the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
shall publish in the Federal Register a list of areas 
located in the area for which such Council has re-
sponsibility that the Secretary proposes to designate 
as Bottom Trawl Zones. 
(3) COMMENT
PERIOD.—The Secretary shall 
accept comments on a proposal published under 
paragraph (1) or (2) for 60 days after the date of 
such publication. 
(4) FINAL DETERMINATION.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 30 days 
after the date of the end of the comment period 
described in paragraph (3), the Secretary shall 
designate an area included in a proposal pub-
lished under paragraph (1) or (2) as a Bottom 
Trawl Zone if such area meets the standards 
for such designation set out in subsection (b). 
(B) PUBLICATION.—The Secretary shall 
publish in the Federal Register each designa-
tion made under subparagraph (A). 
(d) ACTIVITIES WITHIN BOTTOM TRAWL ZONES.— 
After the date that is 30 days after the date of the end 
of the comment period described in subsection (c)(3), bot-
tom trawls may not be used in an area that is not des-
ignated as a Bottom Trawl Zone.
SEC. 8. INITIAL DESIGNATION OF CORAL HABITAT CON-
SERVATION ZONES. 
(a) DESIGNATION BY THE SECRETARY.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 60 days after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
shall designate as a Coral Habitat Conservation 
Zone each area— 
(A) that a Council, prior to the date of en-
actment of this Act, has designated as an area 
in which the use of bottom trawls is prohibited 
for the protection of seafloor habitat; or 
(B) for which a map of the presence of 
deep sea corals or deep sea sponges has been 
developed and for which the best available data 
confirm the presence of deep sea corals or deep 
sea sponges. 
(2) PUBLICATION AND EFFECTIVE DATE.—Not 
later than 60 days after the date of enactment of 
this Act, the Secretary shall publish in the Federal 
Register each area designated as a Coral Habitat 
Conservation Zone under paragraph (1) and such 
designation shall become effective on the date of 
such publication. 
(b) RECOMMENDATION BY A COUNCIL.— 
(1) SUBMISSION
TO
THE
SECRETARY.—Not 
later than 24 months after the date of enactment of
this Act, each Council, after notice and an oppor-
tunity for public comment, shall submit to the Sec-
retary a list of all areas known to contain deep sea 
corals or deep sea sponges. 
(2) INCLUDED AREAS.—A list submitted by a 
Council under paragraph (1) shall include each area 
that was considered for designation as a Bottom 
Trawl Zone under section 7(a) if such area that was 
determined by the Council or the Secretary to con-
tain a deep sea coral and sponge ecosystem. 
(3) PUBLICATION.—The Secretary shall publish 
in the Federal Register a list submitted by a Council 
under paragraph (1). 
(c) DESIGNATION PROCESS.— 
(1) PROPOSED RULE.—Not later than 9 months 
after the date of the publication of a Council’s rec-
ommendations pursuant to subsection (b)(3), the 
Secretary shall publish in the Federal Register a 
proposed rule to designate each area identified in 
such publication as a Coral Habitat Conservation 
Zone. 
(2) FAILURE
TO
RECOMMEND.—If a Council 
fails to submit recommendations to the Secretary 
under subsection (b)(1), not later than 33 months 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary shall publish in the Federal Register a list of 
areas located in the area for which such Council has 
responsibility that the Secretary proposes to des-
ignate as Coral Habitat Conservation Zones. 
(3) COMMENT
PERIOD.—The Secretary shall 
accept comments on any proposed rule published 
under paragraph (1) or (2) for 60 days after the 
date of such publication. 
(4) FINAL DETERMINATION.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 30 days 
after the date of the end of the comment period 
described in paragraph (3), the Secretary 
shall— 
(i) designate each area, or portion of 
such area, included in a proposed rule pub-
lished under paragraph (1) as a Coral 
Habitat Conservation Zone, if there is ra-
tional basis for such designation; or 
(ii) if the Secretary fails to make a 
designation under clause (i) for an area, 
provide a justification for such failure. 
(B) PUBLICATION.—The Secretary shall 
publish in the Federal Register each designa-
tion made under subparagraph (A)(i) or jus-
tification required under subparagraph (A)(ii).