16 USC 1859 - Criminal offenses

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§ 1851. National standards for fishery conservation and management
§ 1852. Regional Fishery Management Councils
§ 1853. Contents of fishery management plans
§ 1853a. Limited access privilege programs
§ 1854. Action by Secretary
§ 1855. Other requirements and authority
§ 1856. State jurisdiction
§ 1857. Prohibited acts
§ 1858. Civil penalties and permit sanctions
§ 1859. Criminal offenses
§ 1860. Civil forfeitures
§ 1861. Enforcement
§ 1861a. Transition to sustainable fisheries
§ 1861b. Fisheries enforcement plans and reporting
§ 1862. North Pacific fisheries conservation
§ 1863. Northwest Atlantic Ocean Fisheries Reinvestment Program
§ 1864. Repealed.
§ 1865. Bycatch reduction engineering program
§ 1866. Shark feeding
§ 1867. Cooperative research and management program
§ 1868. Herring study
§ 1869. Restoration study
§ 1870. Required possession of descending devices

§ 1851. National standards for fishery conservation and management

(a) In general

Any fishery management plan prepared, and any regulation promulgated to implement any such plan, pursuant to this subchapter shall be consistent with the following national standards for fishery conservation and management:

(1) Conservation and management measures shall prevent overfishing while achieving, on a continuing basis, the optimum yield from each fishery for the United States fishing industry.

(2) Conservation and management measures shall be based upon the best scientific information available.

(3) To the extent practicable, an individual stock of fish shall be managed as a unit throughout its range, and interrelated stocks of fish shall be managed as a unit or in close coordination.

(4) Conservation and management measures shall not discriminate between residents of different States. If it becomes necessary to allocate or assign fishing privileges among various United States fishermen, such allocation shall be (A) fair and equitable to all such fishermen; (B) reasonably calculated to promote conservation; and (C) carried out in such manner that no particular individual, corporation, or other entity acquires an excessive share of such privileges.

(5) Conservation and management measures shall, where practicable, consider efficiency in the utilization of fishery resources; except that no such measure shall have economic allocation as its sole purpose.

(6) Conservation and management measures shall take into account and allow for variations among, and contingencies in, fisheries, fishery resources, and catches.

(7) Conservation and management measures shall, where practicable, minimize costs and avoid unnecessary duplication.

(8) Conservation and management measures shall, consistent with the conservation requirements of this chapter (including the prevention of overfishing and rebuilding of overfished stocks), take into account the importance of fishery resources to fishing communities by utilizing economic and social data that meet the requirements of paragraph (2), in order to (A) provide for the sustained participation of such communities, and (B) to the extent practicable, minimize adverse economic impacts on such communities.

(9) Conservation and management measures shall, to the extent practicable, (A) minimize bycatch and (B) to the extent bycatch cannot be avoided, minimize the mortality of such bycatch.

(10) Conservation and management measures shall, to the extent practicable, promote the safety of human life at sea.

(b) Guidelines

(Pub. L. 94–265, title III, § 301, Apr. 13, 1976, 90 Stat. 346; Pub. L. 97–453, § 4, Jan. 12, 1983, 96 Stat. 2484; Pub. L. 98–623, title IV, § 404(3), Nov. 8, 1984, 98 Stat. 3408; Pub. L. 104–297, title I, § 106, Oct. 11, 1996, 110 Stat. 3570; Pub. L. 109–479, title I, § 101(a), Jan. 12, 2007, 120 Stat. 3579.)

§ 1852. Regional Fishery Management Councils

(a) Establishment

(1) There shall be established, within 120 days after April 13, 1976, eight Regional Fishery Management Councils, as follows:

(A) New England Council

(B) Mid-Atlantic Council

(D) Caribbean Council

(E) Gulf Council

(F) Pacific Council

(G) North Pacific Council

(H) Western Pacific Council

(2) Each Council shall reflect the expertise and interest of the several constituent States in the ocean area over which such Council is granted authority.

(3) The Secretary shall have authority over any highly migratory species fishery that is within the geographical area of authority of more than one of the following Councils: New England Council, Mid-Atlantic Council, South Atlantic Council, Gulf Council, and Caribbean Council.

(b) Voting members

(1) The voting members of each Council shall be:

(A) The principal State official with marine fishery management responsibility and expertise in each constituent State, who is designated as such by the Governor of the State, so long as the official continues to hold such position, or the designee of such official.

(B) The regional director of the National Marine Fisheries Service for the geographic area concerned, or his designee, except that if two such directors are within such geographical area, the Secretary shall designate which of such directors shall be the voting member.

(2)

(A) The members of each Council required to be appointed by the Secretary must be individuals who, by reason of their occupational or other experience, scientific expertise, or training, are knowledgeable regarding the conservation and management, or the commercial or recreational harvest, of the fishery resources of the geographical area concerned. Within nine months after November 28, 1990, the Secretary shall, by regulation, prescribe criteria for determining whether an individual satisfies the requirements of this subparagraph.

(B) The Secretary, in making appointments under this section, shall, to the extent practicable, ensure a fair and balanced apportionment, on a rotating or other basis, of the active participants (or their representatives) in the commercial and recreational fisheries under the jurisdiction of the Council. On January 31, 1991, and each year thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries of the House of Representatives a report on the actions taken by the Secretary to ensure that such fair and balanced apportionment is achieved. The report shall—

(i) list the fisheries under the jurisdiction of each Council, outlining for each fishery the type and quantity of fish harvested, fishing and processing methods employed, the number of participants, the duration and range of the fishery, and other distinguishing characteristics;

(ii) assess the membership of each Council in terms of the apportionment of the active participants in each such fishery; and

(iii) state the Secretary’s plans and schedule for actions to achieve a fair and balanced apportionment on the Council for the active participants in any such fishery.

(C) The Secretary shall appoint the members of each Council from a list of individuals submitted by the Governor of each applicable constituent State. A Governor may not submit the names of individuals to the Secretary for appointment unless the Governor has determined that each such individual is qualified under the requirements of subparagraph (A) and unless the Governor has, to the extent practicable, first consulted with representatives of the commercial and recreational fishing interests of the State regarding those individuals. Each such list shall include the names and pertinent biographical data of not less than three individuals for each applicable vacancy and shall be accompanied by a statement by the Governor explaining how each such individual meets the requirements of subparagraph (A). The Secretary shall review each list submitted by a Governor to ascertain if the individuals on the list are qualified for the vacancy on the basis of such requirements. If the Secretary determines that any individual is not qualified, the Secretary shall notify the appropriate Governor of that determination. The Governor shall then submit a revised list or resubmit the original list with an additional explanation of the qualifications of the individual in question. An individual is not eligible for appointment by the Secretary until that individual complies with the applicable financial disclosure requirements under subsection (k).2

2 See References in Text note below.

(D)

(i) The Governor of a State submitting a list of names of individuals for appointment by the Secretary of Commerce to the Gulf of Mexico Fisheries Management Council under subparagraph (C) shall include—(I) at least 1 nominee each from the commercial, recreational, and charter fishing sectors; and(II) at least 1 other individual who is knowledgeable regarding the conservation and management of fisheries resources in the jurisdiction of the Council.

(ii) Notwithstanding the requirements of subparagraph (C), if the Secretary determines that the list of names submitted by the Governor does not meet the requirements of clause (i) the Secretary shall—(I) publish a notice in the Federal Register asking the residents of that State to submit the names and pertinent biographical data of individuals who would meet the requirement not met for appointment to the Council; and(II) add the name of any qualified individual submitted by the public who meets the unmet requirement to the list of names submitted by the Governor.

(iii) For purposes of clause (i) an individual who owns or operates a fish farm outside of the United States shall not be considered to be a representative of the commercial or recreational fishing sector.

(iv) The requirements of this subparagraph shall expire at the end of fiscal year 2012.

(E) Whenever the Secretary makes an appointment to a Council, the Secretary shall make a public announcement of such appointment not less than 45 days before the first day on which the individual is to take office as a member of the Council.

(3) Each voting member appointed to a Council by the Secretary in accordance with paragraphs (2) and (5) shall serve for a term of 3 years; except that the Secretary may designate a shorter term if necessary to provide for balanced expiration to terms of office. No member appointed after January 1, 1986, may serve more than three consecutive terms. Any term in which an individual was appointed to replace a member who left office during the term shall not be counted in determining the number of consecutive terms served by that Council member.

(4) Successors to the voting members of any Council shall be appointed in the same manner as the original voting members. Any individual appointed to fill a vacancy occurring prior to the expiration of any term of office shall be appointed for the remainder of that term.

(5)

(A) The Secretary shall appoint to the Pacific Council one representative of an Indian tribe with Federally 1 recognized fishing rights from California, Oregon, Washington, or Idaho from a list of not less than 3 individuals submitted by the tribal governments. The Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of the Interior and tribal governments, shall establish by regulation the procedure for submitting a list under this subparagraph.

(B) Representation shall be rotated among the tribes taking into consideration—

(i) the qualifications of the individuals on the list referred to in subparagraph (A),

(ii) the various rights of the Indian tribes involved and judicial cases that set forth how those rights are to be exercised, and

(iii) the geographic area in which the tribe of the representative is located.

(C) A vacancy occurring prior to the expiration of any term shall be filled in the same manner as set out in subparagraphs (A) and (B), except that the Secretary may use the list from which the vacating representative was chosen.

(D) The tribal representative appointed under subparagraph (A) may designate as an alternate, during the period of the representative’s term, an individual knowledgeable concerning tribal rights, tribal law, and the fishery resources of the geographical area concerned.

(6) The Secretary may remove for cause any member of a Council required to be appointed by the Secretary in accordance with paragraphs 3

3 So in original. Probably should be “paragraph”.

(2) or (5) if—

(A) the Council concerned first recommends removal by not less than two-thirds of the members who are voting members and submits such removal recommendation to the Secretary in writing together with a statement of the basis for the recommendation; or

(B) the member is found by the Secretary, after notice and an opportunity for a hearing in accordance with section 554 of title 5, to have committed an act prohibited by section 1857(1)(O) of this title.

(1) The nonvoting members of each Council shall be:

(A) The regional or area director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service for the geographical area concerned, or his designee.

(B) The Commander of the Coast Guard district for the geographical area concerned, or his designee; except that, if two Coast Guard districts are within such geographical area, the commander designated for such purpose by the commandant of the Coast Guard.

(C) The executive director of the Marine Fisheries Commission for the geographical area concerned, if any, or his designee.

(D) One representative of the Department of State designated for such purpose by the Secretary of State, or his designee.

(2) The Pacific Council shall have one additional nonvoting member who shall be appointed by, and serve at the pleasure of, the Governor of Alaska.

(d) Compensation and expenses

(e) Transaction of business

(1) A majority of the voting members of any Council shall constitute a quorum, but one or more such members designated by the Council may hold hearings. All decisions of any Council shall be by majority vote of the voting members present and voting.

(2) The voting members of each Council shall select a Chairman for such Council from among the voting members.

(3) Each Council shall meet at appropriate times and places in any of the constituent States of the Council at the call of the Chairman or upon the request of a majority of its voting members.

(4) If any voting member of a Council disagrees with respect to any matter which is transmitted to the Secretary by such Council, such member may submit a statement to the Secretary setting forth the reasons for such disagreement. The regional director of the National Marine Fisheries Service serving on the Council, or the regional director’s designee, shall submit such a statement, which shall be made available to the public upon request, if the regional director disagrees with any such matter.

(5) At the request of any voting member of a Council, the Council shall hold a roll call vote on any matter before the Council. The official minutes and other appropriate records of any Council meeting shall identify all roll call votes held, the name of each voting member present during each roll call vote, and how each member voted on each roll call vote.

(f) Staff and administration

(1) Each Council may appoint, and assign duties to, an executive director and such other full- and part-time administrative employees as the Secretary determines are necessary to the performance of its functions.

(2) Upon the request of any Council, and after consultation with the Secretary, the head of any Federal agency is authorized to detail to such Council, on a reimbursable basis, any of the personnel of such agency, to assist such Council in the performance of its functions under this chapter.

(3) The Secretary shall provide to each Council such administrative and technical support services as are necessary for the effective functioning of such Council.

(4) The Administrator of General Services shall furnish each Council with such offices, equipment, supplies, and services as he is authorized to furnish to any other agency or instrumentality of the United States.

(5) The Secretary and the Secretary of State shall furnish each Council with relevant information concerning foreign fishing and international fishery agreements.

(6) Each Council shall determine its organization, and prescribe its practices and procedures for carrying out its functions under this chapter, in accordance with such uniform standards as are prescribed by the Secretary. The procedures of a Council, and of its scientific and statistical committee and advisory panels established under subsection (g), must be consistent with the procedural guidelines set forth in subsection (i)(2). Each Council shall publish and make available to the public a statement of its organization, practices, and procedures.

(7) The Secretary shall pay—

(A) the compensation and expenses provided for in subsection (d);

(B) appropriate compensation to employees appointed under paragraph (1);

(D) the actual expenses of the members of the committees and panels established under subsection (g); and

(E) such other costs as the Secretary determines are necessary to the performance of the functions of the Councils.

(g) Committees and advisory panels

(1)

(A) Each Council shall establish, maintain, and appoint the members of a scientific and statistical committee to assist it in the development, collection, evaluation, and peer review of such statistical, biological, economic, social, and other scientific information as is relevant to such Council’s development and amendment of any fishery management plan.

(B) Each scientific and statistical committee shall provide its Council ongoing scientific advice for fishery management decisions, including recommendations for acceptable biological catch, preventing overfishing, maximum sustainable yield, and achieving rebuilding targets, and reports on stock status and health, bycatch, habitat status, social and economic impacts of management measures, and sustainability of fishing practices.

(C) Members appointed by the Councils to the scientific and statistical committees shall be Federal employees, State employees, academicians, or independent experts and shall have strong scientific or technical credentials and experience.

(D) Each member of a scientific and statistical committee shall be treated as an affected individual for purposes of paragraphs (2), (3)(B), (4), and (5)(A) of subsection (j). The Secretary shall keep disclosures made pursuant to this subparagraph on file.

(E) The Secretary and each Council may establish a peer review process for that Council for scientific information used to advise the Council about the conservation and management of the fishery. The review process, which may include existing committees or panels, is deemed to satisfy the requirements of the guidelines issued pursuant to section 515 of the Treasury and General Government Appropriations Act for Fiscal year 2001 (Public Law 106–554—Appendix C; 114 Stat. 2763A–153).

(F) In addition to the provisions of subsection (f)(7), the Secretary shall, subject to the availability of appropriations, pay a stipend to members of the scientific and statistical committees or advisory panels who are not employed by the Federal Government or a State marine fisheries agency.

(G) A science and statistical committee shall hold its meetings in conjunction with the meeting of the Council, to the extent practicable.

(2) Each Council shall establish such advisory panels as are necessary or appropriate to assist it in carrying out its functions under this chapter.

(3)

(A) Each Council shall establish and maintain a fishing industry advisory committee which shall provide information and recommendations on, and assist in the development of, fishery management plans and amendments to such plans.

(B) Appointments to a committee established under subparagraph (A) shall be made by each Council in such a manner as to provide fair representation to commercial fishing interests in the geographical area of authority of the Council.

(4) The Secretary shall establish advisory panels to assist in the collection and evaluation of information relevant to the development of any fishery management plan or plan amendment for a fishery to which subsection (a)(3) applies. Each advisory panel shall participate in all aspects of the development of the plan or amendment; be balanced in its representation of commercial, recreational, and other interests; and consist of not less than 7 individuals who are knowledgeable about the fishery for which the plan or amendment is developed, selected from among—

(A) members of advisory committees and species working groups appointed under Acts implementing relevant international fishery agreements pertaining to highly migratory species; and

(B) other interested persons.

(5) Decisions and recommendations made by committees and panels established under this subsection shall be considered to be advisory in nature.

