(3) REGIONAL OMBUDSMEN.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The Ombudsman shall 
maintain a regional ombudsman in each of the 
regions for which a Regional Fishery Manage-
ment Council is established under section 302 
of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation 
and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1852). 
(B) APPOINTMENT.—The regional om-
budsmen shall be appointed by and serve at the 
discretion of the Ombudsman. 
(C) ACTING OMBUDSMAN.—In the event of 
a vacancy in the office of the Ombudsman, the 
Administrator shall appoint a regional ombuds-
man to serve as the acting Ombudsman until 
an Ombudsman is appointed. 
(4) QUALIFICATIONS.—A person may not be 
appointed— 
(A) as the Ombudsman, unless the person 
has— 
(i) demonstrated expertise in the field 
of fisheries management and significant 
experience and knowledge of regulations 
that are enforced by the National Marine 
Fisheries Service; and 
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(ii) significant experience working in 
or with the commercial or recreational fish-
ing industries; or 
(B) as a regional ombudsman, unless the 
person— 
(i) satisfies the requirements in sub-
paragraph (A); and 
(ii) is a resident of a State in the re-
gion for which appointed. 
(5) NOTIFICATION OF APPOINTMENT AND RE-
MOVAL.—The Administrator shall notify Congress 
of— 
(A) the intent of the Administrator to ap-
point an individual as Ombudsman, by not later 
than 60 days before the effective date of the ap-
pointment; 
(B) whether or not the Administrator will 
reappoint an individual who is serving as Om-
budsman, by not later than 120 days before the 
expiration of the term of the individual; and 
(C) the intent of the Administrator to re-
move a person from the position of Ombuds-
man, by not later than 60 days before the effec-
tive date of the such removal, including the rea-
sons for such removal. 
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(6) ENSURING
INDEPENDENCE
OF
OMBUDS-
MAN.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The Ombudsman— 
(i) shall report solely to and be under 
the general supervision of the Adminis-
trator; and 
(ii) may only be removed by the Ad-
ministrator for neglect of duty, mis-
conduct, or inability to perform the duties 
of the office of the Ombudsman. 
(B) 
MAINTENANCE
OF
INDEPENDENT 
COMMUNICATIONS.—Each office under the ad-
ministrative jurisdiction of the Ombudsman 
shall maintain a telephone, facsimile, and other 
means of electronic communication access, and 
a post office address, that is separate from 
those maintained by the National Marine Fish-
eries Service and from all other components of 
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Admin-
istration. 
(C) IG’S AUTHORITY TO CONDUCT INVES-
TIGATIONS
NOT
AFFECTED.—Nothing in this 
Act shall prevent or prohibit any Inspector Gen-
eral from initiating, carrying out, or completing 
any investigation. 
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(b) FUNCTIONS.—The Ombudsman shall— 
(1) act as a neutral third party who conducts 
informal, impartial fact finding and investigations; 
(2) identify points of conflict or contention be-
tween the fishing industry and the National Marine 
Fisheries Service with respect to the implementation 
and enforcement of regulations; 
(3) mitigate points of conflict or contention 
identified under paragraph (2); 
(4) through each regional ombudsman— 
(A) serve as a point of contact for local 
fishermen and businesses that are regulated by 
the National Marine Fisheries Service; 
(B) receive complaints from persons regu-
lated by the National Marine Fisheries Service 
regarding regulatory actions initiated by the 
Service; 
(C) initiate informal, impartial fact finding 
and investigations; 
(D) work with the Service and local fisher-
men and businesses to resolve such complaints; 
and 
(E) conduct community outreach, including 
by assisting the National Marine Fisheries 
Service in the dissemination of any new regula-
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tions or requirements and providing information 
and guidance to the public; and 
(5) maintain a public Internet site that includes 
contact information for each regional office. 
(c) ANNUAL REPORT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Ombudsman shall re-
port no later than September 30 each year to the 
Administrator, the Committee on Natural Resources 
Committee of the House of Representatives, and the 
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transpor-
tation of the Senate on the actions taken by each of 
the regional offices over the preceding year and the 
objectives of those actions. 
(2) CONTENTS.—Each such report shall in-
clude— 
(A) full and substantive analysis, in addi-
tion to statistical information; 
(B) recommendations the Office of the 
Ombudsman has made on improving services 
and responsiveness of the National Marine 
Fisheries Service; 
(C) a summary of the most pervasive and 
serious points of conflict or contention encoun-
tered by fishermen and businesses, including a 
description of the nature thereof; 
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(D) an inventory of the items described in 
subparagraphs (B) and (C) for which action 
has been taken, and the result of such action; 
(E) an inventory of the items described in 
subparagraphs (B) and (C) for which action re-
mains to be completed; 
(F) recommendations to resolve points of 
conflict or contention encountered by fishermen 
and businesses; 
(G) information the Ombudsman considers 
appropriate regarding the independence and ef-
fectiveness of the Ombudsman’s office; and 
(H) such other information as the Om-
budsman considers relevant. 
(3) REPORT TO BE SUBMITTED DIRECTLY.— 
Each report under this subsection shall be provided 
directly to the committees described in paragraph 
(1) without any prior comment or amendment from 
the Administrator or any from any other officer or 
employee of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration, the National Marines Fisheries 
Service, or the Office of Management and Budget. 
(4) OTHER
REPORTS.—Nothing in this sub-
section shall be construed to preclude the Ombuds-
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