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mining under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation 
and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.) whether 
the total allowable catch for red snapper has been reached. 
(e) PROHIBITION
ON CONSIDERING FISH SEIZED 
FROM FOREIGN FISHING.—Any fish that are seized from 
a foreign vessel engaged in illegal fishing activities in the 
exclusive economic zone shall not be considered in deter-
mining under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation 
and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.) the total 
allowable catch for that fishery. 
SEC. 210. NORTHEAST REGIONAL PILOT RESEARCH TRAWL 
SURVEY AND STUDY. 
(a) INDUSTRY-BASED PILOT STUDY.—Within 1 year 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
of Commerce shall, in coordination with the relevant 
Councils selected by the Secretary and the Northeast Area 
Monitoring and Assessment Program (NEAMAP), develop 
a fishing industry-based Northeast regional pilot research 
trawl survey and study to enhance and provide improve-
ment to current National Oceanic and Atmospheric Ad-
ministration vessel trawl surveys. 
(b) COMPONENTS.—Under the pilot survey and 
study— 
(1) the Secretary— 
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(A) may select fishing industry vessels to 
participate in the study by issuing a request for 
procurement; 
(B) may use the NEAMAP Southern New 
England/Mid-Atlantic Nearshore Trawl Survey 
as a model for the pilot survey; and 
(C) shall outfit participating vessels with a 
peer-reviewed net configuration; and 
(2) the selected Councils shall, in partnership 
with the National Marine Fisheries Service North-
east Fisheries Science Center and the Virginia Insti-
tute of Marine Science, collect data and evaluate dis-
crepancies between fishing industry vessel data and 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
vessel data, for 5 years. 
(c) REPORT.—Upon completion of the pilot survey 
and study, the Secretary and the selected Councils shall 
submit a detailed report on the results of the pilot survey 
and study to the Committee on Natural Resources of the 
House of Representatives and the Committee on Com-
merce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate. 
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TITLE III—HEALTHY FISHERIES 
THROUGH BETTER SCIENCE 
SEC. 
301. 
HEALTHY 
FISHERIES 
THROUGH 
BETTER 
SCIENCE. 
(a) DEFINITION OF STOCK ASSESSMENT.—Section 3 
(16 U.S.C. 1802), as amended by section 102(a) of this 
Act, is further amended by redesignating the paragraphs 
after paragraph (42) in order as paragraphs (44) through 
(53), and by inserting after paragraph (42) the following: 
‘‘(43) The term ‘stock assessment’ means an 
evaluation of the past, present, and future status of 
a stock of fish, that includes— 
‘‘(A) a range of life history characteristics 
for such stock, including— 
‘‘(i) the geographical boundaries of 
such stock; and 
‘‘(ii) information on age, growth, nat-
ural mortality, sexual maturity and repro-
duction, feeding habits, and habitat pref-
erences of such stock; and 
‘‘(B) fishing for the stock.’’. 
(b) STOCK ASSESSMENT PLAN.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Section 404 (16 U.S.C. 
1881c), as amended by section 207(a) of this Act, 
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is further amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(g) STOCK ASSESSMENT PLAN.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall develop 
and publish in the Federal Register, on the same 
schedule as required for the strategic plan required 
under subsection (b) of this section, a plan to con-
duct stock assessments for all stocks of fish for 
which a fishery management plan is in effect under 
this Act. 
‘‘(2) CONTENTS.—The plan shall— 
‘‘(A) for each stock of fish for which a 
stock assessment has previously been con-
ducted— 
‘‘(i) establish a schedule for updating 
the stock assessment that is reasonable 
given the biology and characteristics of the 
stock; and 
‘‘(ii) subject to the availability of ap-
propriations, require completion of a new 
stock assessment, or an update of the most 
recent stock assessment— 
‘‘(I) every 5 years; or 
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‘‘(II) within such other time pe-
riod specified and justified by the Sec-
retary in the plan; 
‘‘(B) for each stock of fish for which a 
stock assessment has not previously been con-
ducted— 
‘‘(i) establish a schedule for con-
ducting an initial stock assessment that is 
reasonable given the biology and character-
istics of the stock; and 
‘‘(ii) subject to the availability of ap-
propriations, require completion of the ini-
tial stock assessment within 3 years after 
the plan is published in the Federal Reg-
ister unless another time period is specified 
and justified by the Secretary in the plan; 
and 
‘‘(C) identify data and analysis, especially 
concerning recreational fishing, that, if avail-
able, would reduce uncertainty in and improve 
the accuracy of future stock assessments, in-
cluding whether such data and analysis could 
be provided by fishermen, fishing communities, 
universities, and research institutions, to the ex-
tent that use of such data would be consistent 
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with the requirements in section 301(a)(2) to 
base conservation and management measures 
on the best scientific information available. 