(h) FunctionsEach Council shall, in accordance with the provisions of this chapter—

(1) for each fishery under its authority that requires conservation and management, prepare and submit to the Secretary (A) a fishery management plan, and (B) amendments to each such plan that are necessary from time to time (and promptly whenever changes in conservation and management measures in another fishery substantially affect the fishery for which such plan was developed);

(2) prepare comments on any application for foreign fishing transmitted to it under

(3) conduct public hearings, at appropriate times and in appropriate locations in the geographical area concerned, so as to allow all interested persons an opportunity to be heard in the development of fishery management plans and amendments to such plans, and with respect to the administration and implementation of the provisions of this chapter (and for purposes of this paragraph, the term “geographical area concerned” may include an area under the authority of another Council if the fish in the fishery concerned migrate into, or occur in, that area or if the matters being heard affect fishermen of that area; but not unless such other Council is first consulted regarding the conduct of such hearings within its area);

(4) submit to the Secretary such periodic reports as the Council deems appropriate, and any other relevant report which may be requested by the Secretary;

(5) review on a continuing basis, and revise as appropriate, the assessments and specifications made pursuant to section 1853(a)(3) and (4) of this title with respect to the optimum yield from, the capacity and extent to which United States fish processors will process United States harvested fish from, and the total allowable level of foreign fishing in, each fishery (except as provided in section 4

4 So in original. The word “section” probably should not appear.

subsection (a)(3)) within its geographical area of authority;

(6) develop annual catch limits for each of its managed fisheries that may not exceed the fishing level recommendations of its scientific and statistical committee or the peer review process established under subsection (g);

(7) develop, in conjunction with the scientific and statistical committee, multi-year research priorities for fisheries, fisheries interactions, habitats, and other areas of research that are necessary for management purposes, that shall—

(A) establish priorities for 5-year periods;

(B) be updated as necessary; and

(C) be submitted to the Secretary and the regional science centers of the National Marine Fisheries Service for their consideration in developing research priorities and budgets for the region of the Council;

(8) in addition to complying with the standards and requirements under paragraph (6), sections 1851(a), 1853(a)(15), and 1854(e) of this title, and other applicable provisions of this chapter, have the authority to use fishery management measures in a recreational fishery (or the recreational component of a mixed-use fishery) in developing a fishery management plan, plan amendment, or proposed regulations, such as extraction rates, fishing mortality targets, harvest control rules, or traditional or cultural practices of native communities in such fishery or fishery component; and

(9) conduct any other activities which are required by, or provided for in, this chapter or which are necessary and appropriate to the foregoing functions.

(i) Procedural matters

(1) Chapter 10 of title 5 shall not apply to the Councils, the Council coordination committee established under subsection (l), or to the scientific and statistical committees or other committees or advisory panels established under subsection (g).

(2) The following guidelines apply with respect to the conduct of business at meetings of a Council, of the Council coordination committee established under subsection (l), and of the scientific and statistical committees or other committees or advisory panels established under subsection (g):

(A) Unless closed in accordance with paragraph (3), each regular meeting and each emergency meeting shall be open to the public.

(B) Emergency meetings shall be held at the call of the chairman or equivalent presiding officer.

(C) Timely public notice of each regular meeting and each emergency meeting, including the time, place, and agenda of the meeting, shall be provided by any means that will result in wide publicity in the major fishing ports of the region (and in other major fishing ports having a direct interest in the affected fishery), except that e-mail notification and website postings alone are not sufficient. Timely notice of each regular meeting shall also be published in the Federal Register. The published agenda of the meeting may not be modified to include additional matters for Council action without public notice or within 14 days prior to the meeting date, unless such modification is to address an emergency action under section 1855(c) of this title, in which case public notice shall be given immediately.

(D) Interested persons shall be permitted to present oral or written statements regarding the matters on the agenda at meetings. All written information submitted to a Council by an interested person shall include a statement of the source and date of such information. Any oral or written statement shall include a brief description of the background and interests of the person in the subject of the oral or written statement.

(E) Detailed minutes of each meeting of the Council, except for any closed session, shall be kept and shall contain a record of the persons present, a complete and accurate description of matters discussed and conclusions reached, and copies of all statements filed. The Chairman shall certify the accuracy of the minutes of each such meeting and submit a copy thereof to the Secretary. The minutes shall be made available to any court of competent jurisdiction.

(F) Subject to the procedures established under paragraph (4), and the guidelines prescribed by the Secretary under section 1881a(b) of this title, relating to confidentiality, the administrative record, including minutes required under subparagraph (E), of each meeting, and records or other documents which were made available to or prepared for or by the Council, committee, or panel incident to the meeting, shall be available for public inspection and copying at a single location in the offices of the Council or the Secretary, as appropriate.

(3)

(A) Each Council, the Council Coordination Committee established under subsection (l), scientific, and statistical committee, other committees, and advisory panel—

(i) shall close any meeting, or portion thereof, that concerns matters or information that bears a national security classification; and

(ii) may close any meeting, or portion thereof, that concerns matters or information that pertains to national security, employment matters, or briefings on litigation in which the Council is interested.

Subparagraphs (D) and (F) of paragraph (2) shall not apply to any meeting or portion thereof that is so closed.

(B) If any meeting or portion is closed, the Council concerned shall provide notice by any means that will result in wide publicity in the major fishing ports of the region (and in other major fishing ports having a direct interest in the affected fishery), except that e-mail notification and website postings alone are not sufficient, including in that notification the time and place of the meeting. This subpararaph 5

5 So in original. Probably should be “subparagraph”.

does not require notification regarding any brief closure of a portion of a meeting in order to discuss employment or other internal administrative matters.

(4) Each Council shall establish appropriate procedures applicable to it and to its committee and advisory panels for ensuring the confidentiality of the statistics that may be submitted to it by Federal or State authorities, and may be voluntarily submitted to it by private persons; including, but not limited to, procedures for the restriction of Council employee access and the prevention of conflicts of interest; except that such procedures, in the case of statistics submitted to the Council by a State or by the Secretary under section 1881a(b) of this title, must be consistent with the laws and regulations of that State, or with the procedures of the Secretary, as the case may be, concerning the confidentiality of the statistics.

(5) Each Council shall specify those procedures that are necessary or appropriate to ensure that the committees and advisory panels established under subsection (g) are involved, on a continuing basis, in the development and amendment of fishery management plans.

(6) At any time when a Council determines it appropriate to consider new information from a State or Federal agency or from a Council advisory body, the Council shall give comparable consideration to new information offered at that time by interested members of the public. Interested parties shall have a reasonable opportunity to respond to new data or information before the Council takes final action on conservation and management measures.

(j) Disclosure of financial interest and recusal

(1) For the purposes of this subsection—

(A) the term “affected individual” means an individual who—

(i) is nominated by the Governor of a State for appointment as a voting member of a Council in accordance with subsection (b)(2); or

(ii) is a voting member of a Council appointed—(I) under subsection (b)(2); or(II) under subsection (b)(5) who is not subject to disclosure and recusal requirements under the laws of an Indian tribal government; and

(B) the term “designated official” means a person with expertise in Federal conflict-of-interest requirements who is designated by the Secretary, in consultation with the Council, to attend Council meetings and make determinations under paragraph (7)(B).

(2) Each affected individual must disclose any financial interest held by—

(A) that individual;

(B) the spouse, minor child, or partner of that individual; and

(C) any organization (other than the Council) in which that individual is serving as an officer, director, trustee, partner, or employee;

in any harvesting, processing, lobbying, advocacy, or marketing activity that is being, or will be, undertaken within any fishery over which the Council concerned has jurisdiction, or with respect to an individual or organization with a financial interest in such activity.

(3) The disclosure required under paragraph (2) shall be made—

(A) in the case of an affected individual referred to in paragraph (1)(A)(i), before appointment by the Secretary; and

(B) in the case of an affected individual referred to in paragraph (1)(A)(ii), within 45 days of taking office.

(4) An affected individual referred to in paragraph (1)(A)(ii) must update his or her disclosure form at any time any such financial interest is acquired, or substantially changed, by any person referred to in paragraph (2)(A), (B), or (C).

(5) The financial interest disclosures required by this subsection shall—

(A) be made on such forms, in accordance with such procedures, and at such times, as the Secretary shall by regulation prescribe;

(B) be kept on file by the Council and made available on the Internet and for public inspection at the Council offices during reasonable hours; and

(C) be kept on file by the Secretary for use in reviewing determinations under paragraph (7)(B) and made available for public inspection at reasonable hours.

(6) The participation by an affected individual referred to in paragraph (1)(A)(ii) in an action by a Council during any time in which that individual is not in compliance with the regulations prescribed under paragraph (5) may not be treated as cause for the invalidation of that action.

(7)

(A) After the effective date of regulations promulgated under subparagraph (F) of this paragraph, an affected individual required to disclose a financial interest under paragraph (2) shall not vote on a Council decision which would have a significant and predictable effect on such financial interest. A Council decision shall be considered to have a significant and predictable effect on a financial interest if there is a close causal link between the Council decision and an expected and substantially disproportionate benefit to the financial interest of the affected individual relative to the financial interests of other participants in the same gear type or sector of the fishery. An affected individual who may not vote may participate in Council deliberations relating to the decision after notifying the Council of the voting recusal and identifying the financial interest that would be affected.

(B) At the request of an affected individual, or upon the initiative of the appropriate designated official, the designated official shall make a determination for the record whether a Council decision would have a significant and predictable effect on a financial interest.

(C) Any Council member may submit a written request to the Secretary to review any determination by the designated official under subparagraph (B) within 10 days of such determination. Such review shall be completed within 30 days of receipt of the request.

(D) Any affected individual who does not vote in a Council decision in accordance with this subsection may state for the record how he or she would have voted on such decision if he or she had voted.

(E) If the Council makes a decision before the Secretary has reviewed a determination under subparagraph (C), the eventual ruling may not be treated as cause for the invalidation or reconsideration by the Secretary of such decision.

(F) The Secretary, in consultation with the Councils and by not later than one year from October 11, 1996, shall promulgate regulations which prohibit an affected individual from voting in accordance with subparagraph (A), and which allow for the making of determinations under subparagraphs (B) and (C).

(8)Section 208 of title 18 does not apply to an affected individual referred to in paragraph (1)(A)(ii) during any time in which that individual is in compliance with the regulations prescribed under paragraph (5).

(9) On January 1, 2008, and annually thereafter, the Secretary shall submit a report to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the House of Representatives Committee on Resources on action taken by the Secretary and the Councils to implement the disclosure of financial interest and recusal requirements of this subsection, including identification of any conflict of interest problems with respect to the Councils and scientific and statistical committees and recommendations for addressing any such problems.

(k) Council training program

(1) Training courseWithin 6 months after January 12, 2007, the Secretary, in consultation with the Councils and the National Sea Grant College Program, shall develop a training course for newly appointed Council members. The course may cover a variety of topics relevant to matters before the Councils, including—

(A) fishery science and basic stock assessment methods;

(B) fishery management techniques, data needs, and Council procedures;

(D) tribal treaty rights and native customs, access, and other rights related to Western Pacific indigenous communities;

(E) legal requirements of this chapter, including conflict of interest and disclosure provisions of this section and related policies;

(F) other relevant legal and regulatory requirements, including the National Environmental Policy Act (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.);

(G) public process for development of fishery management plans;

(H) other topics suggested by the Council; and

(I) recreational and commercial fishing information, including fish harvesting techniques, gear types, fishing vessel types, and economics for the fisheries within each Council’s jurisdiction.

(2) Member training

(3) Required training

(l) Council coordination committee

(Pub. L. 94–265, title III, § 302, Apr. 13, 1976, 90 Stat. 347; Pub. L. 95–354, § 5(1), Aug. 28, 1978, 92 Stat. 521; Pub. L. 96–561, title II, § 234, Dec. 22, 1980, 94 Stat. 3299; Pub. L. 97–453, § 5, Jan. 12, 1983, 96 Stat. 2484; Pub. L. 99–659, title I, § 104(a)(1), (b)–(e)(1), Nov. 14, 1986, 100 Stat. 3709, 3710; Pub. L. 101–627, title I, §§ 108(a)–(j), 120(c), Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 4444–4446, 4459; Pub. L. 102–582, title IV, § 403, Nov. 2, 1992, 106 Stat. 4909; Pub. L. 104–297, title I, § 107, Oct. 11, 1996, 110 Stat. 3570;

§ 1853. Contents of fishery management plans

(a) Required provisionsAny fishery management plan which is prepared by any Council, or by the Secretary, with respect to any fishery, shall—

(1) contain the conservation and management measures, applicable to foreign fishing and fishing by vessels of the United States, which are—

(A) necessary and appropriate for the conservation and management of the fishery, to prevent overfishing and rebuild overfished stocks, and to protect, restore, and promote the long-term health and stability of the fishery;

(B) described in this subsection or subsection (b), or both; and

(C) consistent with the national standards, the other provisions of this chapter, regulations implementing recommendations by international organizations in which the United States participates (including but not limited to closed areas, quotas, and size limits), and any other applicable law;

(2) contain a description of the fishery, including, but not limited to, the number of vessels involved, the type and quantity of fishing gear used, the species of fish involved and their location, the cost likely to be incurred in management, actual and potential revenues from the fishery, any recreational interests in the fishery, and the nature and extent of foreign fishing and Indian treaty fishing rights, if any;

(3) assess and specify the present and probable future condition of, and the maximum sustainable yield and optimum yield from, the fishery, and include a summary of the information utilized in making such specification;

(4) assess and specify—

(A) the capacity and the extent to which fishing vessels of the United States, on an annual basis, will harvest the optimum yield specified under paragraph (3),

(B) the portion of such optimum yield which, on an annual basis, will not be harvested by fishing vessels of the United States and can be made available for foreign fishing, and

(C) the capacity and extent to which United States fish processors, on an annual basis, will process that portion of such optimum yield that will be harvested by fishing vessels of the United States;

(5) specify the pertinent data which shall be submitted to the Secretary with respect to commercial, recreational,1

1 So in original. Probably should be followed by “and”.

charter fishing, and fish processing in the fishery, including, but not limited to, information regarding the type and quantity of fishing gear used, catch by species in numbers of fish or weight thereof, areas in which fishing was engaged in, time of fishing, number of hauls, economic information necessary to meet the requirements of this chapter, and the estimated processing capacity of, and the actual processing capacity utilized by, United States fish processors,2

2 So in original. The comma probably should be a semicolon.

(6) consider and provide for temporary adjustments, after consultation with the Coast Guard and persons utilizing the fishery, regarding access to the fishery for vessels otherwise prevented from harvesting because of weather or other ocean conditions affecting the safe conduct of the fishery; except that the adjustment shall not adversely affect conservation efforts in other fisheries or discriminate among participants in the affected fishery;

(7) describe and identify essential fish habitat for the fishery based on the guidelines established by the Secretary under section 1855(b)(1)(A) of this title, minimize to the extent practicable adverse effects on such habitat caused by fishing, and identify other actions to encourage the conservation and enhancement of such habitat;

(8) in the case of a fishery management plan that, after January 1, 1991, is submitted to the Secretary for review under section 1854(a) of this title (including any plan for which an amendment is submitted to the Secretary for such review) or is prepared by the Secretary, assess and specify the nature and extent of scientific data which is needed for effective implementation of the plan;

(9) include a fishery impact statement for the plan or amendment (in the case of a plan or amendment thereto submitted to or prepared by the Secretary after October 1, 1990) which shall assess, specify, and analyze the likely effects, if any, including the cumulative conservation, economic, and social impacts, of the conservation and management measures on, and possible mitigation measures for—

(A) participants in the fisheries and fishing communities affected by the plan or amendment;

(B) participants in the fisheries conducted in adjacent areas under the authority of another Council, after consultation with such Council and representatives of those participants; and

(C) the safety of human life at sea, including whether and to what extent such measures may affect the safety of participants in the fishery;

(10) specify objective and measurable criteria for identifying when the fishery to which the plan applies is overfished (with an analysis of how the criteria were determined and the relationship of the criteria to the reproductive potential of stocks of fish in that fishery) and, in the case of a fishery which the Council or the Secretary has determined is approaching an overfished condition or is overfished, contain conservation and management measures to prevent overfishing or end overfishing and rebuild the fishery;

(11) establish a standardized reporting methodology to assess the amount and type of bycatch occurring in the fishery, and include conservation and management measures that, to the extent practicable and in the following priority—

(A) minimize bycatch; and

(B) minimize the mortality of bycatch which cannot be avoided;

(12) assess the type and amount of fish caught and released alive during recreational fishing under catch and release fishery management programs and the mortality of such fish, and include conservation and management measures that, to the extent practicable, minimize mortality and ensure the extended survival of such fish;

(13) include a description of the commercial, recreational, and charter fishing sectors which participate in the fishery, including its economic impact, and, to the extent practicable, quantify trends in landings of the managed fishery resource by the commercial, recreational, and charter fishing sectors;

(14) to the extent that rebuilding plans or other conservation and management measures which reduce the overall harvest in a fishery are necessary, allocate, taking into consideration the economic impact of the harvest restrictions or recovery benefits on the fishery participants in each sector, any harvest restrictions or recovery benefits fairly and equitably among the commercial, recreational, and charter fishing sectors in the fishery and; 3

3 So in original. Probably should be “fishery; and”.

(15) establish a mechanism for specifying annual catch limits in the plan (including a multiyear plan), implementing regulations, or annual specifications, at a level such that overfishing does not occur in the fishery, including measures to ensure accountability.

