(3) by inserting after paragraph (7), the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(8) have the authority to use alternative fishery 
management measures in a recreational fishery (or 
the recreational component of a mixed-use fishery), 
including extraction rates, fishing mortality targets, 
and harvest control rules, in developing a fishery 
management plan, plan amendment, or proposed reg-
ulations; and’’. 
SEC. 204. MODIFICATIONS TO THE ANNUAL CATCH LIMIT 
REQUIREMENT. 
(a) REGIONAL FISHERY MANAGEMENT COUNCILS.— 
Section 302 (16 U.S.C. 1852) is amended by adding at the 
end the following: 
‘‘(m) CONSIDERATIONS FOR MODIFICATIONS TO AN-
NUAL CATCH LIMIT REQUIREMENTS.— 
‘‘(1) ANNUAL CATCH LIMIT REQUIREMENT FOR 
CERTAIN
DATA-POOR
FISHERIES.—Notwithstanding 
subsection (h)(6), in the case of a stock of fish for 
which the total annual catch limit is 25 percent or 
more below the overfishing limit, a peer-reviewed 
stock survey and stock assessment have not been per-
formed during the preceding 5 fishing years, and the 
stock is not subject to overfishing, a Council may, 
after notifying the Secretary, maintain the current 
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annual catch limit for the stock until a peer-reviewed 
stock survey and stock assessment are conducted and 
the results are considered by the Council and its sci-
entific and statistical committee. 
‘‘(2) CONSIDERATION OF ECOSYSTEM AND ECO-
NOMIC IMPACTS.—In establishing annual catch limits 
a Council may, consistent with subsection (h)(6), con-
sider changes in an ecosystem and the economic needs 
of the fishing communities. 
‘‘(3) LIMITATIONS TO ANNUAL CATCH LIMIT RE-
QUIREMENT
FOR
SPECIAL
FISHERIES.—Notwith-
standing subsection (h)(6), a Council is not required 
to develop an annual catch limit for— 
‘‘(A) an ecosystem-component species; 
‘‘(B) a fishery for a species that has a life 
cycle of approximately 1 year, unless the Sec-
retary has determined the fishery is subject to 
overfishing; or 
‘‘(C) a stock for which— 
‘‘(i) more than half of a single-year 
class will complete their life cycle in less 
than 18 months; and 
‘‘(ii) fishing mortality will have little 
impact on the stock. 
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‘‘(4) RELATIONSHIP TO INTERNATIONAL FISHERY 
EFFORTS.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—Each annual catch 
limit, consistent with subsection (h)(6)— 
‘‘(i) may take into account manage-
ment measures under international agree-
ments in which the United States partici-
pates; and 
‘‘(ii) in the case of an annual catch 
limit developed by a Council for a species, 
shall take into account fishing for the spe-
cies outside the exclusive economic zone and 
the life-history characteristics of the species 
that are not subject to the jurisdiction of the 
Council. 
‘‘(B) EXCEPTION TO ANNUAL CATCH LIMIT 
REQUIREMENT.—If fishery management activi-
ties by another country with respect to fishing 
outside the exclusive economic zone may hinder 
conservation efforts by United States fishermen 
for a fish species for which any of the recruit-
ment, distribution, life history, or fishing activi-
ties are transboundary, and for which there is no 
informal transboundary agreement with that 
country in effect, then— 
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‘‘(i) notwithstanding subsection (h)(6), 
no annual catch limit is required to be de-
veloped for the species by a Council; and 
‘‘(ii) if an annual catch limit is devel-
oped by a Council for the species, the catch 
limit shall take into account fishing for the 
species outside the exclusive economic zone 
that is not subject to the jurisdiction of the 
Council. 
‘‘(5) AUTHORIZATION FOR MULTISPECIES COM-
PLEXES AND MULTIYEAR ANNUAL CATCH LIMITS.— 
For purposes of subsection (h)(6), a Council may es-
tablish— 
‘‘(A) an annual catch limit for a stock com-
plex; or‘including’ 
‘‘(B) annual catch limits for each year in 
any continuous period that is not more than 
three years in duration. 
‘‘(6) 
ECOSYSTEM-COMPONENT
SPECIES
DE-
FINED.—In this subsection the term ‘ecosystem-com-
ponent species’ means a stock of fish that is a nontar-
get, incidentally harvested stock of fish in a fishery, 
or a nontarget, incidentally harvested stock of fish 
that a Council or the Secretary has determined— 
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‘‘(A) is not subject to overfishing, approach-
ing a depleted condition or depleted; and 
‘‘(B) is not likely to become subject to over-
fishing or depleted in the absence of conservation 
and management measures. 
‘‘(7) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this 
subsection shall be construed as providing an exemp-
tion from the requirements of section 301(a) of this 
Act.’’. 
(b) ACTION BY THE SECRETARY.—Section 304 (16 
U.S.C. 1854) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘(i) INTERNATIONAL
OVER-
FISHING.—’’ and inserting ‘‘(j) INTERNATIONAL 
OVERFISHING.—’’; 
(2) in subsection (j)(1), as redesignated, by in-
serting ‘‘shall’’ before ‘‘immediately’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(k) STOCK SURVEYS AND ASSESSMENTS.—Not later 
than 2 years after the date that the Secretary receives notice 
from a Council under section 302(m), the Secretary shall 
complete a peer-reviewed stock survey and stock assessment 
of the applicable stock of fish and transmit the results of 
the survey and assessment to the Council.’’. 
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