‘‘(3) WAIVER OF STOCK ASSESSMENT REQUIRE-
MENT.—Notwithstanding subparagraphs (A)(ii) and 
(B)(ii), a stock assessment is not required for a 
stock of fish in the plan if the Secretary determines 
that such a stock assessment is not necessary and 
justifies such determination in the Federal Register 
notice required by this subsection.’’. 
(2) 
DEADLINE.—Notwithstanding 
section 
404(g)(1) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Con-
servation and Management Act, as amended by this 
section, the Secretary of Commerce shall issue the 
first stock assessment plan under such section by 
not later than 2 years after the date of enactment 
of this Act. 
SEC. 302. TRANSPARENCY AND PUBLIC PROCESS. 
(a) ADVICE.—Section 302(g)(1)(B) (16 U.S.C. 
1852(g)(1)(B)) is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: ‘‘Each scientific and statistical committee shall de-
velop such advice in a transparent manner and allow for 
public involvement in the process.’’. 
(b) MEETINGS.—Section 302(i)(2) (16 U.S.C. 
1852(i)(2)) is amended by adding at the end the following: 
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SEC. 303. FLEXIBILITY IN REBUILDING FISH STOCKS. 
(a) GENERAL REQUIREMENTS.—Section 304(e) (16 
U.S.C. 1854(e)) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (4)— 
(A) in subparagraph (A)(i), by striking 
‘‘possible’’ and inserting ‘‘practicable’’; 
(B) by amending subparagraph (A)(ii) to 
read as follows: 
‘‘(ii) may not exceed the time the 
stock would be rebuilt without fishing oc-
curring plus one mean generation, except 
in a case in which— 
‘‘(I) the biology of the stock of 
fish, other environmental conditions, 
or management measures under an 
international agreement in which the 
United States participates dictate oth-
erwise; 
‘‘(II) the Secretary determines 
that the cause of the stock being de-
pleted is outside the jurisdiction of the 
Council or the rebuilding program 
cannot be effective only by limiting 
fishing activities; 
‘‘(III) the Secretary determines 
that one or more components of a 
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mixed-stock fishery is depleted but 
cannot be rebuilt within that time 
frame without significant economic 
harm to the fishery, or cannot be re-
built without causing another compo-
nent of the mixed-stock fishery to ap-
proach a depleted status; 
‘‘(IV) the Secretary determines 
that recruitment, distribution, or life 
history of, or fishing activities for, the 
stock are affected by informal trans-
boundary agreements under which 
management activities outside the ex-
clusive economic zone by another 
country may hinder conservation and 
management efforts by United States 
fishermen; and 
‘‘(V) the Secretary determines 
that the stock has been affected by 
unusual events that make rebuilding 
within the specified time period im-
probable without significant economic 
harm to fishing communities;’’; 
(C) by striking ‘‘and’’ after the semicolon 
at the end of subparagraph (B), by redesig-
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nating subparagraphs (B) and (C) as subpara-
graphs (C) and (D), and by inserting after sub-
paragraph (A) the following: 
‘‘(B) take into account environmental con-
dition including predator/prey relationships;’’; 
and 
(D) by striking the period at the end of 
subparagraph (D) (as so redesignated) and in-
serting ‘‘; and’’, and by adding at the end the 
following: 
‘‘(E) specify a schedule for reviewing the 
rebuilding targets, evaluating environmental im-
pacts on rebuilding progress, and evaluating 
progress being made toward reaching rebuilding 
targets.’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(8) A fishery management plan, plan amend-
ment, or proposed regulations may use alternative 
rebuilding strategies, including harvest control rules 
and fishing mortality-rate targets to the extent they 
are in compliance with the requirements of this Act. 