(b) Discretionary provisionsAny fishery management plan which is prepared by any Council, or by the Secretary, with respect to any fishery, may—

(1) require a permit to be obtained from, and fees to be paid to, the Secretary, with respect to—

(A) any fishing vessel of the United States fishing, or wishing to fish, in the exclusive economic zone or for anadromous species or Continental Shelf fishery resources beyond such zone;

(B) the operator of any such vessel; or

(2)

(A) designate zones where, and periods when, fishing shall be limited, or shall not be permitted, or shall be permitted only by specified types of fishing vessels or with specified types and quantities of fishing gear;

(B) designate such zones in areas where deep sea corals are identified under section 1884 of this title, to protect deep sea corals from physical damage from fishing gear or to prevent loss or damage to such fishing gear from interactions with deep sea corals, after considering long-term sustainable uses of fishery resources in such areas; and

(i) is based on the best scientific information available;

(ii) includes criteria to assess the conservation benefit of the closed area;

(iii) establishes a timetable for review of the closed area’s performance that is consistent with the purposes of the closed area; and

(iv) is based on an assessment of the benefits and impacts of the closure, including its size, in relation to other management measures (either alone or in combination with such measures), including the benefits and impacts of limiting access to: users of the area, overall fishing activity, fishery science, and fishery and marine conservation;

(3) establish specified limitations which are necessary and appropriate for the conservation and management of the fishery on the—

(A) catch of fish (based on area, species, size, number, weight, sex, bycatch, total biomass, or other factors);

(B) sale of fish caught during commercial, recreational, or charter fishing, consistent with any applicable Federal and State safety and quality requirements; and

(C) transshipment or transportation of fish or fish products under permits issued pursuant to section 1824 of this title;

(4) prohibit, limit, condition, or require the use of specified types and quantities of fishing gear, fishing vessels, or equipment for such vessels, including devices which may be required to facilitate enforcement of the provisions of this chapter;

(5) incorporate (consistent with the national standards, the other provisions of this chapter, and any other applicable law) the relevant fishery conservation and management measures of the coastal States nearest to the fishery and take into account the different circumstances affecting fisheries from different States and ports, including distances to fishing grounds and proximity to time and area closures;

(6) establish a limited access system for the fishery in order to achieve optimum yield if, in developing such system, the Council and the Secretary take into account—

(A) present participation in the fishery;

(B) historical fishing practices in, and dependence on, the fishery;

(D) the capability of fishing vessels used in the fishery to engage in other fisheries;

(E) the cultural and social framework relevant to the fishery and any affected fishing communities;

(F) the fair and equitable distribution of access privileges in the fishery; and

(G) any other relevant considerations;

(7) require fish processors who first receive fish that are subject to the plan to submit data which are necessary for the conservation and management of the fishery;

(8) require that one or more observers be carried on board a vessel of the United States engaged in fishing for species that are subject to the plan, for the purpose of collecting data necessary for the conservation and management of the fishery; except that such a vessel shall not be required to carry an observer on board if the facilities of the vessel for the quartering of an observer, or for carrying out observer functions, are so inadequate or unsafe that the health or safety of the observer or the safe operation of the vessel would be jeopardized;

(9) assess and specify the effect which the conservation and management measures of the plan will have on the stocks of naturally spawning anadromous fish in the region;

(10) include, consistent with the other provisions of this chapter, conservation and management measures that provide harvest incentives for participants within each gear group to employ fishing practices that result in lower levels of bycatch or in lower levels of the mortality of bycatch;

(11) reserve a portion of the allowable biological catch of the fishery for use in scientific research;

(12) include management measures in the plan to conserve target and non-target species and habitats, considering the variety of ecological factors affecting fishery populations; and

(14)4

4 So in original. No par. (13) has been enacted.

prescribe such other measures, requirements, or conditions and restrictions as are determined to be necessary and appropriate for the conservation and management of the fishery.

(1) implementing a fishery management plan or plan amendment shall be submitted to the Secretary simultaneously with the plan or amendment under section 1854 of this title; and

(2) making modifications to regulations implementing a fishery management plan or plan amendment may be submitted to the Secretary at any time after the plan or amendment is approved under section 1854 of this title.

(Pub. L. 94–265, title III, § 303, Apr. 13, 1976, 90 Stat. 351; Pub. L. 95–354, § 5(2), (3), Aug. 28, 1978, 92 Stat. 521; Pub. L. 97–453, § 6, Jan. 12, 1983, 96 Stat. 2486; Pub. L. 99–659, title I, §§ 101(c)(2), 105(a)(1), (b), Nov. 14, 1986, 100 Stat. 3707, 3711; Pub. L. 101–627, title I, § 109, Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 4447; Pub. L. 102–251, title III, § 301(g), Mar. 9, 1992, 106 Stat. 64; Pub. L. 104–297, title I, § 108(a), (c)–(e), Oct. 11, 1996, 110 Stat. 3574–3576; Pub. L. 106–554, § 1(a)(4) [div. B, title I, § 144(a)(1), (2)], Dec. 21, 2000, 114 Stat. 2763, 2763A–238; Pub. L. 109–479, title I, §§ 101(b), 104(a), 105, 106(a)(1), Jan. 12, 2007, 120 Stat. 3579, 3584–3586.)

§ 1853a. Limited access privilege programs

(a) In general

(b) No creation of right, title, or interestLimited access privilege, quota share, or other limited access system authorization established, implemented, or managed under this chapter—

(1) shall be considered a permit for the purposes of sections 1857, 1858, and 1859 of this title;

(2) may be revoked, limited, or modified at any time in accordance with this chapter, including revocation if the system is found to have jeopardized the sustainability of the stock or the safety of fishermen;

(3) shall not confer any right of compensation to the holder of such limited access privilege, quota share, or other such limited access system authorization if it is revoked, limited, or modified;

(4) shall not create, or be construed to create, any right, title, or interest in or to any fish before the fish is harvested by the holder; and

(5) shall be considered a grant of permission to the holder of the limited access privilege or quota share to engage in activities permitted by such limited access privilege or quota share.

(1) In generalAny limited access privilege program to harvest fish submitted by a Council or approved by the Secretary under this section shall—

(A) if established in a fishery that is overfished or subject to a rebuilding plan, assist in its rebuilding;

(B) if established in a fishery that is determined by the Secretary or the Council to have over-capacity, contribute to reducing capacity;

(i) fishing safety;

(ii) fishery conservation and management; and

(iii) social and economic benefits;

(D) prohibit any person other than a United States citizen, a corporation, partnership, or other entity established under the laws of the United States or any State, or a permanent resident alien, that meets the eligibility and participation requirements established in the program from acquiring a privilege to harvest fish, including any person that acquires a limited access privilege solely for the purpose of perfecting or realizing on a security interest in such privilege;

(E) require that all fish harvested under a limited access privilege program be processed on vessels of the United States or on United States soil (including any territory of the United States);

(F) specify the goals of the program;

(G) include provisions for the regular monitoring and review by the Council and the Secretary of the operations of the program, including determining progress in meeting the goals of the program and this chapter, and any necessary modification of the program to meet those goals, with a formal and detailed review 5 years after the implementation of the program and thereafter to coincide with scheduled Council review of the relevant fishery management plan (but no less frequently than once every 7 years);

(H) include an effective system for enforcement, monitoring, and management of the program, including the use of observers or electronic monitoring systems;

(I) include an appeals process for administrative review of the Secretary’s decisions regarding initial allocation of limited access privileges;

(J) provide for the establishment by the Secretary, in consultation with appropriate Federal agencies, for an information collection and review process to provide any additional information needed to determine whether any illegal acts of anti-competition, anti-trust, price collusion, or price fixing have occurred among regional fishery associations or persons receiving limited access privileges under the program; and

(K) provide for the revocation by the Secretary of limited access privileges held by any person found to have violated the antitrust laws of the United States.

(2) WaiverThe Secretary may waive the requirement of paragraph (1)(E) if the Secretary determines that—

(A) the fishery has historically processed the fish outside of the United States; and

(B) the United States has a seafood safety equivalency agreement with the country where processing will occur.

(3) Fishing communities

(A) In general

(i) EligibilityTo be eligible to participate in a limited access privilege program to harvest fish, a fishing community shall—(I) be located within the management area of the relevant Council;(II) meet criteria developed by the relevant Council, approved by the Secretary, and published in the Federal Register;(III) consist of residents who conduct commercial or recreational fishing, processing, or fishery-dependent support businesses within the Council’s management area; and(IV) develop and submit a community sustainability plan to the Council and the Secretary that demonstrates how the plan will address the social and economic development needs of coastal communities, including those that have not historically had the resources to participate in the fishery, for approval based on criteria developed by the Council that have been approved by the Secretary and published in the Federal Register.

(ii) Failure to comply with plan

(B) Participation criteriaIn developing participation criteria for eligible communities under this paragraph, a Council shall consider—

(i) traditional fishing or processing practices in, and dependence on, the fishery;

(ii) the cultural and social framework relevant to the fishery;

(iii) economic barriers to access to fishery;

(iv) the existence and severity of projected economic and social impacts associated with implementation of limited access privilege programs on harvesters, captains, crew, processors, and other businesses substantially dependent upon the fishery in the region or subregion;

(v) the expected effectiveness, operational transparency, and equitability of the community sustainability plan; and

(vi) the potential for improving economic conditions in remote coastal communities lacking resources to participate in harvesting or processing activities in the fishery.

(4) Regional fishery associations

(A) In generalTo be eligible to participate in a limited access privilege program to harvest fish, a regional fishery association shall—

(i) be located within the management area of the relevant Council;

(ii) meet criteria developed by the relevant Council, approved by the Secretary, and published in the Federal Register;

(iii) be a voluntary association, among willing parties with established by-laws and operating procedures;

(iv) consist of participants in the fishery who hold quota share that are designated for use in the specific region or subregion covered by the regional fishery association, including commercial or recreational fishing, processing, fishery-dependent support businesses, or fishing communities;

(v) not be eligible to receive an initial allocation of a limited access privilege but may acquire such privileges after the initial allocation, and may hold the annual fishing privileges of any limited access privileges it holds or the annual fishing privileges that is 1

1 So in original. Probably should be “its”.

members contribute; and

(vi) develop and submit a regional fishery association plan to the Council and the Secretary for approval based on criteria developed by the Council that have been approved by the Secretary and published in the Federal Register.

(B) Failure to comply with plan

(C) Participation criteriaIn developing participation criteria for eligible regional fishery associations under this paragraph, a Council shall consider—

(i) traditional fishing or processing practices in, and dependence on, the fishery;

(ii) the cultural and social framework relevant to the fishery;

(iii) economic barriers to access to fishery;

(v) the administrative and fiduciary soundness of the association; and

(vi) the expected effectiveness, operational transparency, and equitability of the fishery association plan.

(5) AllocationIn developing a limited access privilege program to harvest fish a Council or the Secretary shall—

(A) establish procedures to ensure fair and equitable initial allocations, including consideration of—

(i) current and historical harvests;

(ii) employment in the harvesting and processing sectors;

(iii) investments in, and dependence upon, the fishery; and

(iv) the current and historical participation of fishing communities;

(B) consider the basic cultural and social framework of the fishery, especially through—

(i) the development of policies to promote the sustained participation of small owner-operated fishing vessels and fishing communities that depend on the fisheries, including regional or port-specific landing or delivery requirements; and

(ii) procedures to address concerns over excessive geographic or other consolidation in the harvesting or processing sectors of the fishery;

(C) include measures to assist, when necessary and appropriate, entry-level and small vessel owner-operators, captains, crew, and fishing communities through set-asides of harvesting allocations, including providing privileges, which may include set-asides or allocations of harvesting privileges, or economic assistance in the purchase of limited access privileges;

(D) ensure that limited access privilege holders do not acquire an excessive share of the total limited access privileges in the program by—

(i) establishing a maximum share, expressed as a percentage of the total limited access privileges, that a limited access privilege holder is permitted to hold, acquire, or use; and

(ii) establishing any other limitations or measures necessary to prevent an inequitable concentration of limited access privileges; and

(E) authorize limited access privileges to harvest fish to be held, acquired, used by, or issued under the system to persons who substantially participate in the fishery, including in a specific sector of such fishery, as specified by the Council.

(6) Program initiation

(A) Limitation

(B) Petition

(D) New England and Gulf referendum

(i) Except as provided in clause (iii) for the Gulf of Mexico commercial red snapper fishery, the New England and Gulf Councils may not submit, and the Secretary may not approve or implement, a fishery management plan or amendment that creates an individual fishing quota program, including a Secretarial plan, unless such a system, as ultimately developed, has been approved by more than ⅔ of those voting in a referendum among eligible permit holders, or other persons described in clause (v), with respect to the New England Council, and by a majority of those voting in the referendum among eligible permit holders with respect to the Gulf Council. For multispecies permits in the Gulf of Mexico, only those participants who have substantially fished the species proposed to be included in the individual fishing quota program shall be eligible to vote in such a referendum. If an individual fishing quota program fails to be approved by the requisite number of those voting, it may be revised and submitted for approval in a subsequent referendum.

(ii) The Secretary shall conduct a referendum under this subparagraph, including notifying all persons eligible to participate in the referendum and making available to them information concerning the schedule, procedures, and eligibility requirements for the referendum process and the proposed individual fishing quota program. Within 1 year after January 12, 2007, the Secretary shall publish guidelines and procedures to determine procedures and voting eligibility requirements for referenda and to conduct such referenda in a fair and equitable manner.

(iii) The provisions of section 1883(c) of this title shall apply in lieu of this subparagraph for an individual fishing quota program for the Gulf of Mexico commercial red snapper fishery.

(iv) Chapter 35 of title 44 (commonly known as the Paperwork Reduction Act) does not apply to the referenda conducted under this subparagraph.

(v) The Secretary shall promulgate criteria for determining whether additional fishery participants are eligible to vote in the New England referendum described in clause (i) in order to ensure that crew members who derive a significant percentage of their total income from the fishery under the proposed program are eligible to vote in the referendum.

(vi) In this subparagraph, the term “individual fishing quota” does not include a sector allocation.

(7) TransferabilityIn establishing a limited access privilege program, a Council shall—

(A) establish a policy and criteria for the transferability of limited access privileges (through sale or lease), that is consistent with the policies adopted by the Council for the fishery under paragraph (5); and

(B) establish, in coordination with the Secretary, a process for monitoring of transfers (including sales and leases) of limited access privileges.

