘‘(a) UNITED STATES COMMISSIONERS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The United States shall be 
represented on the Commission by 5 United States 
Commissioners. The President shall appoint individ-
uals to serve on the Commission at the pleasure of 
the President. In making the appointments, the 
President shall select Commissioners from among in-
dividuals who are knowledgeable or experienced con-
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cerning highly migratory fish stocks in the Western 
and Central Pacific Ocean. 
‘‘(2) REQUIRED APPOINTMENTS.—Of the Com-
missioners appointed under paragraph (1)— 
‘‘(A) one shall be an officer or employee of 
the Department of Commerce; 
‘‘(B) one shall be the chairman or another 
member of the Western Pacific Fishery Man-
agement Council; 
‘‘(C) one shall be the chairman or another 
member of the Pacific Fishery Management 
Council; and 
‘‘(D) one shall be a resident of American 
Samoa, Guam, or the Commonwealth of the 
Northern Mariana Islands who is not a member 
of the Western Pacific Fishery Management 
Council. 
‘‘(3) TERMS.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The term of a Com-
missioner shall be 3 years. 
‘‘(B) COUNCIL APPOINTEES.—A Commis-
sioner who is appointed as a member of the Pa-
cific Fishery Management Council or Western 
Pacific Fishery Management Council and whose 
term on that Council ends during his or her 
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