[House Report 115-786]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


115th Congress    }                                      {      Report
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 2d Session       }                                      {     115-786

======================================================================

 
    PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF THE BILL (H.R. 200) TO AMEND THE 
  MAGNUSON-STEVENS FISHERY CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT ACT TO PROVIDE 
 FLEXIBILITY FOR FISHERY MANAGERS AND STABILITY FOR FISHERMEN, AND FOR 
                             OTHER PURPOSES

                                _______
                                

   June 26, 2018.--Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be 
                                printed

                                _______
                                

               Ms. Cheney, from the Committee on Rules, 
                        submitted the following

                              R E P O R T

                       [To accompany H. Res. 965]

    The Committee on Rules, having had under consideration 
House Resolution 965, by a record vote of 6 to 2, report the 
same to the House with the recommendation that the resolution 
be adopted.

                SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS OF THE RESOLUTION

    The resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 200, the 
Strengthening Fishing Communities and Increasing Flexibility in 
Fisheries Management Act, under a structured rule. The 
resolution provides one hour of general debate equally divided 
and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the 
Committee on Natural Resources. The resolution waives all 
points of order against consideration of the bill. The 
resolution makes in order as original text for the purpose of 
amendment the amendment in the nature of a substitute 
recommended by the Committee on Natural Resources now printed 
in the bill and provides that it shall be considered as read. 
The resolution waives all points of order against that 
amendment in the nature of a substitute. The resolution makes 
in order only those amendments printed in this report. Each 
such amendment may be offered only in the order printed in this 
report, may be offered only by a Member designated in this 
report, shall be considered as read, shall be debatable for the 
time specified in this report equally divided and controlled by 
the proponent and an opponent, shall not be subject to 
amendment, and shall not be subject to a demand for division of 
the question in the House or in the Committee of the Whole. The 
resolution waives all points of order against the amendments 
printed in this report. The resolution provides one motion to 
recommit with or without instructions.

                         EXPLANATION OF WAIVERS

    Although the resolution waives all points of order against 
consideration of H.R. 200, the Committee is not aware of any 
points of order. The waiver is prophylactic in nature.
    Although the resolution waives all points of order against 
the amendment in the nature of a substitute to H.R. 200 made in 
order as original text, the Committee is not aware of any 
points of order. The waiver is prophylactic in nature.
    Although the resolution waives all points of order against 
the amendments printed in this report, the Committee is not 
aware of any points of order. The waiver is prophylactic in 
nature.

                            COMMITTEE VOTES

    The results of each record vote on an amendment or motion 
to report, together with the names of those voting for and 
against, are printed below:

Rules Committee record vote No. 249

    Motion by Mr. Woodall to report the rule. Adopted: 6-2

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                Majority Members                      Vote               Minority Members               Vote
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mr. Cole........................................  ............  Mr. McGovern......................          Nay
Mr. Woodall.....................................          Yea   Mr. Hastings of Florida...........          Nay
Mr. Burgess.....................................          Yea   Mr. Polis.........................  ............
Mr. Collins.....................................  ............  Mrs. Torres.......................  ............
Mr. Byrne.......................................          Yea
Mr. Newhouse....................................          Yea
Mr. Buck........................................  ............
Ms. Cheney......................................          Yea
Mr. Sessions, Chairman..........................          Yea
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                SUMMARY OF THE AMENDMENTS MADE IN ORDER