(8) Preparation and implementation of secretarial plans

(9) Antitrust savings clause

(d) Auction and other programsIn establishing a limited access privilege program, a Council shall consider, and may provide, if appropriate, an auction system or other program to collect royalties for the initial, or any subsequent, distribution of allocations in a limited access privilege program if—

(1) the system or program is administered in such a way that the resulting distribution of limited access privilege shares meets the program requirements of this section; and

(2) revenues generated through such a royalty program are deposited in the Limited Access System Administration Fund established by section 1855(h)(5)(B) of this title and available subject to annual appropriations.

(e) Cost recoveryIn establishing a limited access privilege program, a Council shall—

(1) develop a methodology and the means to identify and assess the management, data collection and analysis, and enforcement programs that are directly related to and in support of the program; and

(2) provide, under section 1854(d)(2) of this title, for a program of fees paid by limited access privilege holders that will cover the costs of management, data collection and analysis, and enforcement activities.

(f) CharacteristicsA limited access privilege established after January 12, 2007, is a permit issued for a period of not more than 10 years that—

(1) will be renewed before the end of that period, unless it has been revoked, limited, or modified as provided in this subsection;

(2) will be revoked, limited, or modified if the holder is found by the Secretary, after notice and an opportunity for a hearing under section 554 of title 5, to have failed to comply with any term of the plan identified in the plan as cause for revocation, limitation, or modification of a permit, which may include conservation requirements established under the plan;

(3) may be revoked, limited, or modified if the holder is found by the Secretary, after notice and an opportunity for a hearing under section 554 of title 5, to have committed an act prohibited by section 1857 of this title; and

(4) may be acquired, or reacquired, by participants in the program under a mechanism established by the Council if it has been revoked, limited, or modified under paragraph (2) or (3).

(g) Limited access privilege assisted purchase program

(1) In generalA Council may submit, and the Secretary may approve and implement, a program which reserves up to 25 percent of any fees collected from a fishery under section 1854(d)(2) of this title to be used, pursuant to section 53706(a)(7) of title 46, to issue obligations that aid in financing—

(A) the purchase of limited access privileges in that fishery by fishermen who fish from small vessels; and

(B) the first-time purchase of limited access privileges in that fishery by entry level fishermen.

(2) Eligibility criteria

(h) Effect on certain existing shares and programs

(i) Transition rulesThe requirements of this section shall not apply to any quota program, including any individual quota program, cooperative program, or sector allocation for which a Council has taken final action or which has been submitted by a Council to the Secretary, or approved by the Secretary, within 6 months after January 12, 2007, except that—

(1) the requirements of section 1853(d) of this title in effect on the day before January 12, 2007, shall apply to any such program;

(2) the program shall be subject to review under subsection (c)(1)(G) of this section not later than 5 years after the program implementation; and

(3) nothing in this subsection precludes a Council from incorporating criteria contained in this section into any such plans.

(Pub. L. 94–265, title III, § 303A, as added Pub. L. 109–479, title I, § 106(a)(2), Jan. 12, 2007, 120 Stat. 3586; amended Pub. L. 110–161, div. B, title V, § 529, Dec. 26, 2007, 121 Stat. 1930.)

§ 1854. Action by Secretary

(a) Review of plans

(1) Upon transmittal by the Council to the Secretary of a fishery management plan or plan amendment, the Secretary shall—

(A) immediately commence a review of the plan or amendment to determine whether it is consistent with the national standards, the other provisions of this chapter, and any other applicable law; and

(B) immediately publish in the Federal Register a notice stating that the plan or amendment is available and that written information, views, or comments of interested persons on the plan or amendment may be submitted to the Secretary during the 60-day period beginning on the date the notice is published.

(2) In undertaking the review required under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall—

(A) take into account the information, views, and comments received from interested persons;

(B) consult with the Secretary of State with respect to foreign fishing; and

(C) consult with the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating with respect to enforcement at sea and to fishery access adjustments referred to in section 1853(a)(6) of this title.

(3) The Secretary shall approve, disapprove, or partially approve a plan or amendment within 30 days of the end of the comment period under paragraph (1) by written notice to the Council. A notice of disapproval or partial approval shall specify—

(A) the applicable law with which the plan or amendment is inconsistent;

(B) the nature of such inconsistencies; and

(C) recommendations concerning the actions that could be taken by the Council to conform such plan or amendment to the requirements of applicable law.

If the Secretary does not notify a Council within 30 days of the end of the comment period of the approval, disapproval, or partial approval of a plan or amendment, then such plan or amendment shall take effect as if approved.

(4) If the Secretary disapproves or partially approves a plan or amendment, the Council may submit a revised plan or amendment to the Secretary for review under this subsection.

(5) For purposes of this subsection and subsection (b), the term “immediately” means on or before the 5th day after the day on which a Council transmits to the Secretary a fishery management plan, plan amendment, or proposed regulation that the Council characterizes as final.

(b) Review of regulations

(1) Upon transmittal by the Council to the Secretary of proposed regulations prepared under section 1853(c) of this title, the Secretary shall immediately initiate an evaluation of the proposed regulations to determine whether they are consistent with the fishery management plan, plan amendment, this chapter and other applicable law. Within 15 days of initiating such evaluation the Secretary shall make a determination and—

(A) if that determination is affirmative, the Secretary shall publish such regulations in the Federal Register, with such technical changes as may be necessary for clarity and an explanation of those changes, for a public comment period of 15 to 60 days; or

(B) if that determination is negative, the Secretary shall notify the Council in writing of the inconsistencies and provide recommendations on revisions that would make the proposed regulations consistent with the fishery management plan, plan amendment, this chapter, and other applicable law.

(2) Upon receiving a notification under paragraph (1)(B), the Council may revise the proposed regulations and submit them to the Secretary for reevaluation under paragraph (1).

(3) The Secretary shall promulgate final regulations within 30 days after the end of the comment period under paragraph (1)(A). The Secretary shall consult with the Council before making any revisions to the proposed regulations, and must publish in the Federal Register an explanation of any differences between the proposed and final regulations.

(1) The Secretary may prepare a fishery management plan, with respect to any fishery, or any amendment to any such plan, in accordance with the national standards, the other provisions of this chapter, and any other applicable law, if—

(A) the appropriate Council fails to develop and submit to the Secretary, after a reasonable period of time, a fishery management plan for such fishery, or any necessary amendment to such a plan, if such fishery requires conservation and management;

(B) the Secretary disapproves or partially disapproves any such plan or amendment, or disapproves a revised plan or amendment, and the Council involved fails to submit a revised or further revised plan or amendment; or

(2) In preparing any plan or amendment under this subsection, the Secretary shall—

(A) conduct public hearings, at appropriate times and locations in the geographical areas concerned, so as to allow interested persons an opportunity to be heard in the preparation and amendment of the plan and any regulations implementing the plan; and

(B) consult with the Secretary of State with respect to foreign fishing and with the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating with respect to enforcement at sea.

(3) Notwithstanding paragraph (1) for a fishery under the authority of a Council, the Secretary may not include in any fishery management plan, or any amendment to any such plan, prepared by him, a provision establishing a limited access system, including any limited access privilege program, unless such system is first approved by a majority of the voting members, present and voting, of each appropriate Council.

(4) Whenever the Secretary prepares a fishery management plan or plan amendment under this section, the Secretary shall immediately—

(A) for a plan or amendment for a fishery under the authority of a Council, submit such plan or amendment to the appropriate Council for consideration and comment; and

(B) publish in the Federal Register a notice stating that the plan or amendment is available and that written information, views, or comments of interested persons on the plan or amendment may be submitted to the Secretary during the 60-day period beginning on the date the notice is published.

(5) Whenever a plan or amendment is submitted under paragraph (4)(A), the appropriate Council must submit its comments and recommendations, if any, regarding the plan or amendment to the Secretary before the close of the 60-day period referred to in paragraph (4)(B). After the close of such 60-day period, the Secretary, after taking into account any such comments and recommendations, as well as any views, information, or comments submitted under paragraph (4)(B), may adopt such plan or amendment.

(6) The Secretary may propose regulations in the Federal Register to implement any plan or amendment prepared by the Secretary. In the case of a plan or amendment to which paragraph (4)(A) applies, such regulations shall be submitted to the Council with such plan or amendment. The comment period on proposed regulations shall be 60 days, except that the Secretary may shorten the comment period on minor revisions to existing regulations.

(7) The Secretary shall promulgate final regulations within 30 days after the end of the comment period under paragraph (6). The Secretary must publish in the Federal Register an explanation of any substantive differences between the proposed and final rules. All final regulations must be consistent with the fishery management plan, with the national standards and other provisions of this chapter, and with any other applicable law.

(d) Establishment of fees

(1) The Secretary shall by regulation establish the level of any fees which are authorized to be charged pursuant to section 1853(b)(1) of this title. The Secretary may enter into a cooperative agreement with the States concerned under which the States administer the permit system and the agreement may provide that all or part of the fees collected under the system shall accrue to the States. The level of fees charged under this subsection shall not exceed the administrative costs incurred in issuing the permits.

(2)

(A) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), the Secretary is authorized and shall collect a fee to recover the actual costs directly related to the management, data collection, and enforcement of any—

(i) limited access privilege program; and

(ii) community development quota program that allocates a percentage of the total allowable catch of a fishery to such program.

(B) Such fee shall not exceed 3 percent of the ex-vessel value of fish harvested under any such program, and shall be collected at either the time of the landing, filing of a landing report, or sale of such fish during a fishing season or in the last quarter of the calendar year in which the fish is harvested.

(C)

(i) Fees collected under this paragraph shall be in addition to any other fees charged under this chapter and shall be deposited in the Limited Access System Administration Fund established under section 1855(h)(5)(B) of this title.

(ii) Upon application by a State, the Secretary shall transfer to such State up to 33 percent of any fee collected pursuant to subparagraph (A) under a community development quota program and deposited in the Limited Access System Administration Fund in order to reimburse such State for actual costs directly incurred in the management and enforcement of such program.

(e) Rebuilding overfished fisheries

(1) The Secretary shall report annually to the Congress and the Councils on the status of fisheries within each Council’s geographical area of authority and identify those fisheries that are overfished or are approaching a condition of being overfished. For those fisheries managed under a fishery management plan or international agreement, the status shall be determined using the criteria for overfishing specified in such plan or agreement. A fishery shall be classified as approaching a condition of being overfished if, based on trends in fishing effort, fishery resource size, and other appropriate factors, the Secretary estimates that the fishery will become overfished within two years.

(2) If the Secretary determines at any time that a fishery is overfished, the Secretary shall immediately notify the appropriate Council and request that action be taken to end overfishing in the fishery and to implement conservation and management measures to rebuild affected stocks of fish. The Secretary shall publish each notice under this paragraph in the Federal Register.

(3) Within 2 years after an identification under paragraph (1) or notification under paragraphs (2) or (7), the appropriate Council (or the Secretary, for fisheries under section 1852(a)(3) of this title) shall prepare and implement a fishery management plan, plan amendment, or proposed regulations for the fishery to which the identification or notice applies—

(A) to end overfishing immediately in the fishery and to rebuild affected stocks of fish; or

(B) to prevent overfishing from occurring in the fishery whenever such fishery is identified as approaching an overfished condition.

(4) For a fishery that is overfished, any fishery management plan, amendment, or proposed regulations prepared pursuant to paragraph (3) or paragraph (5) for such fishery shall—

(A) specify a time period for rebuilding the fishery that shall—

(i) be as short as possible, taking into account the status and biology of any overfished stocks of fish, the needs of fishing communities, recommendations by international organizations in which the United States participates, and the interaction of the overfished stock of fish within the marine ecosystem; and

(ii) not exceed 10 years, except in cases where the biology of the stock of fish, other environmental conditions, or management measures under an international agreement in which the United States participates dictate otherwise;

(B) allocate both overfishing restrictions and recovery benefits fairly and equitably among sectors of the fishery; and

(C) for fisheries managed under an international agreement, reflect traditional participation in the fishery, relative to other nations, by fishermen of the United States.

(5) If, within the 2-year period beginning on the date of identification or notification that a fishery is overfished, the Council does not submit to the Secretary a fishery management plan, plan amendment, or proposed regulations required by paragraph (3)(A), the Secretary shall prepare a fishery management plan or plan amendment and any accompanying regulations to stop overfishing and rebuild affected stocks of fish within 9 months under subsection (c).

(6) During the development of a fishery management plan, a plan amendment, or proposed regulations required by this subsection, the Council may request the Secretary to implement interim measures to reduce overfishing under section 1855(c) of this title until such measures can be replaced by such plan, amendment, or regulations. Such measures, if otherwise in compliance with the provisions of this chapter, may be implemented even though they are not sufficient by themselves to stop overfishing of a fishery.

(7) The Secretary shall review any fishery management plan, plan amendment, or regulations required by this subsection at routine intervals that may not exceed two years. If the Secretary finds as a result of the review that such plan, amendment, or regulations have not resulted in adequate progress toward ending overfishing and rebuilding affected fish stocks, the Secretary shall—

(A) in the case of a fishery to which section 1852(a)(3) of this title applies, immediately make revisions necessary to achieve adequate progress; or

(B) for all other fisheries, immediately notify the appropriate Council. Such notification shall recommend further conservation and management measures which the Council should consider under paragraph (3) to achieve adequate progress.

(f) Fisheries under authority of more than one Council

(1) Except as provided in paragraph (3),1

1 See References in Text note below.

if any fishery extends beyond the geographical area of authority of any one Council, the Secretary may—

(A) designate which Council shall prepare the fishery management plan for such fishery and any amendment to such plan; or

(B) may require that the plan and amendment be prepared jointly by the Councils concerned.

No jointly prepared plan or amendment may be submitted to the Secretary unless it is approved by a majority of the voting members, present and voting, of each Council concerned.

(2) The Secretary shall establish the boundaries between the geographical areas of authority of adjacent Councils.

(g) Atlantic highly migratory species

(1) Preparation and implementation of plan or plan amendmentThe Secretary shall prepare a fishery management plan or plan amendment under subsection (c) with respect to any highly migratory species fishery to which section 1852(a)(3) of this title applies. In preparing and implementing any such plan or amendment, the Secretary shall—

(A) consult with and consider the comments and views of affected Councils, commissioners and advisory groups appointed under Acts implementing relevant international fishery agreements pertaining to highly migratory species, and the advisory panel established under section 1852(g) of this title;

(B) establish an advisory panel under section 1852(g) of this title for each fishery management plan to be prepared under this paragraph;

(C) evaluate the likely effects, if any, of conservation and management measures on participants in the affected fisheries and minimize, to the extent practicable, any disadvantage to United States fishermen in relation to foreign competitors;

(D) with respect to a highly migratory species for which the United States is authorized to harvest an allocation, quota, or at a fishing mortality level under a relevant international fishery agreement, provide fishing vessels of the United States with a reasonable opportunity to harvest such allocation, quota, or at such fishing mortality level;

(E) review, on a continuing basis (and promptly whenever a recommendation pertaining to fishing for highly migratory species has been made under a relevant international fishery agreement), and revise as appropriate, the conservation and management measures included in the plan;

(F) diligently pursue, through international entities (such as the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas), comparable international fishery management measures with respect to fishing for highly migratory species; and

(G) ensure that conservation and management measures under this subsection—

(i) promote international conservation of the affected fishery;

(ii) take into consideration traditional fishing patterns of fishing vessels of the United States and the operating requirements of the fisheries;

(iii) are fair and equitable in allocating fishing privileges among United States fishermen and do not have economic allocation as the sole purpose; and

(iv) promote, to the extent practicable, implementation of scientific research programs that include the tagging and release of Atlantic highly migratory species.

(2) Certain fish excluded from “bycatch” definition

(h) Repeal or revocation of a fishery management plan

(i)2

2 So in original. Two subsecs. (i) have been enacted.

Environmental review process

(1) ProceduresThe Secretary shall, in consultation with the Councils and the Council on Environmental Quality, revise and update agency procedures for compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (42 U.S.C. 4231 et seq.). The procedures shall—

(A) conform to the time lines for review and approval of fishery management plans and plan amendments under this section; and

(B) integrate applicable environmental analytical procedures, including the time frames for public input, with the procedure for the preparation and dissemination of fishery management plans, plan amendments, and other actions taken or approved pursuant to this chapter in order to provide for timely, clear and concise analysis that is useful to decision makers and the public, reduce extraneous paperwork, and effectively involve the public.

