I 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3521 
To authorize grants for data collection for use in stock assessments of red 
snapper and other reef fish species in the Gulf of Mexico, and for 
other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 16, 2015 
Mr. JOLLY introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 
on Natural Resources 
A BILL 
To authorize grants for data collection for use in stock 
assessments of red snapper and other reef fish species 
in the Gulf of Mexico, 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 ‘‘Gulf Red Snapper 
Data Improvement Act’’. 
SEC. 2. GULF OF MEXICO RED SNAPPER AND OTHER REEF 
FISH SPECIES DATA COLLECTION GRANTS. 
(a) GRANTS AUTHORIZED.—The Secretary of Com-
merce, acting through the National Marine Fisheries Serv-
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ice Southeast Regional Office, shall award competitive 
grants for fishery-dependent and fishery-independent data 
collection for use in stock assessments for red snapper and 
other reef fish species in the Gulf of Mexico. 
(b) INNOVATIVE APPROACHES.—In awarding grants 
under this section, the Secretary shall seek to improve red 
snapper and other reef fish species stock assessments 
through innovative approaches to data collection that in-
corporates data from cooperative peer-reviewed research 
involving academia, fishermen, and other fisheries sources. 
(c) GRANT PERIOD.—Grants under this section may 
be for one or more fiscal years. 
SEC. 3. COMMUNICATION WITH STAKEHOLDERS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Commerce shall 
seek to improve communications by the National Marine 
Fisheries Service with stakeholders regarding the Gulf of 
Mexico red snapper and other reef fish species stock as-
sessment processes and outcomes of such processes. 
(b) REPORT.—The Secretary shall— 
(1) by not later than 180 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, report to Congress on 
actions taken under this section and the results of 
such actions; and 
(2) update such report every 180 days there-
after. 
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SEC. 4. PROCESS FOR USING GULF OF MEXICO RED SNAP-
PER AND OTHER REEF FISH SPECIES COOP-
ERATIVE RESEARCH DATA. 
The Secretary of Commerce shall— 
(1) by not later than 180 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, develop and report to 
the Congress on a process for using data collected 
through cooperative research activities for Gulf of 
Mexico red snapper and other reef fish species stock 
assessments; and 
(2) update such report every 180 days there-
after. 
SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
There is authorized to be appropriated to the Sec-
retary of Commerce $10,000,000 for grants, personnel, 
operations, and data collection under this Act to improve 
Gulf of Mexico red snapper and other reef fish species 
stock assessments. 
Æ 
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