‘‘(9) A Council may terminate the application of 
paragraph (3) to a fishery if the Council’s scientific 
and statistical committee determines and the Sec-
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retary concurs that the original determination that 
the fishery was depleted was erroneous, either— 
‘‘(A) within the 2-year period beginning on 
the effective date a fishery management plan, 
plan amendment, or proposed regulation for a 
fishery under this subsection takes effect; or 
‘‘(B) within 90 days after the completion 
of the next stock assessment after such deter-
mination.’’. 
(b) EMERGENCY REGULATIONS AND INTERIM MEAS-
URES.—Section 305(c)(3)(B) (16 U.S.C. 1855(c)(3)(B)) 
is amended by striking ‘‘180 days after’’ and all that fol-
lows through ‘‘provided’’ and inserting ‘‘1 year after the 
date of publication, and may be extended by publication 
in the Federal Register for one additional period of not 
more than 1 year, if’’. 
SEC. 304. EXEMPTED FISHING PERMITS. 
(a) OBJECTIONS.—If the relevant Council, the Inter-
state Marine Fisheries Commission, or the fish and wild-
life agency of an affected State objects to the approval 
and issuance of an exempted fishing permit under section 
600.745 of title 50, Code of Federal Regulations, or any 
successor regulation, the Regional Administrator of the 
National Marine Fisheries Service who issued such ex-
empted fishing permit shall respond to such entity in writ-
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ing detailing why such exempted fishing permit was 
issued. 
(b) 12-MONTH FINDING.—At the end of the 12- 
month period beginning on the date the exempted fishing 
permit is issued under section 600.745 of title 50, Code 
of Federal Regulations, or any successor regulation, the 
Council that prepared the fishery management plan, or the 
Secretary in the case of a fishery management plan pre-
pared and implemented by the Secretary, shall review the 
exempted fishing permit and determine whether any unin-
tended negative impacts have occurred that would warrant 
the discontinuation of the permit. 
(c) CLARIFICATION.—The Secretary may not issue an 
exempted fishing permit under section 600.745 of title 50, 
Code of Federal Regulations, or any successor regulation 
that— 
(1) establishes a limited access system as de-
fined in section 3 of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 
Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 
1802); 
(2) is consistent with section 303A of such Act 
(16 U.S.C. 1853a); or 
(3) establishes a catch share program as de-
fined in section 206(a) of this Act. 
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(d) SAVINGS PROVISION.—Except for subsection (b), 
nothing in this section may be construed to affect an ex-
empted fishing permit approved under section 600.745 of 
title 50, Code of Federal Regulations, before the date of 
the enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 305. COOPERATIVE RESEARCH AND MANAGEMENT 
PROGRAM. 
Section 318 (16 U.S.C. 1867) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a), by inserting ‘‘(1)’’ before 
the first sentence, and by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(2) Within 1 year after the date of enactment 
of the Strengthening Fishing Communities and In-
creasing Flexibility in Fisheries Management Act, 
and after consultation with the Councils, the Sec-
retary shall publish a plan for implementing and 
conducting the program established in paragraph 
(1). Such plan shall identify and describe critical re-
gional fishery management and research needs, pos-
sible projects that may address those needs, and es-
timated costs for such projects. The plan shall be re-
vised and updated every 5 years, and updated plans 
shall include a brief description of projects that were 
funded in the prior 5-year period and the research 
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and management needs that were addressed by those 
projects.’’; and 
(2) in subsection (c)— 
(A) in the heading, by striking ‘‘FUNDING’’ 
and inserting ‘‘PRIORITIES’’; and 
(B) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘includ-
ing’’ and all that follows and inserting the fol-
lowing: ‘‘including— 
‘‘(A) the use of fishing vessels or acoustic 
or other marine technology; 
‘‘(B) expanding the use of electronic catch 
reporting programs and technology; and 
‘‘(C) improving monitoring and observer 
coverage through the expanded use of electronic 
monitoring devices.’’. 
SEC. 306. FEDERAL GULF OF MEXICO RED SNAPPER MAN-
AGEMENT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 407 (16 U.S.C. 1883) is 
amended to read as follows: 
‘‘SEC. 407. CERTIFICATION OF STATE SURVEYS. 
‘‘(a) SUBMISSION.—A Gulf State that conducts a ma-
rine recreational fisheries statistical survey in the Gulf of 
Mexico to make catch estimates for red snapper landed 
in such State may submit such survey to the Secretary 
for certification. 