    1. Young, Don (AK), Graves, Garret (LA): Strikes sections 
302(c) and 307, and modifies sections 205, 207, 304, 306, 406, 
and 408. The amendment also includes a new section regarding 
voting procedures for the Western Alaska Community Development 
Quota Program's administrative panel.
    2. Courtney (CT), Zeldin (NY): Creates an industry-based 
pilot trawl survey for the New England and Mid-Atlantic Fishery 
Management Council regions. (10 minutes)
    3. Langevin (RI), Cicilline (RI): Provides voting 
representation for Rhode Island on the Mid-Atlantic Fishery 
Management Council (MAFMC). (10 minutes)
    4. Huffman (CA), Hastings, Alcee (FL): Ensures that 
rebuilding plans are successful in rebuilding overfished fish 
stocks. (10 minutes)
    5. Frankel (FL), Webster (FL): Waives compensatory 
mitigation requirements for maintenance dredging projects in 
certain inland waterways, inlets, or harbors (10 minutes)
    6. Graves, Garret (LA): Requires the Comptroller General to 
submit a report to Congress on resource rent of LAPPs in the 
Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic Fishery Management Councils, 
ways to the Treasury can reclaim that resource rent, and ways 
to eliminate fiduciary conflicts of interest in the South 
Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Councils. (10 
minutes)
    7. Keating (MA): Directs the Secretary to submit a plan to 
establish fully operational electronic monitoring and reporting 
procedures for the Northeast Multispecies Fishery. (10 minutes)
    8. Poliquin (ME): Requires NOAA to conduct a study on all 
fees it charges the lobster industry and report those findings 
to Congress. (10 minutes)
    9. Zeldin (NY): Lifts the ban on striped bass fishing in 
the Block Island transit zone between Montauk, NY and Block 
Island, RI. (10 minutes)
    10. Keating (MA): Directs the Secretary to use funds 
collected from penalties and fines for monitoring in addition 
to traditional enforcement activities. (10 minutes)
    11. Gaetz (FL): Rewards the elimination of lionfish from 
United States waters by allowing individuals to exchange 
lionfish for tags authorizing fishing for certain species in 
addition to the number of such species otherwise authorized to 
be taken by such individuals. (10 minutes)

                    TEXT OF AMENDMENTS MADE IN ORDER

1. An Amendment To Be Offered by Representative Young of Alaska or His 
                   Designee, Debatable for 10 Minutes

  Page 17, strike lines 17 through 23 (and redesignate the 
subsequent quoted clauses).
  Page 23, strike lines 20 through 23 and insert the following:
  (b) Publication.--The Secretary of Commerce shall make 
available on the Internet Website of the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration the report required under the 
amendment made by subsection (a) by not later than 1 year after 
the date of the enactment of this Act.
  Beginning at page 31, strike line 23 and all that follows 
through page 36, line 25.
  Beginning at page 40, line 17, strike section 304 and insert 
the following:

SEC. 304. EXEMPTED FISHING PERMITS.

  (a) Objections.--If the relevant Council, the Interstate 
Marine Fisheries Commission, or the fish and wildlife agency of 
an affected State objects to the approval and issuance of an 
exempted fishing permit under section 600.745 of title 50, Code 
of Federal Regulations, or any successor regulation, the 
Regional Administrator of the National Marine Fisheries Service 
who issued such exempted fishing permit shall respond to such 
entity in writing detailing why such exempted fishing permit 
was issued.
  (b) 12-month Finding.--At the end of the 12-month period 
beginning on the date the exempted fishing permit is issued 
under section 600.745 of title 50, Code of Federal Regulations, 
or any successor regulation, the Council that prepared the 
fishery management plan, or the Secretary in the case of a 
fishery management plan prepared and implemented by the 
Secretary, shall review the exempted fishing permit and 
determine whether any unintended negative impacts have occurred 
that would warrant the discontinuation of the permit.
  (c) Clarification.--The Secretary may not issue an exempted 
fishing permit under section 600.745 of title 50, Code of 
Federal Regulations, or any successor regulation that--
          (1) establishes a limited access system as defined in 
        section 3 of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation 
        and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1802);
          (2) is consistent with section 303A of such Act (16 
        U.S.C. 1853a); or
          (3) establishes a catch share program as defined in 
        section 206(a) of this Act.
  (d) Savings Provision.--Except for subsection (b), nothing in 
this section may be construed to affect an exempted fishing 
permit approved under section 600.745 of title 50, Code of 
Federal Regulations, before the date of the enactment of this 
Act.
  Beginning at page 44, line 1, strike section 306 and insert 
the following:

SEC. __. FEDERAL GULF OF MEXICO RED SNAPPER MANAGEMENT.

  (a) In General.--Section 407 (16 U.S.C. 1883) is amended to 
read as follows:

``SEC. 407. CERTIFICATION OF STATE SURVEYS.

