A bill to amend title 46, United States Code, to modify the vessels eligible for a fishery endorsement, and for other purposes.

SECTION 1. VESSEL SIZE LIMITS FOR FISHERY ENDORSEMENTS.

    (a) Length, Tonnage, and Horsepower.--Section 12113(d)(2) of title 
46, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (A)--
                    (A) in clause (i), by adding ``and'' at the end;
                    (B) in clause (ii) by striking ``and'' at the end; 
                and
                    (C) by striking clause (iii);
            (2) in subparagraph (B), by striking the period at the end 
        and inserting ``; or''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(C) the vessel is either a rebuilt vessel or a 
                replacement vessel under section 208(g) of the American 
                Fisheries Act (title II of division C of Public Law 
                105-277; 112 Stat. 2681-627) and is eligible for a 
                fishery endorsement under this section.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendments.--
            (1) Vessel rebuilding and replacement.--Subsection (g) of 
        section 208 of the American Fisheries Act (title II of division 
        C of Public Law 105-277; 112 Stat. 2681-627) is amended to read 
        as follows:
    ``(g) Vessel Rebuilding and Replacement.--
            ``(1) In general.--
                    ``(A) Rebuild or replace.--Notwithstanding any 
                limitation to the contrary on replacing, rebuilding, or 
                lengthening vessels or transferring permits or licenses 
                to a replacement vessel contained in sections 679.2 and 
                679.4 of title 50, Code of Federal Regulations, as in 
                effect on the date of enactment of this subsection and 
                except as provided in paragraph (4), the owner of a 
                vessel eligible under subsection (a), (b), (c), (d), or 
                (e) (other than paragraph (21)), in order to improve 
                vessel safety and operational efficiencies (including 
                fuel efficiency), may rebuild or replace that vessel 
                (including fuel efficiency) with a vessel documented 
                with a fishery endorsement under section 12113 of title 
                46, United States Code.
                    ``(B) Same requirements.--The rebuilt or 
                replacement vessel shall be eligible in the same manner 
                and subject to the same restrictions and limitations 
                under such subsection as the vessel being rebuilt or 
                replaced.
                    ``(C) Transfer of permits and licenses.--Each 
                fishing permit and license held by the owner of a 
                vessel or vessels to be rebuilt or replaced under 
                subparagraph (A) shall be transferred to the rebuilt or 
                replacement vessel.
            ``(2) Recommendations of north pacific council.--The North 
        Pacific Council may recommend for approval by the Secretary 
        such conservation and management measures, including size 
        limits and measures to control fishing capacity, in accordance 
        with the Magnuson-Stevens Act as it considers necessary to 
        ensure that this subsection does not diminish the effectiveness 
        of fishery management plans of the Bering Sea and Aleutian 
        Islands Management Area or the Gulf of Alaska.
            ``(3) Special rule for replacement of certain vessels.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Notwithstanding the requirements 
                of subsections (b)(2), (c)(1), and (c)(2) of section 
                12113 of title 46, United States Code, a vessel that is 
                eligible under subsection (a), (b), (c), (d), or (e) 
                (other than paragraph (21)) and that qualifies to be 
                documented with a fishery endorsement pursuant to 
                section 203(g) or 213(g) may be replaced with a 
                replacement vessel under paragraph (1) if the vessel 
                that is replaced is validly documented with a fishery 
                endorsement pursuant to section 203(g) or 213(g) before 
                the replacement vessel is documented with a fishery 
                endorsement under section 12113 of title 46, United 
                States Code.
                    ``(B) Applicability.--A replacement vessel under 
                subparagraph (A) and its owner and mortgagee are 
                subject to the same limitations under section 203(g) or 
                213(g) that are applicable to the vessel that has been 
                replaced and its owner and mortgagee.
            ``(4) Special rules for certain catcher vessels.--
                    ``(A) In general.--A replacement for a covered 
                vessel described in subparagraph (B) is prohibited from 
                harvesting fish in any fishery (except for the Pacific 
                whiting fishery) managed under the authority of any 
                regional fishery management council (other than the 
                North Pacific Council) established under section 302(a) 
                of the Magnuson-Stevens Act.
                    ``(B) Covered vessels.--A covered vessel referred 
                to in subparagraph (A) is--
                            ``(i) a vessel eligible under subsection 
                        (a), (b), or (c) that is replaced under 
                        paragraph (1); or
                            ``(ii) a vessel eligible under subsection 
                        (a), (b), or (c) that is rebuilt to increase 
                        its registered length, gross tonnage, or shaft 
                        horsepower.
            ``(5) Limitation on fishery endorsements.--Any vessel that 
        is replaced under this subsection shall thereafter not be 
        eligible for a fishery endorsement under section 12113 of title 
        46, United States Code, unless that vessel is also a 
        replacement vessel described in paragraph (1).
            ``(6) Gulf of alaska limitation.--Notwithstanding paragraph 
        (1), the Secretary shall prohibit from participation in the 
        groundfish fisheries of the Gulf of Alaska any vessel that is 
        rebuilt or replaced under this subsection and that exceeds the 
        maximum length overall specified on the license that authorizes 
        fishing for groundfish pursuant to the license limitation 
        program under part 679 of title 50, Code of Federal 
