I
104TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 1417
To amend the Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act to pro-
vide for a 3-year research plan to assess the status of stocks of fish
that are managed under the Pacific Fisheries Management Council Pa-
cific Coast Groundfish Plan, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
APRIL 5, 1995
Mrs. SMITH of Washington introduced the following bill; which was referred
to the Committee on Resources
A BILL
To amend the Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Manage-
ment Act to provide for a 3-year research plan to assess
the status of stocks of fish that are managed under
the Pacific Fisheries Management Council Pacific Coast
Groundfish Plan, 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 ‘‘Private Vessel Fish
Survey Act of 1995’’.
SEC. 2. 3-YEAR RESEARCH PLAN FOR PACIFIC FISH
STOCKS.
(a) RESEARCH PLAN.—Section 304 of the Magnuson
Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C.
1854) is amended by adding at the end the following new
subsection:
‘‘(h) PACIFIC REGION STOCK ASSESSMENT.—(1) Not
later than 120 days after the date of enactment of the
Private Vessel Fish Survey Act of 1995, the Secretary
shall, in consultation with the Pacific Fishery Manage-
ment Council and the States of California, Oregon, and
Washington, establish a Pacific Region Scientific Review
Group (in this subsection referred to as the ‘Group’) con-
sisting of representatives of the National Marine Fisheries
Service, each of the States of California, Oregon, and
Washington, universities located in those States, commer-
cial and recreational fishermen and shore-based processors
located in those States, and environmental organizations.
Individuals appointed to serve on the Group shall be se-
lected from among individuals who are knowledgeable or
experienced in the harvesting, processing, biology, or ecol-
ogy of the fish stocks of fish that are managed under the
Pacific Fisheries Management Council Pacific Coast
Groundfish Plan (in this subsection referred to as the ‘cov-
ered Pacific stocks’).
‘‘(2) Not later than 180 days after the date of estab-
lishment of the Group, the Group shall transmit to the
Secretary a research plan of at least 3 years duration to
assess the status of the covered Pacific stocks, including
the abundance, location, and species, age, and gender com-
position of those stocks. The plan shall provide for the
use of private vessels to conduct stock surveys.
‘‘(3) Immediately upon receiving the plan transmitted
under paragraph (2), the Secretary shall take action nec-
essary to carry out the plan, including, subject to the
availability of appropriations, chartering private vessels,
arranging for the deployment of scientists on those vessels
(including the payment of increased insurance costs to ves-
sel owners), and obtaining the assistance of shore-based
fish processors.
‘‘(4) The Secretary may offset the cost of carrying
out the plan by entering into agreements with vessel own-
ers or shore-based fish processors to provide vessel owners
or shore-based fish processors with a portion of the total
allowable catch reserved for research purposes under sec-
tion 303(b).’’.
(b) RESERVE PORTION OF ALLOWABLE CATCH FOR
RESEARCH.—Section 303(b) of that Act (16 U.S.C.
1853(b)) is amended—
(1) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of paragraph
(9);
(2) by redesignating paragraph (10) as para-
graph (11); and
(3) by inserting after paragraph (9) the follow-
ing new paragraph:
‘‘(10) reserve a portion of the total allowable
catch of that fishery for use for scientific research
purposes; and’’.
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