  ``(a) Submission.--A Gulf State that conducts a marine 
recreational fisheries statistical survey in the Gulf of Mexico 
to make catch estimates for red snapper landed in such State 
may submit such survey to the Secretary for certification.
  ``(b) Certification Standards.--Not later than 90 days after 
the date of enactment of the Strengthening Fishing Communities 
and Increasing Flexibility in Fisheries Management Act, the 
Secretary shall establish and provide the Gulf States with 
standards for certifying State marine recreational fisheries 
statistical surveys that shall--
          ``(1) ensure that State marine recreational fisheries 
        statistical surveys are appropriately pilot tested, 
        independently peer reviewed, and endorsed for 
        implementation by the reviewers;
          ``(2) use designs consistent with accepted survey 
        sampling practices; and
          ``(3) minimize the potential for bias and known 
        sources of survey error.
  ``(c) Certification.--
          ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall make a 
        certification or a denial of certification for any 
        marine recreational fisheries statistical survey 
        submitted under subsection (a) not later than the end 
        of the 6-month period beginning on the date that the 
        survey and information needed to evaluate the survey 
        under the standards established under subsection (b) 
        are submitted.
          ``(2) Timing.--In the case of a certification request 
        from a Gulf State, the Secretary shall begin evaluation 
        of the request upon receipt of all information 
        necessary to make a determination consistent with the 
        standards set forth under subsection (b).
          ``(3) Deemed certified.--A marine recreational 
        fisheries statistical survey shall be deemed to be 
        certified effective upon the expiration of the 6-month 
        period described in paragraph (1) if the Secretary has 
        not made a certification or denial of certification.
  ``(d) Modification of Surveys Denied Certification.--
          ``(1) In general.--If a marine recreational fisheries 
        statistical survey of a Gulf State is denied 
        certification under subsection (c), the Secretary 
        shall, not later than 60 days after the date of the 
        denial, provide the Gulf State a proposal for 
        modifications to the survey.
          ``(2) Proposal.--A proposal provided to a Gulf State 
        for a survey under paragraph (1)--
                  ``(A) shall be specific to the survey 
                submitted by such Gulf State and may not be 
                construed to apply to any other Gulf State;
                  ``(B) shall require revision to the fewest 
                possible provisions of the survey; and
                  ``(C) may not unduly burden the ability of 
                such Gulf State to revise the survey.
          ``(3) Modified survey.--
                  ``(A) Authority to submit.--If a marine 
                recreational fisheries statistical survey of a 
                Gulf State was denied certification under 
                subsection (c), the Gulf State may modify the 
                survey and submit the modified survey to the 
                Secretary for certification or denial of 
                certification.
                  ``(B) Schedule.--The Secretary shall make a 
                certification or denial of certification for 
                any modified survey not later than the end of 
                the 30-day period beginning on the date the 
                modified survey is submitted.
                  ``(C) Deemed certified.--A modified survey is 
                deemed to be certified effective upon the 
                expiration of the period described in 
                subparagraph (B) if the Secretary has not made 
                a certification or denial of certification.''.
  (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of contents in the first 
section is amended by striking the item relating to section 407 
and inserting the following:

``Sec. 407. Certification of State surveys.''.

  Beginning at page 48, line 13, strike section 307.
  Beginning at page 52, at line 8, strike section 406 and 
insert the following:

SEC. __. REALLOCATION OF CERTAIN UNUSED HARVEST ALLOCATION.

