HR 1653 RDS
as diverse, viable, and self-perpetuating coral reef
ecosystems, including all activities associated with
resource management, such as assessment, conserva-
tion, protection, restoration, sustainable use, and
management of habitat; mapping; habitat moni-
toring; assistance in the development of management
strategies for marine protected areas and marine re-
sources consistent with the National Marine Sanc-
tuaries Act (16 U.S.C. 1431 et seq.) and the Mag-
nuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Manage-
ment Act (16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.); law enforcement;
conflict resolution initiatives; community outreach
and education; and that promote safe and eco-
logically sound navigation.
(3) CORAL.—The term ‘‘coral’’ means species
of the phylum Cnidaria, including—
(A) all species of the orders Antipatharia
(black corals), Scleractinia (stony corals),
Gorgonacea 
(horny 
corals), 
Stolonifera
(organpipe corals and others), Alcyanacea (soft
corals), and Coenothecalia (blue coral), of the
class Anthozoa; and
(B) all species of the order Hydrocorallina
(fire corals and hydrocorals) of the class
Hydrozoa.
HR 1653 RDS
(4) CORAL
REEF.—The term ‘‘coral reef’’
means any reefs or shoals composed primarily of
corals.
(5) CORAL
REEF
ECOSYSTEM.—The term
‘‘coral reef ecosystem’’ means coral and other spe-
cies of reef organisms (including reef plants) associ-
ated with coral reefs, and the nonliving environ-
mental factors that directly affect coral reefs, that
together function as an ecological unit in nature.
(6) CORAL PRODUCTS.—The term ‘‘coral prod-
ucts’’ means any living or dead specimens, parts, or
derivatives, or any product containing specimens,
parts, or derivatives, of any species referred to in
paragraph (3).
(7) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means
the Secretary of Commerce.
(8) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means any
State of the United States that contains a coral reef
ecosystem within its seaward boundaries, American
Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puer-
to Rico, and the Virgin Islands, and any other terri-
tory or possession of the United States, or separate
sovereign in free association with the United States,
that contains a coral reef ecosystem within its sea-
ward boundaries.
HR 1653 RDS
TITLE III—MISCELLANEOUS
SEC. 301. GREAT LAKES FISHERY ACT OF 1956.
Section 3(a) of the Great Lakes Fishery Act of 1956
(16 U.S.C. 932(a)) is amended by adding at the end the
following:
‘‘(3) Individuals serving as such Commissioners shall
not be considered to be Federal employees while per-
forming such service, except for purposes of injury com-
pensation or tort claims liability as provided in chapter
81 of title 5, United States Code, and chapter 171 of title
28, United States Code.’’.
SEC. 302. TUNA CONVENTIONS ACT OF 1950.
Section 3 of the Tuna Conventions Act of 1950 (16
U.S.C. 952) is amended by inserting before ‘‘Of such
Commissioners—’’ the following: ‘‘Individuals serving as
such Commissioners shall not be considered to be Federal
employees while performing such service, except for pur-
poses of injury compensation or tort claims liability as pro-
vided in chapter 81 of title 5, United States Code, and
chapter 171 of title 28, United States Code.’’.
SEC. 303. ATLANTIC TUNAS CONVENTION ACT OF 1975.
Section 3(a)(1) of the Atlantic Tunas Convention Act
of 1975 (16 U.S.C. 971a(a)(1)) is amended by inserting
before ‘‘The Commissioners’’ the following: ‘‘Individuals
serving as such Commissioners shall not be considered to
HR 1653 RDS
be Federal employees while performing such service, ex-
cept for purposes of injury compensation or tort claims
liability as provided in chapter 81 of title 5, United States
Code, and chapter 171 of title 28, United States Code.’’.
SEC. 304. NORTH PACIFIC ANADROMOUS STOCKS ACT OF
1992.
(a) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—Public Law 102–587
is amended by striking title VIII (106 Stat. 5098 et seq.).
