To provide that the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shall not issue an interim or final rule that includes an area closure in the South Atlantic for species managed under the Snapper-Grouper Fishery Management Plan until the South Atlantic Great Red Snapper Count study is complete and the data related to that study is integrated into the stock assessment.
Bill: H.R.9373 | Sponsor: Rep. Rutherford, John H. (R-FL)
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources

Summary:
This bill prohibits the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration from issuing an interim or final rule that includes an area closure in the South Atlantic for species managed under the Snapper-Grouper Fishery Management Plan until (1) the South Atlantic Great Red Snapper Count study is complete, and (2) the data related to such study is integrated into the South Atlantic red snapper research track and operational stock assessment.

To provide that the Administrator of the National Oceanic and 
  Atmospheric Administration shall not issue an interim or final rule 
that includes an area closure in the South Atlantic for species managed 
   under the Snapper-Grouper Fishery Management Plan until the South 
Atlantic Great Red Snapper Count study is complete and the data related 
         to that study is integrated into the stock assessment.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. CONDITIONS FOR RULES RELATED TO CERTAIN AREA CLOSURES.

    (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
            (1) Fishing is a major economic driver in the South 
        Atlantic. In Florida alone, recreational anglers provide 
        $14,000,000,000 in economic output and support 119,000 jobs.
            (2) Red snapper is a highly prized and sought after reef 
        fish by both recreational and commercial fishermen.
            (3) The 6-day recreational red snapper season in 2018 added 
        $13,000,000 to the gross domestic product of the South Atlantic 
        region.
            (4) For the last 10 years, fishery managers have 
        successfully been working to rebuild the red snapper stock in 
        the South Atlantic. There is currently record high abundance 
        and strong recruitment within the stock.
            (5) This record abundance has led to increased out-of-
        season encounters and discards which is driving red snapper 
        mortality.
            (6) Despite these increased discards, it is the overriding 
        opinion of the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council's 
        Snapper Grouper Advisory Panel that based on members' 
        collective on-the-water experience, the red snapper fishery is 
        recovered.
            (7) However, options for future consideration to reduce 
        out-of-season encounters and red snapper mortalities include 
        shorter seasons and broad area closures for the snapper-grouper 
        fishery in the South Atlantic.
            (8) The State of Florida is concerned with the economic 
        implications of area closures for the South Atlantic snapper-
        grouper recreational fishery.
            (9) $5,100,000 has been invested in independent survey data 
        over the last three fiscal years, including $3,300,000 for the 
        South Atlantic Great Red Snapper Count to estimate the number 
        of red snapper (Lutjanus campechanus) in the South Atlantic 
        waters from North Carolina to Florida.
            (10) The National Marine Fisheries Service should 
        incorporate data from this survey into the National Marine 
        Fisheries Service stock assessments as expeditiously as 
        possible to better inform fishery management decisions.
    (b) Condition on Issuance of Rule.--The Administrator of the 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shall not issue an 
interim or final rule that includes an area closure in the South 
Atlantic for species managed under the Snapper-Grouper Fishery 
Management Plan until--
            (1) the South Atlantic Great Red Snapper Count study is 
        complete; and
            (2) the data related to that study is integrated into the 
        upcoming South Atlantic red snapper research track and 
        operational stock assessment.
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