  (a) Reallocation.--Notwithstanding any other provision of 
law, each year upon receipt by the Secretary of Commerce 
(referred to in this section as the ``Secretary'') of written 
notice from the allocation holder named in section 803 of 
division B of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2004 (Public 
Law 108-199, 16 U.S.C. 1851 note) that such holder will not 
harvest all or a part of the allocation authorized pursuant to 
that Act, the Secretary shall reallocate for that year the 
unused portion of such allocation to the Bering Sea subarea of 
the BSAI (as defined in section 679.2 of title 50, Code of 
Federal Regulations) and shall assign the reallocated unused 
portion of the allocation only to eligible vessels as described 
in subsection (b)(1) for harvest in the Bering Sea subarea of 
the BSAI, consistent with any agreements as described in 
subsection (c).
  (b) Eligibility to Receive Reallocation.--
          (1) In general.--Only vessels defined in subsection 
        (a), (b), (c), or (e) of section 208 of the American 
        Fisheries Act (16 U.S.C. 1851 note), or any vessels 
        authorized to replace such vessels, may receive a 
        reallocation described in subsection (a).
          (2) Limitation on reallocations.--The Secretary shall 
        not reallocate the allocation described in subsection 
        (a) in any year if such reallocation exceeds the annual 
        catch limit for pollock in the Bering Sea subarea of 
        the BSAI.
          (3) Calculations.--Any amount of the reallocation 
        described in subsection (a) shall not be used in the 
        calculation of harvesting or processing excessive 
        shares as described in section 210(e) of the American 
        Fisheries Act (16 U.S.C. 1851 note).
          (4) Conditions.--In any year, the assignment, 
        transfer, or reallocation shall not violate the 
        requirements of section 206(b) of the American 
        Fisheries Act (title II of the division C of Public Law 
        105-277; 16 U.S.C. 1851 note).
  (c) Agreements.--
          (1) In general.--Each year, the allocation holder 
        named in section 803(a) of division B of the 
        Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2004 (Public Law 108-
        199, 16 U.S.C. 1851 note) may establish one or more 
        agreements with the owners of some or all of the 
        eligible vessels as defined in subsection (b)(1).
          (2) Requirements.--Each agreement described in 
        paragraph (1)--
                  (A) shall specify those eligible vessels that 
                may receive a reallocation and the amount of 
                reallocation that such vessels may receive in 
                accordance with subsection (b)(2); and
                  (B) may contain other requirements or 
                compensation agreed to by the allocation holder 
                named in section 803 of division B of the 
                Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2004 (Public 
                Law 108-199, 16 U.S.C. 1851 note) and the 
                owners of such eligible vessels, provided such 
                requirements or compensation are otherwise 
                consistent with the American Fisheries Act (16 
                U.S.C. 1851 note), the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 
                Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1801 
                et seq.), and any other applicable law.
  (d) Existing Authority.--Except for the measures required by 
this section, nothing in this section shall be construed to 
limit the authority of the North Pacific Fishery Management 
Council or the Secretary under the American Fisheries Act (16 
U.S.C. 1851 note), the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation 
and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.), or other 
applicable law.
  (e) Enforcement.--Taking or processing any part of the 
allocation made by section 803 of division B of the 
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2004 (Public Law 108-199, 16 
U.S.C. 1851 note), and reallocated under this section in a 
manner that is not consistent with the reallocation authorized 
by the Secretary shall be considered in violation of section 
307 of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management 
Act (16 U.S.C. 1857) and subject to the penalties and sanctions 
under section 308 of such Act (16 U.S.C. 1858), and subject to 
the forfeiture of any fish harvested or processed.
  (f) Clarifications.--
          (1) Amendment.--Subsection (c) of section 803 of 
        division B of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2004 
        (Public Law 108-199, 16 U.S.C. 1851 note) is amended by 
        striking ``during the years 2004 through 2008''.
          (2) Purpose of reallocation.--Consistent with 
        subsection (d) of section 803 of division B of the 
        Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2004 (Public Law 108-
        199, 16 U.S.C. 1851 note), the reallocation of the 
        unused portion of the allocation provided to the 
        allocation holder named in subsection (a) of such 
        section for harvest in the Bering Sea subarea of the 
        BSAI is for the purposes of economic development in 
        Adak, Alaska pursuant to the requirements of the 
        Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management 
        Act (16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.).
  Page 55, after line 4, insert the following (and redesignate 
the subsequent sections accordingly):

SEC. __. COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT QUOTA PROGRAM PANEL VOTING PROCEDURES.

  Section 305(i)(1)(G)(iv) (16 U.S.C. 1855(i)(1)(G)(iv)) is 
amended to read as follows:
                          ``(iv) Voting requirement.--The panel 
                        may act only by the affirmative vote of 
                        5 of its members.''.
  Beginning at page 57, line 1, strike section 408 and insert 
the following:

SEC. __. RESTORATION OF HISTORICALLY FRESHWATER ENVIRONMENT.

