[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3045 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

111th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 3045

  To direct the Secretary of Commerce to study the Gulf of Mexico red 
    snapper fishery and to limit the authority of the Secretary to 
 promulgate any interim rules for the fishery, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           February 25, 2010

  Mr. Nelson of Florida introduced the following bill; which was read 
     twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
                             Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To direct the Secretary of Commerce to study the Gulf of Mexico red 
    snapper fishery and to limit the authority of the Secretary to 
 promulgate any interim rules for the fishery, and for other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Gulf of Mexico Red Snapper Fishery 
Protection Act''.

SEC. 2. GULF OF MEXICO RED SNAPPER FISHERY.

    (a) Stock Assessment.--
            (1) Requirement.--The Secretary of Commerce shall conduct a 
        benchmark stock assessment of the Gulf of Mexico red snapper 
        fishery.
            (2) Report to congress.--The Secretary of Commerce shall 
        submit to Congress a report on the findings of the assessment 
        required by paragraph (1).
    (b) Limitation on Rules To Shorten Fishing Season.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary of Commerce may not 
        promulgate any interim rule under section 305(c) of the 
        Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 
        U.S.C. 1855(c)) or any final rule that decreases the number of 
        fishing days in the Gulf of Mexico red snapper fishery to less 
        than the number of such days in 2009--
                    (A) prior to the date the Secretary submits to 
                Congress the report required by subsection (a)(2); and
                    (B) unless such report demonstrates the need for 
                any such an interim or final rule.
            (2) Existing interim rules.--Any interim rule promulgated 
        under section 305(c) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 
        Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1855(c)) that 
        decreases the number of fishing days in the Gulf of Mexico red 
        snapper fishery to less than the number of such days in 2009 
        that was promulgated prior to the date of the enactment of this 
        Act shall have no force or effect.
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