SEC. 6. DATA REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATIONS. 
(a) REQUIREMENT
FOR REVIEW.—At least once 
every 2 calendar years, the Secretary shall appoint an ad-
visory panel from a list of names recommended by the 
Chair of the National Research Council to review all avail-
able data related to deep sea corals and deep sea sponges. 
Such data shall include—
(1) data related to the analysis of bycatch car-
ried out under section 8(a); 
(2) data related to the research carried out 
under section 5; and 
(3) data obtained from any Federal agency 
under subsection (b). 
(b) DATA FROM FEDERAL ENTITIES.—The head of 
any Federal agency that holds information related to the 
ocean floor, specifically including information related to 
the habitat of deep sea corals and deep sea sponges, shall, 
upon request, furnish such information to the Secretary 
who shall make it available to the Advisory Panel. 
(c) RECOMMENDATIONS.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 30 days after 
completing the annual review required by subsection 
(a), the advisory panel shall submit to the Secretary 
a recommendation that—
(A) each area identified as a deep sea coral 
and sponge ecosystem in such annual review be 
designated as a Coral Management Area; and 
(B) any area containing a potential or ac-
tual deep sea coral and sponge ecosystem for 
which additional research is needed be des-
ignated as a Coral Study Area. 
(2) PUBLICATION.—The Secretary shall publish 
in the Federal Register a notice of availability of 
each recommendation submitted to the Secretary 
under paragraph (1). 
SEC. 7. PROHIBITION ON USE OF MOBILE BOTTOM-TEND-
ING FISHING GEAR IN CORAL STUDY AREAS 
AND CORAL MANAGEMENT AREAS. 
(a) CLOSURE UPON DESIGNATION.—The use of all 
mobile bottom-tending fishing gears is prohibited in any 
area designated as a Coral Study Area or a Coral Manage-
ment Area. 
(b) OTHER MEASURES NOT RESTRICTED.—Nothing 
in this Act shall restrict the ability of the Secretary of 
Commerce, acting on his or her own or with the advice 
of the appropriate Council, to promulgate stronger fishery 
or habitat protection measures, as authorized under other 
laws, within a Coral Study Area or Coral Management 
Area.
(c) SAVINGS CLAUSE.—All rules and regulations 
issued by the Secretary under the Magnuson-Stevens 
Fishery Management and Conservation Act pertaining to 
coral conservation, management, or protection shall con-
tinue to apply after the date of enactment of this Act until 
modified or rescinded by the Secretary pursuant to the 
requirements of this Act. 
SEC. 8. CORAL STUDY AREAS. 
(a) STUDY AREAS IDENTIFIED THROUGH FISHING 
RECORDS.—The Secretary shall designate as a Coral 
Study Area any area that is located within the exclusive 
economic zone for which—
(1) records of commercial fishing trips main-
tained by the National Marine Fisheries Service 
demonstrate that the area has not been fished using 
mobile bottom-tending gear during the 3-year period 
ending prior to the enactment of this Act and for 
which records are available; or 
(2) there are no reliable records maintained by 
the National Marine Fisheries Service regarding 
such fishing, and that the Secretary determines is 
beyond the reasonable depth limits of mobile bottom-
tending fishing gear currently in use. 
(b) STUDY AREAS IDENTIFIED THROUGH BYCATCH 
RECORDS, RESEARCH, OR MAPPING.—The Secretary shall
review on a continuing basis bycatch records, research, 
mapping, and survey data obtained from areas of the Ex-
clusive Economic Zone open to fishing with commercial 
mobile bottom-tending gear to determine if these data in-
dicate the actual or potential presence of a deep sea coral 
and sponge ecosystem. If the Secretary determines that 
the data indicate the actual or potential presence of a deep 
sea coral and sponge ecosystem, the Secretary shall des-
ignate the area as a Coral Study Area. The designation 
shall expire upon decision by the Secretary to terminate 
the designation pursuant to subsection (d) of this section. 
(c) STUDY AREAS RECOMMENDED BY THE ADVISORY 
PANEL.—
(1) PROPOSED RULE.—Not later than 30 days 
after receiving a recommendation pursuant to sec-
tion 6(c)(1)(B), the Secretary shall publish in the 
Federal Register a proposed rule to designate any 
recommended area as a Coral Study Area. 
(2) COMMENT
PERIOD.—The Secretary shall 
accept comments on any proposed rule published 
under paragraph (1) for 60 days after the date of 
the publication of such proposed rule. 
(3) FINAL
DETERMINATION.—Not later than 
120 days after the publication of such proposed rule, 
the Secretary shall designate the area recommended
under section 6(c)(1)(B) as a Coral Study Area un-
less the Secretary finds no rational basis for the rec-
ommendation. 
(d) TERMINATION OF STUDY AREA DESIGNATION.—
The Secretary, sua sponte or upon recommendation of the 
Council having advisory duties for the fisheries of the 
area, may determine that an area or part of an area that 
is designated as a Coral Study Area pursuant to sub-
sections (a), (b), or (c) shall no longer be designated as 
a Coral Study Area, if the area is—
(1) designated as a Coral Management Area 
pursuant to section 9; or 
(2) does not warrant designation as a Coral 
Management Area pursuant to the criteria in sub-
section 9(b) and is reopened to mobile bottom-tend-
ing fishing gears, unless the use of mobile bottom-
tending fishing gear in such area is prohibited by 
any other provision of law. 
SEC. 9. CORAL MANAGEMENT AREAS. 
(a) INITIAL DESIGNATIONS.—Each area bounded by 
the following coordinates is designated as a Coral Manage-
ment Area: 
(1) ALASKA DEEP SEA CORAL GARDENS.—
(A) 
Adak 
Canyon 
51°38′59′′ 
N. 
x 
177°03′00′′ W., 51°38′59′′ N. x 177°00′00′′