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‘‘(b) CERTIFICATION STANDARDS.—Not later than 
90 days after the date of enactment of the Strengthening 
Fishing Communities and Increasing Flexibility in Fish-
eries Management Act, the Secretary shall establish and 
provide the Gulf States with standards for certifying State 
marine recreational fisheries statistical surveys that 
shall— 
‘‘(1) ensure that State marine recreational fish-
eries statistical surveys are appropriately pilot test-
ed, independently peer reviewed, and endorsed for 
implementation by the reviewers; 
‘‘(2) use designs consistent with accepted sur-
vey sampling practices; and 
‘‘(3) minimize the potential for bias and known 
sources of survey error. 
‘‘(c) CERTIFICATION.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall make a 
certification or a denial of certification for any ma-
rine recreational fisheries statistical survey sub-
mitted under subsection (a) not later than the end 
of the 6-month period beginning on the date that the 
survey and information needed to evaluate the sur-
vey under the standards established under sub-
section (b) are submitted. 
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‘‘(2) TIMING.—In the case of a certification re-
quest from a Gulf State, the Secretary shall begin 
evaluation of the request upon receipt of all informa-
tion necessary to make a determination consistent 
with the standards set forth under subsection (b). 
‘‘(3) DEEMED
CERTIFIED.—A marine rec-
reational fisheries statistical survey shall be deemed 
to be certified effective upon the expiration of the 6- 
month period described in paragraph (1) if the Sec-
retary has not made a certification or denial of cer-
tification. 
‘‘(d) MODIFICATION OF SURVEYS DENIED CERTIFI-
CATION.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—If a marine recreational 
fisheries statistical survey of a Gulf State is denied 
certification under subsection (c), the Secretary 
shall, not later than 60 days after the date of the 
denial, provide the Gulf State a proposal for modi-
fications to the survey. 
‘‘(2) PROPOSAL.—A proposal provided to a Gulf 
State for a survey under paragraph (1)— 
‘‘(A) shall be specific to the survey sub-
mitted by such Gulf State and may not be con-
strued to apply to any other Gulf State; 
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‘‘(B) shall require revision to the fewest 
possible provisions of the survey; and 
‘‘(C) may not unduly burden the ability of 
such Gulf State to revise the survey. 
‘‘(3) MODIFIED SURVEY.— 
‘‘(A) AUTHORITY TO SUBMIT.—If a marine 
recreational fisheries statistical survey of a Gulf 
State was denied certification under subsection 
(c), the Gulf State may modify the survey and 
submit the modified survey to the Secretary for 
certification or denial of certification. 
‘‘(B) SCHEDULE.—The Secretary shall 
make a certification or denial of certification for 
any modified survey not later than the end of 
the 30-day period beginning on the date the 
modified survey is submitted. 
‘‘(C) DEEMED
CERTIFIED.—A modified 
survey is deemed to be certified effective upon 
the expiration of the period described in sub-
paragraph (B) if the Secretary has not made a 
certification or denial of certification.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of contents 
in the first section is amended by striking the item relating 
to section 407 and inserting the following: 
‘‘Sec. 407. Certification of State surveys.’’. 
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TITLE IV—STRENGTHENING 
FISHING COMMUNITIES 
SEC. 401. ESTIMATION OF COST OF RECOVERY FROM FISH-
ERY RESOURCE DISASTER. 
Section 312(a)(1) (16 U.S.C. 1861a(a)(1)) is amend-
ed— 
(1) by inserting ‘‘(A)’’ after ‘‘(1)’’; 
(2) by redesignating existing subparagraphs (A) 
through (C) as clauses (i) through (iii), respectively, 
of subparagraph (A) (as designated by the amend-
ment made by paragraph (1)); and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(B) The Secretary shall publish the estimated cost 
of recovery from a fishery resource disaster no later than 
30 days after the Secretary makes the determination 
under subparagraph (A) with respect to such disaster.’’. 
SEC. 402. DEADLINE FOR ACTION ON REQUEST BY GOV-
ERNOR FOR DETERMINATION REGARDING 
FISHERY RESOURCE DISASTER. 
Section 312(a) (16 U.S.C. 1861a(a)) is amended by 
redesignating paragraphs (2) through (4) as paragraphs 
(3) through (5), and by inserting after paragraph (1) the 
following: 
‘‘(2) The Secretary shall make a decision regarding 
a request from a Governor under paragraph (1) within 90 
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days after receiving an estimate of the economic impact 
of the fishery resource disaster from the entity requesting 
the relief.’’. 