  Section 3(10) (16 U.S.C. 1802) is amended--
          (1) by inserting a comma after ``feeding''; and
          (2) by inserting the following: ``except that such 
        term--
                  ``(A) does not include an area that--
                          ``(i) was previously covered by land 
                        or a fresh water environment; and
                          ``(ii) is in a State where the 
                        average annual land loss of such State 
                        during the 20 years before the date of 
                        the enactment of the Strengthening 
                        Fishing Communities and Increasing 
                        Flexibility in Fisheries Management Act 
                        exceeds 10 square miles; and
                  ``(B) does not apply with respect to a 
                project undertaken by a State or local 
                government with the purpose of restoration or 
                protection of an area described in subparagraph 
                (A).''.
                              ----------                              


2. An Amendment To Be Offered by Representative Courtney of Connecticut 
               or His Designee, Debatable for 10 Minutes

  At the end of title II add the following:

SEC. __. NORTHEAST REGIONAL PILOT RESEARCH TRAWL SURVEY AND STUDY.

  (a) Industry-based Pilot Study.--Within 1 year after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Commerce shall, 
in coordination with the relevant Councils selected by the 
Secretary and the Northeast Area Monitoring and Assessment 
Program (NEAMAP), develop a fishing industry-based Northeast 
regional pilot research trawl survey and study to enhance and 
provide improvement to current National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration vessel trawl surveys.
  (b) Components.--Under the pilot survey and study--
          (1) the Secretary--
                  (A) may select fishing industry vessels to 
                participate in the study by issuing a request 
                for procurement;
                  (B) may use the NEAMAP Southern New England/
                Mid-Atlantic Nearshore Trawl Survey as a model 
                for the pilot survey; and
                  (C) shall outfit participating vessels with a 
                peer-reviewed net configuration; and
          (2) the selected Councils shall, in partnership with 
        the National Marine Fisheries Service Northeast 
        Fisheries Science Center and the Virginia Institute of 
        Marine Science, collect data and evaluate discrepancies 
        between fishing industry vessel data and National 
        Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration vessel data, for 
        5 years.
  (b) Report.--Upon completion of the pilot survey and study, 
the Secretary and the selected Councils shall submit a detailed 
report on the results of the pilot survey and study to the 
Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives 
and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of 
the Senate.
                              ----------                              


   3. An Amendment To Be Offered by Representative Langevin of Rhode 
            Island or His Designee, Debatable for 10 Minutes

  At the end of section 209 (page 27, after line 7) add the 
following:
  (f) 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''.
                              ----------                              


 4. An Amendment To Be Offered by Representative Huffman of California 
               or His Designee, Debatable for 10 Minutes

  Page 37, strike lines 5 through 6 (and redesignate the 
subsequent subparagraphs accordingly).
  Page 38, after line 7, insert the following (and redesignate 
the subsequent quoted subclauses accordingly):
                                  ``(IV) the new plan, 
                                amendment, or proposed 
                                regulation has at least a 75 
                                percent chance of rebuilding 
                                the overfished fishery within 
                                the time limit proposed by the 
                                Council, as calculated by the 
                                scientific and statistical 
                                committee of the Council with 
                                jurisdiction over the fishery 
                                pursuant to 
                                section302(g)(1)(B);
                              ----------                              


 5. An Amendment To Be Offered by Representative Frankel of Florida or 
                 Her Designee, Debatable for 10 Minutes

  Add at the end the following:

                   TITLE __--MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

SEC. __. MITIGATION FOR IMPACTS TO SUBMERGED AQUATIC VEGETATION.