(2) Usage

(3) Schedule for promulgation of final proceduresThe Secretary shall—

(A) propose revised procedures within 6 months after January 12, 2007;

(B) provide 90 days for public review and comments; and

(4) Public participation

(i)2 International overfishingThe provisions of this subsection shall apply in lieu of subsection (e) to a fishery that the Secretary determines is overfished or approaching a condition of being overfished due to excessive international fishing pressure, and for which there are no management measures to end overfishing under an international agreement to which the United States is a party. For such fisheries—

(1) the Secretary, in cooperation with the Secretary of State,3

3 So in original. Probably should be followed by “shall”.

immediately take appropriate action at the international level to end the overfishing; and

(2) within 1 year after the Secretary’s determination, the appropriate Council, or Secretary, for fisheries under section 1852(a)(3) of this title shall—

(A) develop recommendations for domestic regulations to address the relative impact of fishing vessels of the United States on the stock and, if developed by a Council, the Council shall submit such recommendations to the Secretary; and

(B) develop and submit recommendations to the Secretary of State, and to the Congress, for international actions that will end overfishing in the fishery and rebuild the affected stocks, taking into account the relative impact of vessels of other nations and vessels of the United States on the relevant stock.

(Pub. L. 94–265, title III, § 304, Apr. 13, 1976, 90 Stat. 352; Pub. L. 97–453, § 7(a), Jan. 12, 1983, 96 Stat. 2487; Pub. L. 99–659, title I, § 106, Nov. 14, 1986, 100 Stat. 3712; Pub. L. 101–627, title I, §§ 110(a), (b)(1), (c), 111(a)(2), 120(d), Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 4449–4452, 4459; Pub. L. 102–567, title III, § 303, Oct. 29, 1992, 106 Stat. 4283; Pub. L. 103–206, title VII, § 702, Dec. 20, 1993, 107 Stat. 2446; Pub. L. 104–297, title I, § 109(a)–(c), (e)–(g), (i), Oct. 11, 1996, 110 Stat. 3581–3585, 3587;

§ 1855. Other requirements and authority

(a) Gear evaluation and notification of entry

(1) Not later than 18 months after October 11, 1996, the Secretary shall publish in the Federal Register, after notice and an opportunity for public comment, a list of all fisheries—

(A) under the authority of each Council and all fishing gear used in such fisheries, based on information submitted by the Councils under section 1853(a) of this title; and

(B) to which section 1852(a)(3) of this title applies and all fishing gear used in such fisheries.

(2) The Secretary shall include with such list guidelines for determining when fishing gear or a fishery is sufficiently different from those listed as to require notification under paragraph (3).

(3) Effective 180 days after the publication of such list, no person or vessel may employ fishing gear or engage in a fishery not included on such list without giving 90 days advance written notice to the appropriate Council, or the Secretary with respect to a fishery to which section 1852(a)(3) of this title applies. A signed return receipt shall serve as adequate evidence of such notice and as the date upon which the 90-day period begins.

(4) A Council may submit to the Secretary any proposed changes to such list or such guidelines the Council deems appropriate. The Secretary shall publish a revised list, after notice and an opportunity for public comment, upon receiving any such proposed changes from a Council.

(5) A Council may request the Secretary to promulgate emergency regulations under subsection (c) to prohibit any persons or vessels from using an unlisted fishing gear or engaging in an unlisted fishery if the appropriate Council, or the Secretary for fisheries to which section 1852(a)(3) of this title applies, determines that such unlisted gear or unlisted fishery would compromise the effectiveness of conservation and management efforts under this chapter.

(6) Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to permit a person or vessel to engage in fishing or employ fishing gear when such fishing or gear is prohibited or restricted by regulation under a fishery management plan or plan amendment, or under other applicable law.

(b) Fish habitat

(1)

(A) The Secretary shall, within 6 months of October 11, 1996, establish by regulation guidelines to assist the Councils in the description and identification of essential fish habitat in fishery management plans (including adverse impacts on such habitat) and in the consideration of actions to ensure the conservation and enhancement of such habitat. The Secretary shall set forth a schedule for the amendment of fishery management plans to include the identification of essential fish habitat and for the review and updating of such identifications based on new scientific evidence or other relevant information.

(B) The Secretary, in consultation with participants in the fishery, shall provide each Council with recommendations and information regarding each fishery under that Council’s authority to assist it in the identification of essential fish habitat, the adverse impacts on that habitat, and the actions that should be considered to ensure the conservation and enhancement of that habitat.

(C) The Secretary shall review programs administered by the Department of Commerce and ensure that any relevant programs further the conservation and enhancement of essential fish habitat.

(D) The Secretary shall coordinate with and provide information to other Federal agencies to further the conservation and enhancement of essential fish habitat.

(2) Each Federal agency shall consult with the Secretary with respect to any action authorized, funded, or undertaken, or proposed to be authorized, funded, or undertaken, by such agency that may adversely affect any essential fish habitat identified under this chapter.

(3) Each Council—

(A) may comment on and make recommendations to the Secretary and any Federal or State agency concerning any activity authorized, funded, or undertaken, or proposed to be authorized, funded, or undertaken, by any Federal or State agency that, in the view of the Council, may affect the habitat, including essential fish habitat, of a fishery resource under its authority; and

(B) shall comment on and make recommendations to the Secretary and any Federal or State agency concerning any such activity that, in the view of the Council, is likely to substantially affect the habitat, including essential fish habitat, of an anadromous fishery resource under its authority.

(4)

(A) If the Secretary receives information from a Council or Federal or State agency or determines from other sources that an action authorized, funded, or undertaken, or proposed to be authorized, funded, or undertaken, by any State or Federal agency would adversely affect any essential fish habitat identified under this chapter, the Secretary shall recommend to such agency measures that can be taken by such agency to conserve such habitat.

(B) Within 30 days after receiving a recommendation under subparagraph (A), a Federal agency shall provide a detailed response in writing to any Council commenting under paragraph (3) and the Secretary regarding the matter. The response shall include a description of measures proposed by the agency for avoiding, mitigating, or offsetting the impact of the activity on such habitat. In the case of a response that is inconsistent with the recommendations of the Secretary, the Federal agency shall explain its reasons for not following the recommendations.

(1) If the Secretary finds that an emergency exists or that interim measures are needed to reduce overfishing for any fishery, he may promulgate emergency regulations or interim measures necessary to address the emergency or overfishing, without regard to whether a fishery management plan exists for such fishery.

(2) If a Council finds that an emergency exists or that interim measures are needed to reduce overfishing for any fishery within its jurisdiction, whether or not a fishery management plan exists for such fishery—

(A) the Secretary shall promulgate emergency regulations or interim measures under paragraph (1) to address the emergency or overfishing if the Council, by unanimous vote of the members who are voting members, requests the taking of such action; and

(B) the Secretary may promulgate emergency regulations or interim measures under paragraph (1) to address the emergency or overfishing if the Council, by less than a unanimous vote, requests the taking of such action.

(3) Any emergency regulation or interim measure which changes any existing fishery management plan or amendment shall be treated as an amendment to such plan for the period in which such regulation is in effect. Any emergency regulation or interim measure promulgated under this subsection—

(A) shall be published in the Federal Register together with the reasons therefor;

(B) shall, except as provided in subparagraph (C), remain in effect for not more than 180 days after the date of publication, and may be extended by publication in the Federal Register for one additional period of not more than 186 days, provided the public has had an opportunity to comment on the emergency regulation or interim measure, and, in the case of a Council recommendation for emergency regulations or interim measures, the Council is actively preparing a fishery management plan, plan amendment, or proposed regulations to address the emergency or overfishing on a permanent basis;

(C) that responds to a public health emergency or an oil spill may remain in effect until the circumstances that created the emergency no longer exist, Provided, That the public has an opportunity to comment after the regulation is published, and, in the case of a public health emergency, the Secretary of Health and Human Services concurs with the Secretary’s action; and

(D) may be terminated by the Secretary at an earlier date by publication in the Federal Register of a notice of termination, except for emergency regulations or interim measures promulgated under paragraph (2) in which case such early termination may be made only upon the agreement of the Secretary and the Council concerned.

(d) Responsibility of Secretary

(e) Effect of certain laws on certain time requirements

(f) Judicial review

(1) Regulations promulgated by the Secretary under this chapter and actions described in paragraph (2) shall be subject to judicial review to the extent authorized by, and in accordance with, chapter 7 of title 5, if a petition for such review is filed within 30 days after the date on which the regulations are promulgated or the action is published in the Federal Register, as applicable; except that—

(A) section 705 of such title is not applicable, and

(B) the appropriate court shall only set aside any such regulation or action on a ground specified in section 706(2)(A), (B), (C), or (D) of such title.

(2) The actions referred to in paragraph (1) are actions that are taken by the Secretary under regulations which implement a fishery management plan, including but not limited to actions that establish the date of closure of a fishery to commercial or recreational fishing.

(3)

(A) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary shall file a response to any petition filed in accordance with paragraph (1), not later than 45 days after the date the Secretary is served with that petition, except that the appropriate court may extend the period for filing such a response upon a showing by the Secretary of good cause for that extension.

(B) A response of the Secretary under this paragraph shall include a copy of the administrative record for the regulations that are the subject of the petition.

(4) Upon a motion by the person who files a petition under this subsection, the appropriate court shall assign the matter for hearing at the earliest possible date and shall expedite the matter in every possible way.

(g) Negotiated conservation and management measures

(1)

(A) In accordance with regulations promulgated by the Secretary pursuant to this paragraph, a Council may establish a fishery negotiation panel to assist in the development of specific conservation and management measures for a fishery under its authority. The Secretary may establish a fishery negotiation panel to assist in the development of specific conservation and management measures required for a fishery under section 1854(e)(5) of this title, for a fishery for which the Secretary has authority under section 1854(g) of this title, or for any other fishery with the approval of the appropriate Council.

(B) No later than 180 days after October 11, 1996, the Secretary shall promulgate regulations establishing procedures, developed in cooperation with the Administrative Conference of the United States, for the establishment and operation of fishery negotiation panels. Such procedures shall be comparable to the procedures for negotiated rulemaking established by subchapter III of chapter 5 of title 5.

(2) If a negotiation panel submits a report, such report shall specify all the areas where consensus was reached by the panel, including, if appropriate, proposed conservation and management measures, as well as any other information submitted by members of the negotiation panel. Upon receipt, the Secretary shall publish such report in the Federal Register for public comment.

(3) Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to require either a Council or the Secretary, whichever is appropriate, to use all or any portion of a report from a negotiation panel established under this subsection in the development of specific conservation and management measures for the fishery for which the panel was established.

(h) Central registry system for limited access system permits

(1) Within 6 months after October 11, 1996, the Secretary shall establish an exclusive central registry system (which may be administered on a regional basis) for limited access system permits established under section 1853(b)(6) of this title or other Federal law, including limited access privileges, which shall provide for the registration of title to, and interests in, such permits, as well as for procedures for changes in the registration of title to such permits upon the occurrence of involuntary transfers, judicial or nonjudicial foreclosure of interests, enforcement of judgments thereon, and related matters deemed appropriate by the Secretary. Such registry system shall—

(A) provide a mechanism for filing notice of a nonjudicial foreclosure or enforcement of a judgment by which the holder of a senior security interest acquires or conveys ownership of a permit, and in the event of a nonjudicial foreclosure, by which the interests of the holders of junior security interests are released when the permit is transferred;

(B) provide for public access to the information filed under such system, notwithstanding section 1881a(b) of this title; and

(C) provide such notice and other requirements of applicable law that the Secretary deems necessary for an effective registry system.

(2) The Secretary shall promulgate such regulations as may be necessary to carry out this subsection, after consulting with the Councils and providing an opportunity for public comment. The Secretary is authorized to contract with non-Federal entities to administer the central registry system.

(3) To be effective and perfected against any person except the transferor, its heirs and devisees, and persons having actual notice thereof, all security interests, and all sales and other transfers of permits described in paragraph (1), shall be registered in compliance with the regulations promulgated under paragraph (2). Such registration shall constitute the exclusive means of perfection of title to, and security interests in, such permits, except for Federal tax liens thereon, which shall be perfected exclusively in accordance with the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (26 U.S.C. 1 et seq.). The Secretary shall notify both the buyer and seller of a permit if a lien has been filed by the Secretary of the Treasury against the permit before collecting any transfer fee under paragraph (5) of this subsection.

(4) The priority of security interests shall be determined in order of filing, the first filed having the highest priority. A validly-filed security interest shall remain valid and perfected notwithstanding a change in residence or place of business of the owner of record. For the purposes of this subsection, “security interest” shall include security interests, assignments, liens and other encumbrances of whatever kind.

(5)

(A) Notwithstanding section 1854(d)(1) of this title, the Secretary shall collect a reasonable fee of not more than one-half of one percent of the value of a limited access system permit upon registration of the title to such permit with the central registry system and upon the transfer of such registered title. Any such fee collected shall be deposited in the Limited Access System Administration Fund established under subparagraph (B).

(B) There is established in the Treasury a Limited Access System Administration Fund. The Fund shall be available, without appropriation or fiscal year limitation, only to the Secretary for the purposes of—

(i) administering the central registry system; and

(ii) administering and implementing this chapter in the fishery in which the fees were collected. Sums in the Fund that are not currently needed for these purposes shall be kept on deposit or invested in obligations of, or guaranteed by, the United States.

(i) Alaska and western Pacific community development programs

(1) Western Alaska community development quota program

(A) In generalThere is established the western Alaska community development quota program in order—

(i) to provide eligible western Alaska villages with the opportunity to participate and invest in fisheries in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area;

(ii) to support economic development in western Alaska;

(iii) to alleviate poverty and provide economic and social benefits for residents of western Alaska; and

(iv) to achieve sustainable and diversified local economies in western Alaska.

(B) Program allocation

(i) In general

(ii) ExceptionsNotwithstanding clause (i)—(I) the allocation under the program for each directed fishery of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (other than a fishery for halibut, sablefish, pollock, and crab) shall be a total allocation (directed and nontarget combined) of 10.7 percent effective January 1, 2008; and(II) the allocation under the program in any directed fishery of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (other than a fishery for halibut, sablefish, pollock, and crab) established after July 11, 2006, shall be a total allocation (directed and nontarget combined) of 10.7 percent.

The total allocation (directed and nontarget combined) for a fishery to which subclause (I) or (II) applies may not be exceeded.

(iii) Processing and other rights

(iv) Regulation of harvest

(D) Eligible villagesThe following villages shall be eligible to participate in the program through the following entities:

(i) The villages of Akutan, Atka, False Pass, Nelson Lagoon, Nikolski, and Saint George through the Aleutian Pribilof Island Community Development Association.

(ii) The villages of Aleknagik, Clark’s Point, Dillingham, Egegik, Ekuk, Ekwok, King Salmon/Savonoski, Levelock, Manokotak, Naknek, Pilot Point, Port Heiden, Portage Creek, South Naknek, Togiak, Twin Hills, and Ugashik through the Bristol Bay Economic Development Corporation.

(iii) The village of Saint Paul through the Central Bering Sea Fishermen’s Association.

(iv) The villages of Chefornak, Chevak, Eek, Goodnews Bay, Hooper Bay, Kipnuk, Kongiganak, Kwigillingok, Mekoryuk, Napakiak, Napaskiak, Newtok, Nightmute, Oscarville, Platinum, Quinhagak, Scammon Bay, Toksook Bay, Tuntutuliak, and Tununak through the Coastal Villages Region Fund.

(v) The villages of Brevig Mission, Diomede, Elim, Gambell, Golovin, Koyuk, Nome, Saint Michael, Savoonga, Shaktoolik, Stebbins, Teller, Unalakleet, Wales, and White Mountain through the Norton Sound Economic Development Corporation.