SEC. 403. NORTH PACIFIC FISHERY MANAGEMENT CLARI-
FICATION. 
Section 306(a)(3)(C) (16 U.S.C. 1856(a)(3)(C)) is 
amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘was no’’ and inserting ‘‘is no’’; 
and 
(2) by striking ‘‘on August 1, 1996’’. 
SEC. 404. LIMITATION ON HARVEST IN NORTH PACIFIC DI-
RECTED POLLOCK FISHERY. 
Section 210(e)(1) of the American Fisheries Act (title 
II of division C of Public Law 105–277; 16 U.S.C. 1851 
note) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(1) HARVESTING.— 
‘‘(A) LIMITATION.—No particular indi-
vidual, corporation, or other entity may harvest, 
through a fishery cooperative or otherwise, a 
percentage of the pollock available to be har-
vested in the directed pollock fishery that ex-
ceeds the percentage established for purposes of 
this paragraph by the North Pacific Fishery 
Management Council. 
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‘‘(B) MAXIMUM
PERCENTAGE.—The per-
centage established by the North Pacific Fish-
ery Management Council shall not exceed 24 
percent of the pollock available to be harvested 
in the directed pollock fishery.’’. 
SEC. 405. ARCTIC COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT QUOTA. 
Section 313 (16 U.S.C. 1862) is amended by adding 
at the end the following: 
‘‘(k) ARCTIC COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT QUOTA.— 
If the North Pacific Fishery Management Council issues 
a fishery management plan for the exclusive economic zone 
in the Arctic Ocean, or an amendment to the Fishery 
Management Plan for Fish Resources of the Arctic Man-
agement Area issued by such Council, that makes avail-
able to commercial fishing, and establishes a sustainable 
harvest level, for any part of such zone, the Council shall 
set aside not less than 10 percent of the total allowable 
catch therein as a community development quota for 
coastal villages located north and east of the Bering 
Strait.’’. 
SEC. 406. REALLOCATION OF CERTAIN UNUSED HARVEST 
ALLOCATION. 
(a) REALLOCATION.—Notwithstanding any other 
provision of law, each year upon receipt by the Secretary 
of Commerce (referred to in this section as the ‘‘Sec-
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retary’’) of written notice from the allocation holder 
named in section 803 of division B of the Consolidated 
Appropriations Act, 2004 (Public Law 108–199, 16 
U.S.C. 1851 note) that such holder will not harvest all 
or a part of the allocation authorized pursuant to that Act, 
the Secretary shall reallocate for that year the unused por-
tion of such allocation to the Bering Sea subarea of the 
BSAI (as defined in section 679.2 of title 50, Code of Fed-
eral Regulations) and shall assign the reallocated unused 
portion of the allocation only to eligible vessels as de-
scribed in subsection (b)(1) for harvest in the Bering Sea 
subarea of the BSAI, consistent with any agreements as 
described in subsection (c). 
(b) ELIGIBILITY TO RECEIVE REALLOCATION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Only vessels defined in sub-
section (a), (b), (c), or (e) of section 208 of the 
American Fisheries Act (16 U.S.C. 1851 note), or 
any vessels authorized to replace such vessels, may 
receive a reallocation described in subsection (a). 
(2) LIMITATION
ON
REALLOCATIONS.—The 
Secretary shall not reallocate the allocation de-
scribed in subsection (a) in any year if such realloca-
tion exceeds the annual catch limit for pollock in the 
Bering Sea subarea of the BSAI. 
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(3) CALCULATIONS.—Any amount of the re-
allocation described in subsection (a) shall not be 
used in the calculation of harvesting or processing 
excessive shares as described in section 210(e) of the 
American Fisheries Act (16 U.S.C. 1851 note). 
(4) CONDITIONS.—In any year, the assignment, 
transfer, or reallocation shall not violate the require-
ments of section 206(b) of the American Fisheries 
Act (title II of the division C of Public Law 105– 
277; 16 U.S.C. 1851 note). 
(c) AGREEMENTS.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Each year, the allocation 
holder named in section 803(a) of division B of the 
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2004 (Public Law 
108–199, 16 U.S.C. 1851 note) may establish one or 
more agreements with the owners of some or all of 
the eligible vessels as defined in subsection (b)(1). 
