[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4129 Introduced in House (IH)]

112th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 4129

 To amend the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act 
  to add Rhode Island to the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 1, 2012

 Mr. Langevin (for himself and Mr. Cicilline) introduced the following 
     bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act 
  to add Rhode Island to the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council.

    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 ``Rhode Island Fishermen's Fairness 
Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds as follows:
            (1) Rhode Island fishermen participate in fisheries managed 
        by the New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC) and the 
        Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (MAFMC).
            (2) Rhode Island currently has voting membership on the 
        NEFMC under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and 
        Management Act but does not have voting membership on the 
        MAFMC.
            (3) Rhode Island lands more MAFMC-managed stocks than any 
        other MAFMC member except the State of New Jersey.
            (4) A higher percentage of Rhode Island's commercial 
        landings (by weight or value) traditionally have come from 
        species that are managed by the MAFMC as compared to species 
        managed by NEFMC.
            (5) MAFMC has found that Rhode Island's circumstance 
        parallels that of Florida and North Carolina, which each have 
        voting membership on two different fishery management councils.

SEC. 3. ADDITION OF RHODE ISLAND TO THE MID-ATLANTIC FISHERY MANAGEMENT 
              COUNCIL.

    Section 302(a)(1)(B) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation 
and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1852(a)(1)(B)) is amended--
            (1) by inserting ``Rhode Island,'' after ``States of'';
            (2) by inserting ``Rhode Island,'' after ``except North 
        Carolina,'';
            (3) by striking ``21'' and inserting ``23''; and
            (4) by striking ``13'' and inserting ``14''.
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