[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8508 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 8508

 To amend the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act 
to reauthorize the bycatch reduction engineering program and establish 
                the Bycatch Mitigation Assistance Fund.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 22, 2024

 Mrs. Peltola (for herself, Mr. Graves of Louisiana, and Mr. Huffman) 
 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 reauthorize the bycatch reduction engineering program and establish 
                the Bycatch Mitigation Assistance Fund.

    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 ``Bycatch Reduction and Mitigation Act 
of 2024''.

SEC. 2. BYCATCH REDUCTION AND MITIGATION.

    (a) Reauthorization of Bycatch Reduction Engineering Program.--
Section 316 of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management 
Act (16 U.S.C. 1865) is amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this section $10,000,000 for 
each of fiscal years 2025 through 2029.''.
    (b) Bycatch Mitigation Assistance Fund.--Title III of the Magnuson-
Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1851 et 
seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

``SEC. 322. BYCATCH MITIGATION ASSISTANCE FUND.

    ``(a) In General.--There is established in the general fund of the 
Treasury of the United States an account to be known as the `Bycatch 
Mitigation Assistance Fund', which shall--
            ``(1) be administered by the Foundation; and
            ``(2) consist of donations of amounts accepted pursuant to 
        subsection (c).
    ``(b) Use.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Foundation shall use the amounts in 
        the Fund to reduce or mitigate bycatch, including by providing 
        financial assistance to fishermen and owners and operators of 
        commercial fishing vessels to purchase fishing gear, equipment, 
        or technology.
            ``(2) Small vessels.--In using the amounts in the Fund 
        under paragraph (1), the Foundation shall distribute not less 
        than 60 percent of such amounts to owners and operators of 
        small commercial fishing vessels.
    ``(c) Donations.--The Foundation may solicit and accept donations 
of amounts for deposit into the Fund.
    ``(d) Consultation.--In administering the Fund, the Foundation 
shall consult with the Secretary, acting through the Administrator of 
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, each Council, and 
each of the regional science centers of the National Marine Fisheries 
Service to ensure that, to the maximum extent practicable, amounts in 
the Fund are used in an efficient and cost-effective manner.
    ``(e) Report.--Not later than 3 years after the date of the 
enactment of this section, and biennially thereafter, the Foundation 
shall publish and post online in a manner available to the public 
information regarding the use of the Fund during--
            ``(1) with respect to the first publication of information, 
        the preceding 3 years; and
            ``(2) with respect to each subsequent publication of 
        information, the preceding 2 years.
    ``(f) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) Foundation.--The term `Foundation' means the National 
        Fish and Wildlife Foundation.
            ``(2) Fund.--The term `Fund' means the Bycatch Mitigation 
        Assistance Fund established under subsection (a).
            ``(3) Small commercial fishing vessel.--The term `small 
        commercial fishing vessel' means a commercial fishing vessel 
        that is 65 feet or less in length.''.
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