(2) 
REQUIREMENTS.—Each 
agreement 
de-
scribed in paragraph (1)— 
(A) shall specify those eligible vessels that 
may receive a reallocation and the amount of 
reallocation that such vessels may receive in ac-
cordance with subsection (b)(2); and 
(B) may contain other requirements or 
compensation agreed to by the allocation holder 
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named in section 803 of division B of the Con-
solidated Appropriations Act, 2004 (Public Law 
108–199, 16 U.S.C. 1851 note) and the owners 
of such eligible vessels, provided such require-
ments or compensation are otherwise consistent 
with the American Fisheries Act (16 U.S.C. 
1851 note), the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 
Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 
1801 et seq.), and any other applicable law. 
(d) EXISTING AUTHORITY.—Except for the measures 
required by this section, nothing in this section shall be 
construed to limit the authority of the North Pacific Fish-
ery Management Council or the Secretary under the 
American Fisheries Act (16 U.S.C. 1851 note), the Mag-
nuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act 
(16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.), or other applicable law. 
(e) ENFORCEMENT.—Taking or processing any part 
of the allocation made by section 803 of division B of the 
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2004 (Public Law 108– 
199, 16 U.S.C. 1851 note), and reallocated under this sec-
tion in a manner that is not consistent with the realloca-
tion authorized by the Secretary shall be considered in vio-
lation of section 307 of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 
Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1857) and 
subject to the penalties and sanctions under section 308 
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of such Act (16 U.S.C. 1858), and subject to the forfeiture 
of any fish harvested or processed. 
(f) CLARIFICATIONS.— 
(1) AMENDMENT.—Subsection (c) of section 
803 of division B of the Consolidated Appropriations 
Act, 2004 (Public Law 108–199, 16 U.S.C. 1851 
note) is amended by striking ‘‘during the years 2004 
through 2008’’. 
(2) PURPOSE
OF
REALLOCATION.—Consistent 
with subsection (d) of section 803 of division B of 
the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2004 (Public 
Law 108–199, 16 U.S.C. 1851 note), the realloca-
tion of the unused portion of the allocation provided 
to the allocation holder named in subsection (a) of 
such section for harvest in the Bering Sea subarea 
of the BSAI is for the purposes of economic develop-
ment in Adak, Alaska pursuant to the requirements 
of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and 
Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.). 
SEC. 407. COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT QUOTA PROGRAM 
PANEL VOTING PROCEDURES. 
Section 
305(i)(1)(G)(iv) 
(16 
U.S.C. 
1855(i)(1)(G)(iv)) is amended to read as follows: 
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‘‘(iv) VOTING
REQUIREMENT.—The 
panel may act only by the affirmative vote 
of at least five of its members.’’. 
SEC. 408. PROHIBITION ON SHARK FEEDING OFF COAST OF 
FLORIDA. 
Section 307 (16 U.S.C. 1857) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘It is unlawful—’’ and inserting 
the following: 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—It is unlawful—’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(b) PROHIBITION ON SHARK FEEDING OFF COAST 
OF FLORIDA.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—It is unlawful— 
‘‘(A) for any diver to engage in shark feed-
ing in covered waters; and 
‘‘(B) for any person to operate a vessel for 
hire for the purpose of carrying a passenger to 
a site if such person knew or should have 
known that the passenger intended, at that site, 
to be a diver— 
‘‘(i) engaged in shark feeding in cov-
ered waters; or 
‘‘(ii) engaged in observing shark feed-
ing in covered waters. 
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‘‘(2) DEFINITIONS.—For purposes of this sub-
section: 
‘‘(A) COVERED WATERS.—The term ‘cov-
ered waters’ means Federal waters off the coast 
of Florida. 
‘‘(B) DIVER.—The term ‘diver’ means a 
person who is wholly or partially submerged in 
covered water and is equipped with a face 
mask, face mask and snorkel, or underwater 
breathing apparatus. 
‘‘(C) SHARK FEEDING.—The term ‘shark 
feeding’ means— 
‘‘(i) the introduction of food or any 
other substance into covered water for the 
purpose of feeding or attracting sharks; or 
‘‘(ii) presenting food or any other sub-
stance to a shark for the purpose of feed-
ing or attracting sharks. 
‘‘(3) EXCEPTION.—This subsection shall not 
apply to shark feeding conducted— 
‘‘(A) by a research institution, university, 
or government agency for research purposes; or 
‘‘(B) 
for 
the 
purpose 
of 
harvesting 
sharks.’’. 
