I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1979 
To improve the management of driftnet fishing. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 28, 2019 
Mr. TED LIEU of California (for himself and Mr. FITZPATRICK) introduced 
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources 
A BILL 
To improve the management of driftnet fishing. 
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 ‘‘Driftnet Modernization 
and Bycatch Reduction Act’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITION. 
Section 3(25) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Con-
servation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1802(25)) is 
amended by inserting ‘‘, or with a mesh size of 14 inches 
or greater,’’ after ‘‘more’’. 
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SEC. 3. FINDINGS AND POLICY. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Section 206(b) of the Magnuson-Ste-
vens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 
U.S.C. 1826(b)) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (6), by striking ‘‘and’’ at the 
end; 
(2) in paragraph (7), by striking the period and 
inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(8) within the exclusive economic zone, large- 
scale driftnet fishing that deploys nets with large 
mesh sizes causes significant entanglement and mor-
tality of living marine resources, including myriad 
protected species, despite limitations on the lengths 
of such nets.’’. 
(b) POLICY.—Section 206(c) of the Magnuson-Ste-
vens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 
U.S.C. 1826(c)) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘and’’ at the 
end; 
(2) in paragraph (3), by striking the period and 
inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following— 
‘‘(4) prioritize the phase out of large-scale 
driftnet fishing in the exclusive economic zone and 
promote the development and adoption of alternative 
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fishing methods and gear types that minimize the in-
cidental catch of living marine resources.’’. 
SEC. 4. TRANSITION PROGRAM. 
Section 206 of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Con-
servation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1826) is 
amended by adding at the end the following— 
‘‘(i) FISHING GEAR TRANSITION PROGRAM.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—During the 5-year period 
beginning on the date of enactment of the Driftnet 
Modernization and Bycatch Reduction Act, the Sec-
retary shall conduct a transition program to facili-
tate the phase-out of large-scale driftnet fishing and 
adoption of alternative fishing practices that mini-
mize the incidental catch of living marine resources, 
and shall award grants to eligible permit holders 
who participate in the program. 
‘‘(2) PERMISSIBLE USES.—Any permit holder 
receiving a grant under paragraph (1) may use such 
funds only for the purpose of covering— 
‘‘(A) any fee originally associated with a 
permit authorizing participation in a large-scale 
driftnet fishery, if such permit is surrendered 
for permanent revocation, and such permit 
holder relinquishes any claim associated with 
the permit; 
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‘‘(B) a forfeiture of fishing gear associated 
with a permit described in subparagraph (A); or 
‘‘(C) the purchase of alternative gear with 
minimal incidental catch of living marine re-
sources, if the fishery participant is authorized 
to continue fishing using such alternative gears. 
‘‘(3) CERTIFICATION.—The Secretary shall cer-
tify that, with respect to each participant in the pro-
gram under this subsection, any permit authorizing 
participation in a large-scale driftnet fishery has 
been permanently revoked and that no new permits 
will be issued to authorize such fishing.’’. 
SEC. 5. EXCEPTION. 
Section 307(1)(M) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 
Conservation 
and 
Management 
Act 
(16 
U.S.C. 
1857(1)(M)) is amended by inserting before the semicolon 
the following: ‘‘, unless such large-scale driftnet fishing— 
‘‘(i) deploys, within the exclusive eco-
nomic zone, a net with a total length of 
less than two and one-half kilometers and 
a mesh size of 14 inches or greater; and 
‘‘(ii) is conducted within 5 years of 
the date of enactment of the Driftnet Mod-
ernization and Bycatch Reduction Act’’. 
Æ 
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