        Regulations, as in effect on the date of enactment of this 
        subsection.
            ``(7) Authority of pacific council.--Nothing in this 
        section shall be construed to diminish or otherwise affect the 
        authority of the Pacific Council to recommend to the Secretary 
        conservation and management measures to protect fisheries under 
        its jurisdiction (including the Pacific whiting fishery) and 
        participants in such fisheries from adverse impacts caused by 
        this Act.''.
            (2) Exemption of certain vessels.--Section 203(g) of the 
        American Fisheries Act (title II of division C of Public Law 
        105-277; 112 Stat. 2681-620) is amended--
                    (A) by inserting ``and'' after ``(United States 
                official number 651041)'';
                    (B) by striking ``, NORTHERN TRAVELER (United 
                States official number 635986), and NORTHERN VOYAGER 
                (United States official number 637398) (or a 
                replacement vessel for the NORTHERN VOYAGER that 
                complies with paragraphs (2), (5), and (6) of section 
                208(g) of this Act)''; and
                    (C) by striking ``, in the case of the NORTHERN'' 
                and all that follows through ``PHOENIX,''.
            (3) Fishery cooperative exit provisions.--Section 210(b) of 
        the American Fisheries Act (title II of division C of Public 
        Law 105-277; 112 Stat. 2681-629) is amended--
                    (A) by moving the matter beginning with ``the 
                Secretary shall'' in paragraph (1) 2 ems to the right; 
                and
                    (B) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(7) Fishery cooperative exit provisions.--
                    ``(A) Fishing allowance determination.--For 
                purposes of determining the aggregate percentage of 
                directed fishing allowances under paragraph (1), when a 
                catcher vessel is removed from the directed pollock 
                fishery, the fishery allowance for pollock for the 
                vessel being removed--
                            ``(i) shall be based on the catch history 
                        determination for the vessel made pursuant to 
                        section 679.62 of title 50, Code of Federal 
                        Regulations, as in effect on the date of 
                        enactment of this paragraph; and
                            ``(ii) shall be assigned, for all purposes 
                        under this title, in the manner specified by 
                        the owner of the vessel being removed to any 
                        other catcher vessel or among other catcher 
                        vessels participating in the fishery 
                        cooperative if such vessel or vessels remain in 
                        the fishery cooperative for at least one year 
                        after the date on which the vessel being 
                        removed leaves the directed pollock fishery.
                    ``(B) Eligibility for fishery endorsement.--Except 
                as provided in subparagraph (C), a vessel that is 
                removed pursuant to this paragraph shall be permanently 
                ineligible for a fishery endorsement, and any claim 
                (including relating to catch history) associated with 
                such vessel that could qualify any owner of such vessel 
                for any permit to participate in any fishery within the 
                exclusive economic zone of the United States shall be 
                extinguished, unless such removed vessel is thereafter 
                designated to replace a vessel to be removed pursuant 
                to this paragraph.
                    ``(C) Limitations on statutory construction.--
                Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed--
                            ``(i) to make the vessels AJ (United States 
                        official number 905625), DONA MARTITA (United 
                        States official number 651751), NORDIC EXPLORER 
                        (United States official number 678234), and 
                        PROVIDIAN (United States official number 
                        1062183) ineligible for a fishery endorsement 
                        or any permit necessary to participate in any 
                        fishery under the authority of the New England 
                        Fishery Management Council or the Mid-Atlantic 
                        Fishery Management Council established, 
                        respectively, under subparagraphs (A) and (B) 
                        of section 302(a)(1) of the Magnuson-Stevens 
                        Act; or
                            ``(ii) to allow the vessels referred to in 
                        clause (i) to participate in any fishery under 
                        the authority of the Councils referred to in 
                        clause (i) in any manner that is not consistent 
                        with the fishery management plan for the 
                        fishery developed by the Councils under section 
                        303 of the Magnuson-Stevens Act.''.

Summary: Revises provisions concerning fishery endorsements for specified vessels that are either over 165 feet, more than 750 or 1,900 gross measured tons, or with more than 3,000 shaft power and that have a certificate of documentation issued for a fishery endorsement effective after September 25, 1997, and not placed under foreign registry after October 21, 1998, to also require for eligibility purposes that the vessel be either a rebuilt or replacement vessel under specified provisions of the American Fisheries Act relating to requirements for rebuilding and replacing vessels that are being revised by this Act and be otherwise eligible. Sets forth rules under such provisions of the American Fisheries Act relating to requirements for rebuilding and replacing vessels that are being revised by this Act concerning: (1) recommendations of the North Pacific Council for the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area or the Gulf of Alaska; (2) certain catcher vessels; (3) limitations on fishery endorsements; and (4) Gulf of Alaska groundfish fisheries limitations.

Amends the American Fisheries Act with respect to: (1) the exemption of specified vessels; and (2) fishery allowances and the removal of a catcher vessel from the directed pollock fishery.