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SEC. 409. RESTORATION OF HISTORICALLY FRESHWATER 
ENVIRONMENT. 
Section 3(10) (16 U.S.C. 1802) is amended— 
(1) by inserting a comma after ‘‘feeding’’; and 
(2) by inserting the following: ‘‘except that such 
term— 
‘‘(A) does not include an area that— 
‘‘(i) was previously covered by land or 
a fresh water environment; and 
‘‘(ii) is in a State where the average 
annual land loss of such State during the 
20 years before the date of the enactment 
of the Strengthening Fishing Communities 
and Increasing Flexibility in Fisheries 
Management Act exceeds 10 square miles; 
and 
‘‘(B) does not apply with respect to a 
project undertaken by a State or local govern-
ment with the purpose of restoration or protec-
tion of an area described in subparagraph 
(A).’’. 
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TITLE V—MISCELLANEOUS 
PROVISIONS 
SEC. 501. MITIGATION FOR IMPACTS TO SUBMERGED 
AQUATIC VEGETATION. 
Requirements to conserve or to provide compensatory 
mitigation for impacts to submerged aquatic vegetation 
under section 305(b) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 
Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1855(b)) 
shall not apply when a non-Federal entity conducts main-
tenance dredging for an authorized Federal navigation 
project on an inland waterway, inlet, or harbor located in 
North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, or Florida pur-
suant to a permit issued under section 404 of the Federal 
Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1344) or section 
10 of the Act of March 3, 1899 (33 U.S.C. 403; 30 Stat. 
1151, chapter 425). 
SEC. 502. PLAN FOR ELECTRONIC MONITORING AND RE-
PORTING PROCEDURES FOR THE NORTH-
EAST MULTISPECIES FISHERY. 
The Secretary, acting through the National Oceanic 
and Atmospheric Administration, shall submit a plan to 
the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Rep-
resentatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, 
and Transportation of the Senate not less than 180 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act that will estab-
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lish fully operational electronic monitoring and reporting 
procedures for the Northeast Multispecies Fishery by not 
later than September 30, 2023. The plan shall include the 
proposal of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Admin-
istration to cover vessel equipment and installation costs, 
with daily, half-day, or quarter-day operational costs to 
be borne by the fishing vessels. 
SEC. 503. STUDY OF FEES CHARGED TO LOBSTER FISHING 
INDUSTRY. 
Not later than 6 months after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, the Secretary of Commerce, acting 
through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Adminis-
tration, shall study and report to the Congress on all fees 
imposed by such Administration on the lobster fishing in-
dustry. 
SEC. 504. LIMITATION ON APPLICATION OF PROHIBITION 
ON ATLANTIC STRIPED BASS FISHING IN 
BLOCK ISLAND SOUND TRANSIT ZONE. 
Any prohibition on fishing for Atlantic striped bass 
in the Exclusive Economic Zone of the United States im-
posed under Executive Order No. 13449 or section 
697.7(b) of title 50, Code of Federal Regulations, shall 
not apply in the area described in section 697.7(b)(3) of 
title 50, Code of Federal Regulations, commonly referred 
to as the Block Island Sound transit zone. 
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SEC. 505. FUNDING FOR MONITORING IMPLEMENTATION 
OF 
NORTHEAST 
MULTISPECIES 
FISHERY 
MANAGEMENT PLAN. 
Section 311(f)(4) (16 U.S.C. 1861(f)(4)) is amended 
by striking ‘‘pursuant to this section’’ and all that follows 
through the end of the sentence and inserting ‘‘to enforce 
and monitor (including electronic monitoring) implementa-
tion of that Plan.’’. 
TITLE VI—REEF ASSASSIN ACT 
SEC. 601. SHORT TITLE. 
This title may be cited as the ‘‘Reef Assassin Act’’. 
SEC. 602. ENCOURAGING ELIMINATION OF LIONFISH. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—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 fol-
lowing: 
‘‘SEC. 321. ENCOURAGING ELIMINATION OF LIONFISH. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Subject to the approval of an ex-
empted fishing permit submitted by a participating State, 
the Secretary shall issue regulations under which a partici-
pating State may issue to an individual submitting lionfish 
taken in Federal or State waters a tag authorizing the 
taking of a fish of a covered species in Federal waters 
in addition to any other fish of that species the individual 
is authorized to take in Federal waters. 
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