(C) INACTION.—If the Secretary does not 
publish the designation of an area under sub-
paragraph (A)(i) or the justification required 
under paragraph (A)(ii) for such area within 30 
days of the date of the end of the comment pe-
riod described in paragraph (3), such area shall 
be deemed to be a Coral Habitat Conservation 
Zone as if so designated by the Secretary. 
SEC. 9. UNDESIGNATED AREAS. 
An area not initially designated as a Bottom Trawl 
Zone under section 7 or as a Coral Habitat Conservation 
Zone under section 8 shall be available for subsequent des-
ignation as a Bottom Trawl Zone under section 10 or as 
a Coral Habitat Conservation Zone under section 11. 
SEC. 10. SUBSEQUENT DESIGNATION OF BOTTOM TRAWL 
ZONES. 
(a) STANDARDS FOR SUBSEQUENT DESIGNATION.— 
After the initial designations of Bottom Trawl Zones made 
under section 7, the Secretary, in consultation with the 
relevant Council, shall designate an area as a Bottom 
Trawl Zone if— 
(1) the area has been surveyed for the presence 
of deep sea corals and deep sea sponges; and 
(2) there is no deep sea coral and sponge eco-
system present in the area.
(b) RECOMMENDATION BY A COUNCIL.—Upon the 
recommendation of the appropriate Council, the Secretary 
may consider any previously undesignated area for des-
ignation as a Bottom Trawl Zone. The Secretary may des-
ignate such area as a Bottom Trawl Zone under this sec-
tion only if such area meets the designation standards set 
out in paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (a). 
(c) DESIGNATION PROCESS.— 
(1) PROPOSED
RULE.—The Secretary shall 
publish in the Federal Register a proposed rule to 
designate an area that is not a Bottom Trawl Zone 
or a Coral Habitat Conservation Zone and that 
meets the standards set out in paragraphs (1) and 
(2) of subsection (a) as a Bottom Trawl Zone 
whether identified by the Secretary or by a Council 
pursuant to subsection (b). 
(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.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 30 days 
after the date of the end of the comment period 
described in paragraph (2), the Secretary shall 
designate as a Bottom Trawl Area each area, or
part of such area, included in a proposed rule 
published under paragraph (1) if the area 
meets the requirements of paragraphs (1) and 
(2) of subsection (a). 
(B) PUBLICATION.—The Secretary shall 
publish in the Federal Register each designa-
tion made under subparagraph (A). 
SEC. 11. SUBSEQUENT DESIGNATION OF CORAL HABITAT 
CONSERVATION ZONES. 
(a) STANDARDS FOR SUBSEQUENT DESIGNATION.— 
The Secretary, in consultation with the Councils, shall 
designate an area as a Coral Habitat Conservation Zone 
if the best available data indicate the presence of a deep 
sea coral and sponge ecosystem in such area. 
(b) SUBSEQUENT DESIGNATION THROUGH BYCATCH 
RECORDS, RESEARCH, OR MAPPING.— 
(1) REVIEW
OF
DATA.—The Secretary shall 
continually collect and review, for the purpose of 
making a determination on the presence of deep sea 
coral and sponge ecosystems in an area, the fol-
lowing data: 
(A) Bycatch records. 
(B) Data and analysis that results from 
the mapping and research conducted pursuant 
to section 5.