(vi) The villages of Alakanuk, Emmonak, Grayling, Kotlik, Mountain Village, and Nunam Iqua through the Yukon Delta Fisheries Development Association.

(E) Eligibility requirements for participating entitiesTo be eligible to participate in the program, an entity referred to in subparagraph (D) shall meet the following requirements:

(i) Board of directors

(ii) Panel representative

(iii) Other investmentsThe entity may make up to 20 percent of its annual investments in any combination of the following:(I) For projects that are not fishery-related and that are located in its region.(II) On a pooled or joint investment basis with one or more other entities participating in the program for projects that are not fishery-related and that are located in one or more of their regions.(III) For matching Federal or State grants for projects or programs in its member villages without regard to any limitation on the Federal or State share, or restriction on the source of any non-Federal or non-State matching funds, of any grant program under any other provision of law.

(iv) Fishery-related investments

(v) Annual statement of compliance

(vi) Other panel requirements

(F) Entity status, limitations, and regulationThe entity—

(i) shall be subject to any excessive share ownership, harvesting, or processing limitations in the fisheries of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area only to the extent of the entity’s proportional ownership, excluding any program allocations, and notwithstanding any other provision of law;

(ii) shall comply with State of Alaska law requiring annual reports to the entity’s member villages summarizing financial operations for the previous calendar year, including general and administrative costs and compensation levels of the top 5 highest paid personnel;

(iii) shall comply with State of Alaska laws to prevent fraud that are administered by the Alaska Division of Banking and Securities, except that the entity and the State shall keep confidential from public disclosure any information if the disclosure would be harmful to the entity or its investments; and

(iv) is exempt from compliance with any State law requiring approval of financial transactions, community development plans, or amendments thereto, except as required by subparagraph (H).

(G) Administrative panel

(i) Establishment

(ii) Membership

(iii) FunctionsThe panel shall—(I) administer those aspects of the program not otherwise addressed in this paragraph, either through private contractual arrangement or through recommendations to the North Pacific Council, the Secretary, or the State of Alaska, as the case may be; and(II) coordinate and facilitate activities of the entities under the program.

(iv) Voting requirement

(H) Decennial review and adjustment of entity allocations

(i) In general

(ii) CriteriaThe panel shall establish a system to be applied under this subparagraph that allows each entity participating in the program to assign relative values to the following criteria to reflect the particular needs of its villages:(I) Changes during the preceding 10-year period in population, poverty level, and economic development in the entity’s member villages.(II) The overall financial performance of the entity, including fishery and nonfishery investments by the entity.(III) Employment, scholarships, and training supported by the entity.(IV) Achieving of the goals of the entity’s community development plan.

(iii) Adjustment of allocationsAfter the evaluation required by clause (i), the State of Alaska shall make a determination, on the record and after an opportunity for a hearing, with respect to the performance of each entity participating in the program for the criteria described in clause (ii). If the State determines that the entity has maintained or improved its overall performance with respect to the criteria, the allocation to such entity under the program shall be extended by the State for the next 10-year period. If the State determines that the entity has not maintained or improved its overall performance with respect to the criteria—(I) at least 90 percent of the entity’s allocation for each species under subparagraph (C) shall be extended by the State for the next 10-year period; and(II) the State may determine, or the Secretary may determine (if State law prevents the State from making the determination), and implement an appropriate reduction of up to 10 percent of the entity’s allocation for each species under subparagraph (C) for all or part of such 10-year period.

(iv) Reallocation of reduced amount

(I) Secretarial approval not required

(J) Community development plan definedIn this paragraph, the term “community development plan” means a plan, prepared by an entity referred to in subparagraph (D), for the program that describes how the entity intends—

(i) to harvest its share of fishery resources allocated to the program, or

(ii) to use its share of fishery resources allocated to the program, and any revenue derived from such use, to assist its member villages with projects to advance economic development,

but does not include a plan that allocates fishery resources to the program.

(2)

(A) The Western Pacific Council and the Secretary may establish a western Pacific community development program for any fishery under the authority of such Council in order to provide access to such fishery for western Pacific communities that participate in the program.

(B) To be eligible to participate in the western Pacific community development program, a community shall—

(i) be located within the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Area;

(ii) meet criteria developed by the Western Pacific Council, approved by the Secretary and published in the Federal Register;

(iii) consist of community residents who are descended from the aboriginal people indigenous to the area who conducted commercial or subsistence fishing using traditional fishing practices in the waters of the Western Pacific region;

(iv) not have previously developed harvesting or processing capability sufficient to support substantial participation in fisheries in the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Area; and

(v) develop and submit a Community Development Plan to the Western Pacific Council and the Secretary.

(C) In developing the criteria for eligible communities under subparagraph (B)(ii), the Western Pacific Council shall base such criteria on traditional fishing practices in or dependence on the fishery, the cultural and social framework relevant to the fishery, and economic barriers to access to the fishery.

(D) For the purposes of this subsection “Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Area” means the area under the jurisdiction of the Western Pacific Council, or an island within such area.

(E) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, the Western Pacific Council shall take into account traditional indigenous fishing practices in preparing any fishery management plan.

(3) The Secretary shall deduct from any fees collected from a community development quota program under section 1854(d)(2) of this title the costs incurred by participants in the program for observer and reporting requirements which are in addition to observer and reporting requirements of other participants in the fishery in which the allocation to such program has been made.

(4) After October 11, 1996, the North Pacific Council and Western Pacific Council may not submit to the Secretary a community development quota program that is not in compliance with this subsection.

(j) Western Pacific and Northern Pacific regional marine education and training

(1) In general

(2) Program componentsThe program shall—

(A) include marine science and technology education and training programs focused on preparing community residents for employment in marine related professions, including marine resource conservation and management, marine science, marine technology, and maritime operations;

(B) include fisheries and seafood-related training programs, including programs for fishery observers, seafood safety and seafood marketing, focused on increasing the involvement of coastal community residents in fishing, fishery management, and seafood-related operations;

(C) include outreach programs and materials to educate and inform consumers about the quality and sustainability of wild fish or fish products farmed through responsible aquaculture, particularly in Hawaii, Alaska, the Western Pacific, the Northern Pacific, and the Central Pacific;

(D) include programs to identify, with the fishing industry, methods and technologies that will improve the data collection, quality, and reporting and increase the sustainability of fishing practices, and to transfer such methods and technologies among fisheries sectors and to other nations in the Western, Northern, and Central Pacific;

(E) develop means by which local and traditional knowledge (including Pacific islander, Native Hawaiian, and Alaskan Native knowledge) can enhance science-based management of fishery resources of the region; and

(F) develop partnerships with other Western Pacific Island and Alaskan agencies, academic institutions, and other entities to meet the purposes of this section.

(k) Multispecies groundfish

(1) In generalWithin 60 days after January 12, 2007, the Secretary of Commerce shall determine whether fishing in State waters—

(A) without a New England multispecies groundfish fishery permit on regulated species within the multispecies complex is not consistent with the applicable Federal fishery management plan; or

(B) without a Federal bottomfish and seamount groundfish permit in the Hawaiian archipelago on regulated species within the complex is not consistent with the applicable Federal fishery management plan or State data are not sufficient to make such a determination.

(2) Cure

(Pub. L. 94–265, title III, § 305, Apr. 13, 1976, 90 Stat. 354; Pub. L. 96–561, title II, § 235, Dec. 22, 1980, 94 Stat. 3299; Pub. L. 97–453, § 8, Jan. 12, 1983, 96 Stat. 2490; Pub. L. 101–627, title I, §§ 110(b)(2), 111(a)(1), (b), Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 4451, 4452; Pub. L. 104–297, title I, §§ 110(a)–(d), 111(a), Oct. 11, 1996, 110 Stat. 3587–3590, 3592; Pub. L. 109–241, title IV, § 416(a), July 11, 2006, 120 Stat. 540; Pub. L. 109–479, § 3(d)(3), title I, §§ 108–110, 116(b)(1), Jan. 12, 2007, 120 Stat. 3578, 3594–3596, 3606; Pub. L. 116–283, div. G, title LVXXXIV [LXXXIV], § 8423, Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 4729.)

§ 1856. State jurisdiction

(a) In general

(1) Except as provided in subsection (b), nothing in this chapter shall be construed as extending or diminishing the jurisdiction or authority of any State within its boundaries.

(2) For the purposes of this chapter, except as provided in subsection (b), the jurisdiction and authority of a State shall extend—

(A) to any pocket of waters that is adjacent to the State and totally enclosed by lines delimiting the territorial sea of the United States pursuant to the Geneva Convention on the Territorial Sea and Contiguous Zone or any successor convention to which the United States is a party;

(B) with respect to the body of water commonly known as Nantucket Sound, to the pocket of water west of the seventieth meridian west of Greenwich; and

(C) to the waters of southeastern Alaska (for the purpose of regulating fishing for other than any species of crab) that are—

(i) north of the line representing the international boundary at Dixon Entrance and the westward extension of that line; east of 138 degrees west longitude; and not more than three nautical miles seaward from the coast, from the lines extending from headland to headland across all bays, inlets, straits, passes, sounds, and entrances, and from any island or group of islands, including the islands of the Alexander Archipelago (except Forrester Island); or

(ii) between the islands referred to in clause (i) (except Forrester Island) and the mainland.

(3) A State may regulate a fishing vessel outside the boundaries of the State in the following circumstances:

(A) The fishing vessel is registered under the law of that State, and (i) there is no fishery management plan or other applicable Federal fishing regulations for the fishery in which the vessel is operating; or (ii) the State’s laws and regulations are consistent with the fishery management plan and applicable Federal fishing regulations for the fishery in which the vessel is operating.

(B) The fishery management plan for the fishery in which the fishing vessel is operating delegates management of the fishery to a State and the State’s laws and regulations are consistent with such fishery management plan. If at any time the Secretary determines that a State law or regulation applicable to a fishing vessel under this circumstance is not consistent with the fishery management plan, the Secretary shall promptly notify the State and the appropriate Council of such determination and provide an opportunity for the State to correct any inconsistencies identified in the notification. If, after notice and opportunity for corrective action, the State does not correct the inconsistencies identified by the Secretary, the authority granted to the State under this subparagraph shall not apply until the Secretary and the appropriate Council find that the State has corrected the inconsistencies. For a fishery for which there was a fishery management plan in place on August 1, 1996 that did not delegate management of the fishery to a State as of that date, the authority provided by this subparagraph applies only if the Council approves the delegation of management of the fishery to the State by a three-quarters majority vote of the voting members of the Council.

(C) The fishing vessel is not registered under the law of the State of Alaska and is operating in a fishery in the exclusive economic zone off Alaska for which there was no fishery management plan in place on August 1, 1996, and the Secretary and the North Pacific Council find that there is a legitimate interest of the State of Alaska in the conservation and management of such fishery. The authority provided under this subparagraph shall terminate when a fishery management plan under this chapter is approved and implemented for such fishery.

(b) Exception

(1) If the Secretary finds, after notice and an opportunity for a hearing in accordance with section 554 of title 5, that—

(A) the fishing in a fishery, which is covered by a fishery management plan implemented under this chapter, is engaged in predominately within the exclusive economic zone and beyond such zone; and

(B) any State has taken any action, or omitted to take any action, the results of which will substantially and adversely affect the carrying out of such fishery management plan;

the Secretary shall promptly notify such State and the appropriate Council of such finding and of his intention to regulate the applicable fishery within the boundaries of such State (other than its internal waters), pursuant to such fishery management plan and the regulations promulgated to implement such plan.

(2) If the Secretary, pursuant to this subsection, assumes responsibility for the regulation of any fishery, the State involved may at any time thereafter apply to the Secretary for reinstatement of its authority over such fishery. If the Secretary finds that the reasons for which he assumed such regulation no longer prevail, he shall promptly terminate such regulation.

(3) If the State involved requests that a hearing be held pursuant to paragraph (1), the Secretary shall conduct such hearing prior to taking any action under paragraph (1).

(1) A foreign fishing vessel may engage in fish processing within the internal waters of a State if, and only if—

(A) the vessel is qualified for purposes of this paragraph pursuant to paragraph (4)(C) or has received a permit under section 1824(d) of this title;

(B) the owner or operator of the vessel applies to the Governor of the State for, and (subject to paragraph (2)) is granted, permission for the vessel to engage in such processing and the application specifies the species to be processed; and

(C) the owner or operator of the vessel submits reports on the tonnage of fish received from vessels of the United States and the locations from which such fish were harvested, in accordance with such procedures as the Secretary by regulation shall prescribe.

(2) The Governor of a State may not grant permission for a foreign fishing vessel to engage in fish processing under paragraph (1)—

(A) for a fishery which occurs in the waters of more than one State or in the exclusive economic zone, except after—

(i) consulting with the appropriate Council and Marine Fisheries Commission, and

(ii) considering any comments received from the Governor of any other State where the fishery occurs; and

(B) if the Governor determines that fish processors within the State have adequate capacity, and will utilize such capacity, to process all of the United States harvested fish from the fishery concerned that are landed in the State.

(3) Nothing in this subsection may be construed as relieving a foreign fishing vessel from the duty to comply with all applicable Federal and State laws while operating within the internal waters of a State incident to permission obtained under paragraph (1)(B).

(4) For purposes of this subsection—

(A) The term “fish processing” includes, in addition to processing, the performance of any other activity relating to fishing, including, but not limited to, preparation, supply, storage, refrigeration, or transportation.

(B) The phrase “internal waters of a State” means all waters within the boundaries of a State except those seaward of the baseline from which the territorial sea is measured.

(C) A foreign fishing vessel shall be treated as qualified for purposes of paragraph (1) if the foreign nation under which it is flagged will be a party to (i) a governing international fishery agreement or (ii) a treaty described in section 1821(b) of this title during the time the vessel will engage in the fish processing for which permission is sought under paragraph (1)(B).

(Pub. L. 94–265, title III, § 306, Apr. 13, 1976, 90 Stat. 355; Pub. L. 97–191, § 1, June 1, 1982, 96 Stat. 107; Pub. L. 97–453, § 9, Jan. 12, 1983, 96 Stat. 2491; Pub. L. 98–623, title IV, § 404(4), Nov. 8, 1984, 98 Stat. 3408; Pub. L. 99–659, title I, § 101(c)(2), Nov. 14, 1986, 100 Stat. 3707; Pub. L. 101–627, title I, § 112, Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 4453; Pub. L. 104–297, title I, § 112(a)–(c), Oct. 11, 1996, 110 Stat. 3595, 3596.)

