I 
118TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 8508 
To amend the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act 
to reauthorize the bycatch reduction engineering program and establish 
the Bycatch Mitigation Assistance Fund. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 22, 2024 
Mrs. PELTOLA (for herself, Mr. GRAVES of Louisiana, and Mr. HUFFMAN) in-
troduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Nat-
ural Resources 
A BILL 
To amend the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and 
Management Act to reauthorize the bycatch reduction 
engineering program and establish the Bycatch Mitiga-
tion Assistance Fund. 
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 ‘‘Bycatch Reduction and 
Mitigation Act of 2024’’. 
SEC. 2. BYCATCH REDUCTION AND MITIGATION. 
(a) REAUTHORIZATION
OF BYCATCH REDUCTION 
ENGINEERING PROGRAM.—Section 316 of the Magnuson- 
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Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 
U.S.C. 1865) is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry 
out this section $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2025 
through 2029.’’. 
(b) BYCATCH MITIGATION ASSISTANCE FUND.— 
Title III of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation 
and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1851 et seq.) is amended 
by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘SEC. 322. BYCATCH MITIGATION ASSISTANCE FUND. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—There is established in the gen-
eral fund of the Treasury of the United States an account 
to be known as the ‘Bycatch Mitigation Assistance Fund’, 
which shall— 
‘‘(1) be administered by the Foundation; and 
‘‘(2) consist of donations of amounts accepted 
pursuant to subsection (c). 
‘‘(b) USE.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Foundation shall use 
the amounts in the Fund to reduce or mitigate by-
catch, including by providing financial assistance to 
fishermen and owners and operators of commercial 
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fishing vessels to purchase fishing gear, equipment, 
or technology. 
‘‘(2) SMALL VESSELS.—In using the amounts 
in the Fund under paragraph (1), the Foundation 
shall distribute not less than 60 percent of such 
amounts to owners and operators of small commer-
cial fishing vessels. 
‘‘(c) DONATIONS.—The Foundation may solicit and 
accept donations of amounts for deposit into the Fund. 
‘‘(d) CONSULTATION.—In administering the Fund, 
the Foundation shall consult with the Secretary, acting 
through the Administrator of the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration, each Council, and each of 
the regional science centers of the National Marine Fish-
eries Service to ensure that, to the maximum extent prac-
ticable, amounts in the Fund are used in an efficient and 
cost-effective manner. 
‘‘(e) REPORT.—Not later than 3 years after the date 
of the enactment of this section, and biennially thereafter, 
the Foundation shall publish and post online in a manner 
available to the public information regarding the use of 
the Fund during— 
‘‘(1) with respect to the first publication of in-
formation, the preceding 3 years; and 
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‘‘(2) with respect to each subsequent publica-
tion of information, the preceding 2 years. 
‘‘(f) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) FOUNDATION.—The term ‘Foundation’ 
means the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. 
‘‘(2) FUND.—The term ‘Fund’ means the By-
catch Mitigation Assistance Fund established under 
subsection (a). 
‘‘(3) SMALL COMMERCIAL FISHING VESSEL.— 
The term ‘small commercial fishing vessel’ means a 
commercial fishing vessel that is 65 feet or less in 
length.’’. 
Æ 
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