(b) TREATMENT COMMISSIONERS.—Section 804(a)
of the North Pacific Anadromous Stocks Act of 1992 (16
U.S.C. 5003(a)) is amended by inserting before ‘‘Of the
Commissioners—’’ the following: ‘‘Individuals serving as
such Commissioners shall not be considered to be Federal
employees while performing such service, except for pur-
poses of injury compensation or tort claims liability as pro-
vided in chapter 81 of title 5, United States Code, and
chapter 171 of title 28, United States Code.’’.
SEC. 305. HIGH SEAS FISHING COMPLIANCE ACT OF 1995.
Section 103(4) of the High Seas Fishing Compliance
Act of 1995 (16 U.S.C. 5502(4)) is amended by inserting
‘‘or subject to the jurisdiction of the United States’’ after
‘‘United States’’.
SEC. 306. REIMBURSEMENT OF EXPENSES.
Notwithstanding section 3302 (b) and (c) of title 31,
United States Code, all amounts received by the United
HR 1653 RDS
States in settlement of, or judgment for, damage claims
arising from the October 9, 1992, allision of the vessel
ZACHARY into the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration research vessel DISCOVERER, and from
the disposal of marine assets, and all amounts received
by the United States from the disposal of marine assets
of 
the 
National 
Oceanic 
and 
Atmospheric
Administration—
(1) shall be retained as an offsetting collection
in the Operations, Research and Facilities account
of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Adminis-
tration;
(2) shall be deposited into that account upon
receipt by the United States Government; and
(3) shall be available only for obligation for Na-
tional Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration hy-
drographic and fisheries vessel operations.
SEC. 307. TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS TO NATIONAL MARINE
SANCTUARIES ACT.
(a) 
CROSS
REFERENCE
CORRECTION.—Section
304(f)(2) of the National Marine Sanctuaries Act (16
U.S.C. 1434(f)(2)) is amended by striking ‘‘paragraph
(2)’’ and inserting ‘‘subparagraphs (A) and (B) of para-
graph (1)’’.
HR 1653 RDS
(b) SHORT TITLE CORRECTION.—Section 317 of
such Act (16 U.S.C. 1445 note) is amended by striking
‘‘ ‘The’’ and inserting ‘‘the ‘ ’’.
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—Subsection (a) shall take ef-
fect January 1, 2001.
TITLE IV—STUDY OF EASTERN
GRAY WHALE POPULATION
SEC. 401. STUDY OF THE EASTERN GRAY WHALE POPU-
LATION.
(a) STUDY.—Not later than 180 days after the date
of enactment of this Act and subject to the availability
of appropriations, the Secretary of Commerce shall initiate
a study of the environmental and biological factors respon-
sible for the significant increase in mortality events of the
eastern gray whale population, and the other potential im-
pacts these factors may be having on the eastern gray
whale population.
(b) CONSIDERATION OF WESTERN POPULATION IN-
FORMATION.—The Secretary should ensure that, to the
greatest extent practicable, information from current and
future studies of the western gray whale population is con-
sidered in the study under this section, so as to better
understand the dynamics of each population and to test
different hypotheses that may lead to an increased under-
HR 1653 RDS
standing of the mechanism driving their respective popu-
lation dynamics.
(c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—In addi-
tion to other amounts authorized under this title, there
are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry
out this section—
(1) $290,000 for fiscal year 2001; and
(2) $500,000 for each of fiscal years 2002
through 2004.
TITLE V—MISCELLANEOUS
SEC. 501. TREATMENT OF VESSEL AS AN ELIGIBLE VESSEL.
Notwithstanding paragraphs (1) through (3) of sec-
tions 208(a) of the American Fisheries Act (title II of divi-
sion C of the Omnibus Consolidated and Emergency Sup-
plemental Appropriations Act, 1999 (Public Law 105–
277; 112 Stat. 2681–624)), the catcher vessel HAZEL
LORRAINE (United States Official Number 592211) and
the catcher vessel PROVIDIAN (United States Official
Number 1062183) shall be considered to be vessels that
are eligible to harvest the directed fishing allowance under
section 206(b)(1) of that Act pursuant to a Federal fish-
ing permit in the same manner as, and subject to the same
requirements and limitations on that harvesting as apply