[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 943 Introduced in House (IH)]

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115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 943

 To authorize the Secretary of Commerce to award competitive grants to 
 combat the certain species of lionfish in the Atlantic Ocean and the 
                            Gulf of Mexico.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            February 7, 2017

 Mr. Curbelo of Florida (for himself and Mr. Hastings) introduced the 
    following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural 
                               Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To authorize the Secretary of Commerce to award competitive grants to 
 combat the certain species of lionfish in the Atlantic Ocean and the 
                            Gulf of Mexico.

    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 ``Finding Innovative Lionfish 
Elimination Technologies Act of 2017''.

SEC. 2. COMPETITIVE GRANTS TO INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION AND 
              NONPROFIT RESEARCH ORGANIZATIONS TO COMBAT LIONFISH IN 
              THE ATLANTIC OCEAN AND THE GULF OF MEXICO.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Commerce, through the Cooperative 
Science and Education Program of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration conducted under Public Law 86-685 (74 Stat. 733), the 
Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act (16 U.S.C. 661 et seq.), and the 
Departments of Commerce, Justice, and State, the Judiciary, and Related 
Agencies Appropriations Act, 1999 (section 101(b) of division A of 
Public Law 105-277; 112 Stat. 2681-50), shall award competitive grants 
to institutions of higher education and nonprofit research 
organizations to combat the species of lionfish Pterois miles and 
Pterois volitans, in the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico.
    (b) Eligibility.--To be eligible for a grant under this section, an 
institution of higher education or nonprofit research organization 
must--
            (1) have established research infrastructure and proven 
        capabilities of understanding the behavior of such species and 
        the ecosystems of the Atlantic Ocean or the Gulf of Mexico; and
            (2) demonstrate a clear appreciation and understanding of 
        the biological, chemical, and physical aspects of such 
        ecosystem.
    (c) Encouragement of Collaboration.--In selecting projects for 
grants under this section, the Secretary of Commerce may encourage 
collaborative work with stakeholder groups having practical experience 
with gear, harvest techniques, and knowledge of local ecosystems.
    (d) Use.--Amounts awarded as grants under this section shall be 
used--
            (1) for lionfish research and the impact of such species on 
        the ecosystems of the Atlantic Ocean or the Gulf of Mexico;
            (2) to develop innovative technologies, including 
        autonomous cameras and active acoustic systems appropriate for 
        coastal environments, for detection of lionfish and 
        determination of priority areas for removal of invasive 
        species; and
            (3) to develop lionfish mitigation technologies, including 
        traps and countermeasures.
    (e) Funding.--Of amounts available for each of fiscal years 2018 
through 2022 for the Coastal Ecosystem Resiliency Grant program of the 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, $1,500,000 may be used 
to carry out this section.
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