§ 1857. Prohibited actsIt is unlawful—

(1) for any person—

(A) to violate any provision of this chapter or any regulation or permit issued pursuant to this chapter;

(B) to use any fishing vessel to engage in fishing after the revocation, or during the period of suspension, of an applicable permit issued pursuant to this chapter;

(C) to violate any provision of, or regulation under, an applicable governing international fishery agreement entered into pursuant to section 1821(c) of this title;

(D) to refuse to permit any officer authorized to enforce the provisions of this chapter (as provided for in section 1861 of this title) to board a fishing vessel subject to such person’s control for purposes of conducting any search or inspection in connection with the enforcement of this chapter or any regulation, permit, or agreement referred to in subparagraph (A) or (C);

(E) to forcibly assault, resist, oppose, impede, intimidate, or interfere with any such authorized officer in the conduct of any search or inspection described in subparagraph (D);

(F) to resist a lawful arrest for any act prohibited by this section;

(G) to ship, transport, offer for sale, sell, purchase, import, export, or have custody, control, or possession of, any fish taken or retained in violation of this chapter or any regulation, permit, or agreement referred to in subparagraph (A) or (C);

(H) to interfere with, delay, or prevent, by any means, the apprehension or arrest of another person, knowing that such other person has committed any act prohibited by this section;

(I) to knowingly and willfully submit to a Council, the Secretary, or the Governor of a State false information (including, but not limited to, false information regarding the capacity and extent to which a United States fish processor, on an annual basis, will process a portion of the optimum yield of a fishery that will be harvested by fishing vessels of the United States) regarding any matter that the Council, Secretary, or Governor is considering in the course of carrying out this chapter;

(J) to ship, transport, offer for sale, sell, or purchase, in interstate or foreign commerce, any whole live lobster of the species Homarus americanus, that—

(i) is smaller than the minimum possession size in effect at the time under the American Lobster Fishery Management Plan, as implemented by regulations published in part 649 of title 50, Code of Federal Regulations, or any successor to that plan implemented under this subchapter, or in the absence of any such plan, is smaller than the minimum possession size in effect at the time under a coastal fishery management plan for American lobster adopted by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission under the Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative Management Act (16 U.S.C. 5101 et seq.);

(ii) is bearing eggs attached to its abdominal appendages; or

(iii) bears evidence of the forcible removal of extruded eggs from its abdominal appendages;

(K) to to 1

1 So in original.

steal or attempt to steal or to negligently and without authorization remove, damage, or tamper with—

(i) fishing gear owned by another person, which is located in the exclusive economic zone, or

(ii) fish contained in such fishing gear;

(L) to forcibly assault, resist, oppose, impede, intimidate, sexually harass, bribe, or interfere with any observer on a vessel under this chapter, or any data collector employed by the National Marine Fisheries Service or under contract to any person to carry out responsibilities under this chapter;

(M) to engage in large-scale driftnet fishing that is subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, including use of a fishing vessel of the United States to engage in such fishing beyond the exclusive economic zone of any nation, unless such large-scale driftnet fishing—

(i) deploys, within the exclusive economic zone, a net with a total length of less than two and one-half kilometers and a mesh size of 14 inches or greater; and

(ii) is conducted within 5 years of December 29, 2022;

(N) to strip pollock of its roe and discard the flesh of the pollock;

(O) to knowingly and willfully fail to disclose, or to falsely disclose, any financial interest as required under section 1852(j) of this title, or to knowingly vote on a Council decision in violation of section 1852(j)(7)(A) of this title;

(P)

(i) to remove any of the fins of a shark (including the tail) at sea;

(ii) to have custody, control, or possession of any such fin aboard a fishing vessel unless it is naturally attached to the corresponding carcass;

(iii) to transfer any such fin from one vessel to another vessel at sea, or to receive any such fin in such transfer, without the fin naturally attached to the corresponding carcass; or

(iv) to land any such fin that is not naturally attached to the corresponding carcass, or to land any shark carcass without such fins naturally attached;

(Q) to import, export, transport, sell, receive, acquire, or purchase in interstate or foreign commerce any fish taken, possessed, transported, or sold in violation of any foreign law or regulation or any treaty or in contravention of any binding conservation measure adopted by an international agreement or organization to which the United States is a party; or

(R) to use any fishing vessel to engage in fishing in Federal or State waters, or on the high seas or in the waters of another country, after the Secretary has made a payment to the owner of that fishing vessel under section 1861a(b)(2) of this title.

For purposes of subparagraph (P), there shall be a rebuttable presumption that if any shark fin (including the tail) is found aboard a vessel, other than a fishing vessel, without being naturally attached to the corresponding carcass, such fin was transferred in violation of subparagraph (P)(iii) or that if, after landing, the total weight of shark fins (including the tail) landed from any vessel exceeds five percent of the total weight of shark carcasses landed, such fins were taken, held, or landed in violation of subparagraph (P). In such subparagraph, the term “naturally attached”, with respect to a shark fin, means attached to the corresponding shark carcass through some portion of uncut skin.

(2) for any vessel other than a vessel of the United States, and for the owner or operator of any vessel other than a vessel of the United States, to engage—

(A) in fishing within the boundaries of any State, except—

(i) recreational fishing permitted under section 1821(i) of this title;

(ii) fish processing permitted under section 1856(c) of this title; or

(iii) transshipment at sea of fish or fish products within the boundaries of any State in accordance with a permit approved under section 1824(d) of this title;

(B) in fishing, except recreational fishing permitted under section 1821(i) of this title, within the exclusive economic zone, or for any anadromous species or Continental Shelf fishery resources beyond such zone, unless such fishing is authorized by, and conducted in accordance with, a valid and applicable permit issued pursuant to section 1824(b), (c), or (d) of this title; or

(C) except as permitted under section 1856(c) of this title, in fish processing (as defined in paragraph (4)(A) of such section) within the internal waters of a State (as defined in paragraph (4)(B) of such section);

(3) for any vessel of the United States, and for the owner or operator of any vessel of the United States, to transfer at sea directly or indirectly, or attempt to so transfer at sea, any United States harvested fish to any foreign fishing vessel, while such foreign vessel is within the exclusive economic zone or within the boundaries of any State except to the extent that the foreign fishing vessel has been permitted under section 1824(d) of this title or section 1856(c) of this title to receive such fish;

(4) for any fishing vessel other than a vessel of the United States to operate, and for the owner or operator of a fishing vessel other than a vessel of the United States to operate such vessel, in the exclusive economic zone or within the boundaries of any State, if—

(A) all fishing gear on the vessel is not stored below deck or in an area where it is not normally used, and not readily available, for fishing; or

(B) all fishing gear on the vessel which is not so stored is not secured and covered so as to render it unusable for fishing;

unless such vessel is authorized to engage in fishing in the area in which the vessel is operating; and

(5) for any vessel of the United States, and for the owner or operator of any vessel of the United States, to engage in fishing in the waters of a foreign nation in a manner that violates an international fishery agreement between that nation and the United States that has been subject to Congressional oversight in the manner described in section 1823 of this title, or any regulations issued to implement such an agreement; except that the binding provisions of such agreement and implementing regulations shall have been published in the Federal Register prior to such violation.

(Pub. L. 94–265, title III, § 307, Apr. 13, 1976, 90 Stat. 355; Pub. L. 95–354, § 5(4), Aug. 28, 1978, 92 Stat. 521; Pub. L. 97–191, § 2, June 1, 1982, 96 Stat. 107; Pub. L. 97–453, § 15(b), Jan. 12, 1983, 96 Stat. 2492; Pub. L. 99–659, title I, §§ 101(c)(2), 107(a), Nov. 14, 1986, 100 Stat. 3707, 3713; Pub. L. 100–629, § 4, Nov. 7, 1988, 102 Stat. 3286; Pub. L. 101–224, § 8, Dec. 12, 1989, 103 Stat. 1907; Pub. L. 101–627, title I, § 113, Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 4453; Pub. L. 102–251, title III, § 301(h), Mar. 9, 1992, 106 Stat. 64; Pub. L. 104–297, title I, § 113, title IV, § 405(b)(1), Oct. 11, 1996, 110 Stat. 3597, 3621; Pub. L. 106–557, § 3, Dec. 21, 2000, 114 Stat. 2772; Pub. L. 109–479, title I, § 118, Jan. 12, 2007, 120 Stat. 3607; Pub. L. 111–348, title I, § 103(a), Jan. 4, 2011, 124 Stat. 3670; Pub. L. 114–81, title I, § 112, Nov. 5, 2015, 129 Stat. 659; Pub. L. 117–328, div. S, title I, § 105, Dec. 29, 2022, 136 Stat. 5260.)

§ 1858. Civil penalties and permit sanctions

(a) Assessment of penalty

(b) Review of civil penalty

(d) In rem jurisdiction

(e) Compromise or other action by Secretary

(f) Subpenas

(g) Permit sanctions

(1) In any case in which (A) a vessel has been used in the commission of an act prohibited under section 1857 of this title, (B) the owner or operator of a vessel or any other person who has been issued or has applied for a permit under this chapter has acted in violation of section 1857 of this title, (C) any amount in settlement of a civil forfeiture imposed on a vessel or other property, or any civil penalty or criminal fine imposed on a vessel or owner or operator of a vessel or any other person who has been issued or has applied for a permit under any marine resource law enforced by the Secretary has not been paid and is overdue, or (D) any payment required for observer services provided to or contracted by an owner or operator who has been issued a permit or applied for a permit under any marine resource law administered by the Secretary has not been paid and is overdue, the Secretary may—

(i) revoke any permit issued with respect to such vessel or person, with or without prejudice to the issuance of subsequent permits;

(ii) suspend such permit for a period of time considered by the Secretary to be appropriate;

(iii) deny such permit; or

(iv) impose additional conditions and restrictions on any permit issued to or applied for by such vessel or person under this chapter and, with respect to foreign fishing vessels, on the approved application of the foreign nation involved and on any permit issued under that application.

(2) In imposing a sanction under this subsection, the Secretary shall take into account—

(A) the nature, circumstances, extent, and gravity of the prohibited acts for which the sanction is imposed; and

(B) with respect to the violator, the degree of culpability, any history of prior offenses, and such other matters as justice may require.

(3) Transfer of ownership of a vessel, by sale or otherwise, shall not extinguish any permit sanction that is in effect or is pending at the time of transfer of ownership. Before executing the transfer of ownership of a vessel, by sale or otherwise, the owner shall disclose in writing to the prospective transferee the existence of any permit sanction that will be in effect or pending with respect to the vessel at the time of the transfer.

(4) In the case of any permit that is suspended under this subsection for nonpayment of a civil penalty or criminal fine, the Secretary shall reinstate the permit upon payment of the penalty or fine and interest thereon at the prevailing rate.

(5) No sanctions shall be imposed under this subsection unless there has been a prior opportunity for a hearing on the facts underlying the violation for which the sanction is imposed, either in conjunction with a civil penalty proceeding under this section or otherwise.

(Pub. L. 94–265, title III, § 308, Apr. 13, 1976, 90 Stat. 356; Pub. L. 97–453, § 10, Jan. 12, 1983, 96 Stat. 2491; Pub. L. 99–659, title I, § 108, Nov. 14, 1986, 100 Stat. 3713; Pub. L. 101–627, title I, § 114(a), Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 4454; Pub. L. 104–297, title I, § 114(a)–(c), Oct. 11, 1996, 110 Stat. 3598, 3599; Pub. L. 116–340, § 3(b), (e)(2), Jan. 13, 2021, 134 Stat. 5129.)

§ 1859. Criminal offenses

(a) Offenses

A person is guilty of an offense if he commits any act prohibited by—

(1) section 1857(1)(D), (E), (F), (H), (I), or (L) of this title; or

(2)section 1857(2) of this title.

(b) Punishment

(Pub. L. 94–265, title III, § 309, Apr. 13, 1976, 90 Stat. 357; Pub. L. 97–453, § 11(a), Jan. 12, 1983, 96 Stat. 2491; Pub. L. 99–659, title I, § 107(b), Nov. 14, 1986, 100 Stat. 3713; Pub. L. 100–66, § 2, July 10, 1987, 101 Stat. 384; Pub. L. 101–627, title I, § 115, Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 4455.)

§ 1860. Civil forfeitures

(a) In general

(b) Jurisdiction of district courts

(c) JudgmentIf a judgment is entered for the United States in a civil forfeiture proceeding under this section, the Attorney General may seize any property or other interest declared forfeited to the United States, which has not previously been seized pursuant to this chapter or for which security has not previously been obtained under subsection (d). The provisions of the customs laws relating to—

(1) the seizure, forfeiture, and condemnation of property for violation of the customs law;

(2) the disposition of such property or the proceeds from the sale thereof; and

(3) the remission or mitigation of any such forfeiture;

shall apply to seizures and forfeitures incurred, or alleged to have been incurred, under the provisions of this chapter, unless such provisions are inconsistent with the purposes, policy, and provisions of this chapter. The duties and powers imposed upon the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection or other persons under such provisions shall, with respect to this chapter, be performed by officers or other persons designated for such purpose by the Secretary.

(d) Procedure

(1) Any officer authorized to serve any process in rem which is issued by a court having jurisdiction under section 1861(d) shall—

(A) stay the execution of such process; or

(B) discharge any fish seized pursuant to such process;

upon the receipt of a satisfactory bond or other security from any person claiming such property. Such bond or other security shall be conditioned upon such person (i) delivering such property to the appropriate court upon order thereof, without any impairment of its value, or (ii) paying the monetary value of such property pursuant to an order of such court. Judgment shall be recoverable on such bond or other security against both the principal and any sureties in the event that any condition thereof is breached, as determined by such court. Nothing in this paragraph may be construed to require the Secretary, except in the Secretary’s discretion or pursuant to the order of a court under section 1861(d) of this title, to release on bond any seized fish or other property or the proceeds from the sale thereof.

(2) Any fish seized pursuant to this chapter may be sold, subject to the approval and direction of the appropriate court, for not less than the fair market value thereof. The proceeds of any such sale shall be deposited with such court pending the disposition of the matter involved.

(e) Rebuttable presumptions

(1) For purposes of this section, it shall be a rebuttable presumption that all fish found on board a fishing vessel which is seized in connection with an act prohibited by section 1857 of this title were taken or retained in violation of this chapter.

(2) For purposes of this chapter, it shall be a rebuttable presumption that any fish of a species which spawns in fresh or estuarine waters and migrates to ocean waters that is found on board a vessel is of United States origin if the vessel is within the migratory range of the species during that part of the year to which the migratory range applies.

(3) For purposes of this chapter, it shall be a rebuttable presumption that any vessel that is shoreward of the outer boundary of the exclusive economic zone of the United States or beyond the exclusive economic zone of any nation, and that has gear on board that is capable of use for large-scale driftnet fishing, is engaged in such fishing.

(Pub. L. 94–265, title III, § 310, Apr. 13, 1976, 90 Stat. 357; Pub. L. 97–453, § 12, Jan. 12, 1983, 96 Stat. 2491; Pub. L. 99–659, title I, § 109(a), Nov. 14, 1986, 100 Stat. 3714; Pub. L. 101–627, title I, § 116, Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 4456; Pub. L. 104–297, title I, § 114(d), Oct. 11, 1996, 110 Stat. 3599; Pub. L. 114–125, title VIII, § 802(d)(2), Feb. 24, 2016, 130 Stat. 210.)

§ 1861. Enforcement

(a) Responsibility

(b) Powers of authorized officers

(1) Any officer who is authorized (by the Secretary, the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating, or the head of any Federal or State agency which has entered into an agreement with such Secretaries under subsection (a)) to enforce the provisions of this chapter may—

(A) with or without a warrant or other process—

(i) arrest any person, if he has reasonable cause to believe that such person has committed an act prohibited by section 1857 of this title;

(ii) board, and search or inspect, any fishing vessel which is subject to the provisions of this chapter;

(iii) seize any fishing vessel (together with its fishing gear, furniture, appurtenances, stores, and cargo) used or employed in, or with respect to which it reasonably appears that such vessel was used or employed in, the violation of any provision of this chapter;

(iv) seize any fish (wherever found) taken or retained in violation of any provision of this chapter;

(v) seize any other evidence related to any violation of any provision of this chapter; and

(vi) access, directly or indirectly, for enforcement purposes any data or information required to be provided under this subchapter or regulations under this subchapter, including data from vessel monitoring systems, satellite-based maritime distress and safety systems, or any similar system, subject to the confidentiality provisions of section 1881a of this title;

(B) execute any warrant or other process issued by any court of competent jurisdiction; and

(2) Subject to the direction of the Secretary, a person charged with law enforcement responsibilities by the Secretary who is performing a duty related to enforcement of a law regarding fisheries or other marine resources may make an arrest without a warrant for an offense against the United States committed in his presence, or for a felony cognizable under the laws of the United States, if he has reasonable grounds to believe that the person to be arrested has committed or is committing a felony. The arrest authority described in the preceding sentence may be conferred upon an officer or employee of a State agency, subject to such conditions and restrictions as are set forth by agreement between the State agency, the Secretary, and, with respect to enforcement operations within the exclusive economic zone, the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating.

(d) Jurisdiction of courtsThe district courts of the United States shall have exclusive jurisdiction over any case or controversy arising under the provisions of this chapter. In the case of Hawaii or any possession of the United States in the Pacific Ocean, the appropriate court is the United States District Court for the District of Hawaii, except that in the case of Guam and Wake Island, the appropriate court is the United States District Court for the District of Guam, and in the case of the Northern Mariana Islands, the appropriate court is the United States District Court for the District of the Northern Mariana Islands. Any such court may, at any time—

(1) enter restraining orders or prohibitions;

(2) issue warrants, process in rem, or other process;

(3) prescribe and accept satisfactory bonds or other security; and

(4) take such other actions as are in the interest of justice.