  Requirements to conserve or to provide compensatory 
mitigation for impacts to submerged aquatic vegetation under 
section 305(b) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and 
Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1855(b)) shall not apply when a non-
Federal entity conducts maintenance dredging for an authorized 
Federal navigation project on an inland waterway, inlet, or 
harbor located in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, or 
Florida pursuant to a permit issued under section 404 of the 
Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1344) or section 
10 of the Act of March 3, 1899 (33 U.S.C. 403; 30 Stat. 1151, 
chapter 425).
                              ----------                              


6. An Amendment To Be Offered by Representative Graves of Louisiana or 
                 His Designee, Debatable for 10 Minutes

  Add at the end the following:

                   TITLE __--MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

SEC. __. REPORT ON LIMITED ACCESS PRIVILEGE PROGRAMS AND CONFLICTS OF 
                    INTEREST WITH RESPECT TO GULF OF MEXICO AND SOUTH 
                    ATLANTIC FISHERIES.

  No later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this 
Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit 
to the Congress a report on--
          (1) the resource rent of limited access privilege 
        programs in the Gulf of Mexico and the South Atlantic 
        Ocean;
          (2) how to reclaim resource rent in the Gulf of 
        Mexico and the South Atlantic as revenue the United 
        States Treasury; and
          (3) the fiduciary conflicts of interest in the Gulf 
        of Mexico Fishery Management Council and the South 
        Atlantic Fishery Management Council, and effective ways 
        to eliminate such conflicts.
                              ----------                              


      7. An Amendment To Be Offered by Representative Keating of 
        Massachusetts or His Designee, Debatable for 10 Minutes

  Add at the end the following:

                   TITLE __--MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

SEC. __. PLAN FOR ELECTRONIC MONITORING AND REPORTING PROCEDURES FOR 
                    THE NORTHEAST MULTISPECIES FISHERY.

  The Secretary, acting through the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration, shall submit a plan to the 
Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives 
and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of 
the Senate not less than 180 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act that will establish fully operational 
electronic monitoring and reporting procedures for the 
Northeast Multispecies Fishery by not later than September 30, 
2021. The plan shall include the proposal of the National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to cover vessel 
equipment and installation costs, with daily, half-day, or 
quarter-day operational costs to be borne by the fishing 
vessels.
                              ----------                              


 8. An Amendment To Be Offered by Representative Poliquin of Maine or 
                 His Designee, Debatable for 10 Minutes

  Add at the end the following:

                   TITLE __--MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

SEC. _01. STUDY OF FEES CHARGED TO LOBSTER FISHING INDUSTRY.

  Not later than 6 months after the date of the enactment of 
this Act, the Secretary of Commerce, acting through the 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, shall study 
and report to the Congress on all fees imposed by such 
Administration on the lobster fishing industry.
                              ----------                              


 9. An Amendment To Be Offered by Representative Zeldin of New York or 
                 His Designee, Debatable for 10 Minutes

  Add at the end the following:

                   TITLE __--MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

SEC. _01. LIMITATION ON APPLICATION OF PROHIBITION ON ATLANTIC STRIPED 
                    BASS FISHING IN BLOCK ISLAND SOUND TRANSIT ZONE.

  Any prohibition on fishing for Atlantic striped bass in the 
Exclusive Economic Zone of the United States imposed under 
Executive Order 13449 or section 697.7(b) of title 50, Code of 
Federal Regulations, shall not apply in the the area described 
in section 697.7(b)(3) of title 50, Code of Federal 
Regulations, commonly referred to as the Block Island Sound 
transit zone.
                              ----------                              


      10. An Amendment To Be Offered by Representative Keating of 
        Massachusetts or His Designee, Debatable for 10 Minutes

  Add at the end the following:

                   TITLE __--MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

SEC. _01. FUNDING FOR MONITORING IMPLEMENTATION OF NORTHEAST 
                    MULTISPECIES FISHERY MANAGEMENT PLAN.

  Section 311(f)(4) (16 U.S.C. 1861(f)(4)) is amended by 
striking ``pursuant to this section'' and all that follows 
through the end of the sentence and inserting ``to enforce and 
monitor (including electronic monitoring) implementation of 
that Plan.''
                              ----------                              


 11. An Amendment To Be Offered by Representative Gaetz of Florida or 
                 His Designee, Debatable for 10 Minutes

  At the end of the bill, add the following:

                       TITLE V--REEF ASSASSIN ACT

SEC. 501. SHORT TITLE.

  This title may be cited as the ``Reef Assassin Act''.

SEC. 502. ENCOURAGING ELIMINATION OF LIONFISH.

  (a) In General.--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. 321. ENCOURAGING ELIMINATION OF LIONFISH.

  ``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall issue regulations 
under which a participating State may issue to an individual 
submitting lionfish taken in Federal or State waters a tag 
authorizing the taking of a fish of a covered species in 
Federal waters in addition to any other fish of that species 
the individual is authorized to take in Federal waters.
  ``(b) Requirements for Issuance of Tag.--The regulations 
shall require--
          ``(1) the submission of 100 lionfish for each tag 
        issued;
          ``(2) that lionfish taken in State waters must be 
        taken by an individual holding a valid license to 
        engage in such fishing issued under the laws of such 
        State; and
          ``(3) that each lionfish shall be submitted by 
        removing the tail, placing it in a resealable plastic 
        bag, and submitting such bag to a participating State 
        before the tail has significantly deteriorated.
  ``(c) No Limitation on Number of Tags.--The regulations shall 
not limit the number of tags that may be issued to an 
individual.
  ``(d) Use of Tags.--The regulations shall provide that a tag 
issued under the regulations--
          ``(1) shall be valid for the 5-year period beginning 
        on the date it is issued;
          ``(2) shall authorize only the recreational or 
        commercial taking of a fish that complies with any size 
        limit that otherwise applies to fishing for such fish 
        in the waters in which it is taken;
          ``(3) shall authorize such taking without regard to 
        any seasonal limitation that otherwise applies to the 
        species of fish taken;
          ``(4) shall authorize--
                  ``(A) the transfer of tags to any other 
                person; and
                  ``(B) use of transferred tags in the same 
                manner as such tags may be used by the person 
                to whom the tags were issued; and
          ``(5) shall require that any fish taken under such 
        tag outside any seasonal limitation that otherwise 
        applies to such fish must have the tag fastened between 
        the mouth and gill before being placed in any cooler.
  ``(e) Approval of State To Participate.--
          ``(1) Conditions.--The regulations shall require that 
        as a condition of approving a State to issue tags under 
        this section the Secretary shall require the State to 
        designate a repository for lionfish submitted for such 
        tags.
          ``(2) Provision of freezer.--The Secretary shall 
        provide to each participating State freezers in which 
        to store submitted lionfish, at a cost of not more than 
        $500 for each freezer.
  ``(f) Additional Requirements.--The Secretary shall--
          ``(1) encourage participating States to use existing 
        infrastructure and staff or volunteers to conduct the 
        State's program under this section;
          ``(2) include on the webpage of the National Marine 
        Fisheries Service information about the program under 
        this section; and
          ``(3) encourage State and local governments to work 
        with retailers and distributors to advance the 
        purchasing and consumption of lionfish.
  ``(g) Other Provisions Not Affected.--
          ``(1) In general.--This section--
                  ``(A) is intended to protect species of fish 
                that are native to waters of the United States 
                or the exclusive economic zone; and
                  ``(B) shall not be construed to constrain any 
                fishery, fishing quota, or fishing allocation.
          ``(2) Limitation on consideration of tags.--This 
        section and tags issued or authorized to be issued 
        under this section shall not be considered in any 
        determination of fishing levels, quotas, or 
        allocations.
  ``(h) Definition.--In this section--
          ``(1) the term `covered fish'--
                  ``(A) except as provided in subparagraph (B), 
                means red snapper, gag grouper, triggerfish, 
                amberjack; and
                  ``(B) does not include any species included 
                in a list of endangered species or threatened 
                species under the Endangered Species Act of 
                1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.); and
          ``(2) the term `participating State' means a State 
        that has applied and been approved by the Secretary to 
        issue tags under regulations under this section.''.
  (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of contents in the first 
section of such Act is amended by adding at the end of the 
items relating to title III the following:

``Sec. 301. Encouraging elimination of lionfish.''.

  (c) Deadline for Regulations.--The Secretary of Commerce 
shall issue regulations under the amendment made by subsection 
(a) by not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment 
of this Act.

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