(e) Payment of storage, care, and other costs

(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary or the Secretary of the Treasury may pay from sums received as fines, penalties, and forfeitures of property for violations of any provisions of this chapter or of any other marine resource law enforced by the Secretary, including the Lacey Act Amendments of 1981 (16 U.S.C. 3371 et seq.)—

(A) the reasonable and necessary costs incurred in providing temporary storage, care, and maintenance of seized fish or other property pending disposition of any civil or criminal proceeding alleging a violation of any provision of this chapter or any other marine resource law enforced by the Secretary with respect to that fish or other property;

(B) a reward of not less than 20 percent of the penalty collected or $20,000, whichever is the lesser amount, to any person who furnishes information which leads to an arrest, conviction, civil penalty assessment, or forfeiture of property for any violation of any provision of this chapter or any other marine resource law enforced by the Secretary;

(C) any expenses directly related to investigations and civil or criminal enforcement proceedings, including any necessary expenses for equipment, training, travel, witnesses, and contracting services directly related to such investigations or proceedings;

(D) any valid liens or mortgages against any property that has been forfeited;

(E) claims of parties in interest to property disposed of under section 1612(b) of title 19, as made applicable by section 1860(c) of this title or by any other marine resource law enforced by the Secretary, to seizures made by the Secretary, in amounts determined by the Secretary to be applicable to such claims at the time of seizure; and

(F) reimbursement to any Federal or State agency, including the Coast Guard, for services performed, or personnel, equipment, or facilities utilized, under any agreement with the Secretary entered into pursuant to subsection (a), or any similar agreement authorized by law.

(2) Any person found in an administrative or judicial proceeding to have violated this chapter or any other marine resource law enforced by the Secretary shall be liable for the cost incurred in the sale, storage, care, and maintenance of any fish or other property lawfully seized in connection with the violation.

(f) Enforcement of Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan

(1) Enforcement agreements

(2) Reimbursement

(3) Coast Guard enforcement working group

(A) Establishment

(B) MembershipThe working group shall consist of members selected by the Commander, and shall include—

(i) individuals who are representatives of various fishing ports located in the States represented on the New England Fishery Management Council;

(ii) captains of fishing vessels that operate in waters under the jurisdiction of that Council; and

(iii) other individuals the Commander considers appropriate.

(D) Meetings

(4) Use of fines and penalties

(g) Enforcement in Pacific Insular Areas

(h) Joint enforcement agreements

(1) In general

(2) Eligible State

(3) RequirementsJoint enforcement agreements executed under paragraph (1)—

(A) shall be consistent with the purposes and intent of this section to the extent applicable to the regulated activities;

(B) may include specifications for joint management responsibilities as provided by section 1525 of title 15; and

(4) Allocation of funds

(i) Improved data sharing

(1) In generalNotwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, as soon as practicable but no later than 21 months after January 12, 2007, the Secretary shall implement data-sharing measures to make any data required to be provided by this chapter from satellite-based maritime distress and safety systems, vessel monitoring systems, or similar systems—

(A) directly accessible by State enforcement officers authorized under subsection (a) of this section; and

(B) available to a State management agency involved in, or affected by, management of a fishery if the State has entered into an agreement with the Secretary under section 1881a(b)(1)(B) of this title.

(2) Agreement requiredThe Secretary shall promptly enter into an agreement with a State under section 1881a(b)(1)(B) of this title if—

(A) the Attorney General or highest ranking legal officer of the State provides a written opinion or certification that State law allows the State to maintain the confidentiality of information required by Federal law to be kept confidential; or

(B) the Secretary is provided other reasonable assurance that the State can and will protect the identity or business of any person to which such information relates.

(j) DefinitionsFor purposes of this section—

(1) The term “provisions of this chapter” includes (A) any regulation or permit issued pursuant to this chapter, and (B) any provision of, or regulation issued pursuant to, any international fishery agreement under which foreign fishing is authorized by section 1821(b) or (c) of this title, or section 1824(d) of this title, with respect to fishing subject to the exclusive fishery management authority of the United States.

(2) The term “violation of any provision of this chapter” includes (A) the commission of any act prohibited by section 1857 of this title, and (B) the violation of any regulation, permit, or agreement referred to in paragraph (1).

(Pub. L. 94–265, title III, § 311, Apr. 13, 1976, 90 Stat. 358; Pub. L. 96–470, title II, § 209(e), Oct. 19, 1980, 94 Stat. 2245; Pub. L. 97–453, §§ 13, 15(c), Jan. 12, 1983, 96 Stat. 2491, 2493; Pub. L. 99–659, title I, §§ 101(c)(2), 109(b), Nov. 14, 1986, 100 Stat. 3707, 3714; Pub. L. 101–627, title I, § 117, Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 4456; Pub. L. 102–251, title III, § 301(i), Mar. 9, 1992, 106 Stat. 64; Pub. L. 102–567, title IX, § 901, Oct. 29, 1992, 106 Stat. 4316; Pub. L. 104–297, title I, § 115, Oct. 11, 1996, 110 Stat. 3599; Pub. L. 109–479, title I, § 111(a), Jan. 12, 2007, 120 Stat. 3596; Pub. L. 114–120, title VI, § 609, Feb. 8, 2016, 130 Stat. 83.)

§ 1861a. Transition to sustainable fisheries

(a) Fishery resource disaster relief

(1) DefinitionsIn this subsection:

(A) Allowable cause

(B) Anthropogenic causeThe term “anthropogenic cause” means an anthropogenic event, such as an oil spill or spillway opening—

(i) that could not have been addressed or prevented by fishery management measures; and

(ii) that is otherwise beyond the control of fishery managers to mitigate through conservation and management measures, including regulatory restrictions imposed as a result of judicial action or to protect human health or marine animals, plants, or habitats.

(C) Fishery resource disasterThe term “fishery resource disaster” means a disaster that is determined by the Secretary in accordance with this subsection and—

(i) is an unexpected large decrease in fish stock biomass or other change that results in significant loss of access to the fishery resource, which may include loss of fishing vessels and gear for a substantial period of time and results in significant revenue loss or negative subsistence impact due to an allowable cause; and

(ii) does not include—(I) reasonably predictable, foreseeable, and recurrent fishery cyclical variations in species distribution or stock abundance; or(II) reductions in fishing opportunities resulting from conservation and management measures taken pursuant to this chapter.

(D) Indian Tribe

(E) Natural causeThe term “natural cause”—

(i) means a weather, climatic, hazard, or biology-related event, such as—(I) a hurricane;(II) a flood;(III) a harmful algal bloom;(IV) a tsunami;(V) a hypoxic zone;(VI) a drought;(VII) El Niño effects on water temperature;(VIII) a marine heat wave; or(IX) disease; and

(ii) does not mean a normal or cyclical variation in a species distribution or stock abundance.

(F) 12-month revenue loss

(G) Undetermined cause

(2) General authority

(A) In general

(B) Availability of funds

(3) Initiation of a fishery resource disaster review

(A) Eligible requesters

(i) In generalIf the Secretary has not independently determined that a fishery resource disaster has occurred, a request for a fishery resource disaster determination may be submitted to the Secretary at any time, but not later than the applicable date determined under clause (ii), by—(I) the Governor of an affected State;(II) an official resolution of an Indian Tribe; or(III) any other comparable elected or politically appointed representative as determined by the Secretary.

(ii) Applicable dateThe applicable date under this clause shall be—(I) 1 year after the date of the conclusion of the fishing season;(II) in the case of a distinct cause that occurs during more than 1 consecutive fishing season, 2 years after the date of the conclusion of the fishing season for which the request for a fishery resource disaster determination is made; or(III) in the case of a complete fishery closure, 1 year after the date on which that closure is determined by the Secretary.

(B) Required informationA complete request for a fishery resource disaster determination under subparagraph (A) shall include—

(i) identification of all presumed affected fish stocks;

(ii) identification of the fishery as Federal, non-Federal, or both;

(iii) the geographical boundaries of the fishery, as determined by the eligible requester, including geographic boundaries that are smaller than the area represented by the eligible requester;

(iv) preliminary information on causes of the fishery resource disaster, if known; and

(v) information needed to support a finding of a fishery resource disaster, including—(I) information demonstrating the occurrence of an unexpected large decrease in fish stock biomass or other change that results in significant loss of access to the fishery resource, which could include the loss of fishing vessels and gear, for a substantial period of time;(II) significant—(aa) 12-month revenue loss for the affected fishery; or(bb) negative subsistence impact for the affected fishery, or if a fishery resource disaster has occurred at any time in the previous 5-year period, the most recent 5 years when no fishery resource disaster occurred;(III) if applicable, information on lost resource tax revenues assessed by local communities, such as a raw fish tax and local sourcing requirements; and(IV) if applicable and available, information on affected fishery 12-month revenue loss for charter, headboat, or processors related to the information provided under subclause (I), subject to section 1881a(b) of this title.

(C) AssistanceThe Secretary may provide data and analysis assistance to an eligible requester described in paragraph (1), if—

(i) the assistance is so requested;

(ii) the Secretary is in possession of the required information described in subparagraph (B); and

(iii) the data is not available to the requester, in carrying out the complete request under subparagraph (B).

(D) Initiation of review

(4) Review process

(A) Interim responseNot later than 20 days after receipt of a request under paragraph (3), the Secretary shall provide an interim response to the individual that—

(i) acknowledges receipt of the request;

(ii) provides a regional contact within the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration;

(iii) outlines the process and timeline by which a request shall be considered; and

(iv) requests additional information concerning the fishery resource disaster, if the original request is considered incomplete.

(B) Evaluation of requests

(i) In generalThe Secretary shall complete a review, within the time frame described in clause (ii), using the best scientific information available, in consultation with the affected fishing communities, States, or Indian Tribes, of—(I) the information provided by the requester and any additional information relevant to the fishery, which may include—(aa) fishery characteristics;(bb) stock assessments;(cc) the most recent fishery independent surveys and other fishery resource assessments and surveys conducted by Federal, State, or Tribal officials;(dd) estimates of mortality; and(ee) overall effects; and(II) the available economic information, which may include an analysis of—(aa) landings data;(bb) revenue;(cc) the number of participants involved;(dd) the number and type of jobs and persons impacted, which may include—(AA) fishers;(BB) charter fishing operators;(CC) subsistence users;(DD) United States fish processors; and(EE) an owner of a related fishery infrastructure or business affected by the disaster, such as a marina operator, recreational fishing equipment retailer, or charter, headboat, or tender vessel owner, operator, or crew;(ee) an impacted Indian Tribe;(ff) other forms of disaster assistance made available to the fishery, including prior awards of disaster assistance for the same event;(gg) the length of time the resource, or access to the resource, has been restricted;(hh) status of recovery from previous fishery resource disasters;(ii) lost resource tax revenues assessed by local communities, such as a raw fish tax; and(jj) other appropriate indicators to an affected fishery, as determined by the National Marine Fisheries Service.

(ii) Time frameThe Secretary shall complete the review described in clause (i), if the fishing season, applicable to the fishery—(I) has concluded or there is no defined fishing season applicable to the fishery, not later than 120 days after the Secretary receives a complete request for a fishery resource disaster determination;(II) has not concluded, not later than 120 days after the conclusion of the fishing season; or(III) is expected to be closed for the entire fishing season, not later than 120 days after the Secretary receives a complete request for a fishery resource disaster determination.

(D) Notification

(5) Criteria for determinations

(A) In generalThe Secretary shall make a determination about whether a fishery resource disaster has occurred, based on the revenue loss thresholds under subparagraph (B), and, if a fishery resource disaster has occurred, whether the fishery resource disaster was due to—

(i) a natural cause;

(ii) an anthropogenic cause;

(iii) a combination of a natural cause and an anthropogenic cause; or

(iv) an undetermined cause.

(B) Revenue loss thresholds

(i) In generalBased on the information provided or analyzed under paragraph (4)(B), the Secretary shall apply the following 12-month revenue loss thresholds in determining whether a fishery resource disaster has occurred:(I) Losses greater than 80 percent may result in a positive determination that a fishery resource disaster has occurred, based on the information provided or analyzed under paragraph (4)(B).(II) Losses between 35 percent and 80 percent shall be evaluated to determine whether economic impacts are severe enough to determine that a fishery resource disaster has occurred.(III) Losses less than 35 percent shall not be eligible for a determination that a fishery resource disaster has occurred.

(ii) Charter fishing

(iii) Negative subsistence impacts

(D) Exceptional circumstances

(6) Disbursal of appropriated funds

(A) Authorization

(B) Allocation of appropriated fishery resource disaster assistance

(i) Notification of funding availabilityWhen there are appropriated funds for 1 or more fishery resource disasters, the Secretary shall notify—(I) the public; and(II) representatives of affected fishing communities with a positive disaster determination that is unfunded;

of the availability of funds, not more than 14 days after the date of the appropriation or the determination of a fishery resource disaster, whichever occurs later.

(ii) Extension of deadline

(C) ConsiderationsIn determining the allocation of appropriations for a fishery resource disaster, the Secretary shall consider commercial, charter, headboat, or seafood processing revenue losses and negative impacts to subsistence or Indian Tribe ceremonial fishing opportunity, for the affected fishery, and may consider the following factors:

(i) Direct economic impacts.

(ii) Uninsured losses.

(iii) Losses of recreational fishing opportunity.

(iv) Aquaculture operations revenue loss.

(v) Direct revenue losses to a fishing community.

(vi) Treaty obligations.

(vii) Other economic impacts.

(D) Spend plansTo receive an allocation from funds available under paragraph (9), a requester with an affirmative fishery resource disaster determination shall submit a spend plan to the Secretary, not more than 120 days after receiving notification that funds are available, that shall include the following information, if applicable:

(i) Objectives and outcomes, with an emphasis on addressing the factors contributing to the fishery resource disaster and minimizing future uninsured losses, if applicable.

(ii) Statement of work.

(iii) Budget details.

(E) Regional contact

(F) Disbursal of funds

(i) Availability

(ii) Method

(iii) Eligible uses(I) In generalFunds allocated for fishery resources disasters under this subsection shall restore the fishery affected by such a disaster, prevent a similar disaster in the future, or assist the affected fishing community, and shall prioritize the following uses, which are not in order of priority:(aa) Habitat conservation and restoration and other activities, including scientific research, that reduce adverse impacts to the fishery or improve understanding of the affected species or its ecosystem.(bb) The collection of fishery information and other activities that improve management of the affected fishery.(cc) In a commercial fishery, capacity reduction and other activities that improve management of fishing effort, including funds to offset budgetary costs to refinance a Federal fishing capacity reduction loan or to repay the principal of a Federal fishing capacity reduction loan.(dd) Developing, repairing, or improving fishery-related public infrastructure.(ee) Direct assistance to a person, fishing community (including assistance for lost fisheries resource levies), or a business to alleviate economic loss incurred as a direct result of a fishery resource disaster, particularly when affected by a circumstance described in paragraph (5)(D) or by negative impacts to subsistence or Indian Tribe ceremonial fishing opportunity.(ff) Hatcheries and stock enhancement to help rebuild the affected stock or offset fishing pressure on the affected stock.(II) Displaced fishery employees

(7) Limitations

(A) Federal share

(i) In general

(ii) WaiverThe Secretary may waive the non-Federal share requirements of this subsection, if the Secretary determines that—(I) no reasonable means are available through which the recipient of the Federal share can meet the non-Federal share requirement; and(II) the probable benefit of 100 percent Federal financing outweighs the public interest in imposition of the non-Federal share requirement.

(iii) ExceptionThe Federal share shall be equal to 100 percent in the case of—(I) direct assistance as described in paragraph (6)(F)(iii)(I)(ee); or(II) assistance to subsistence or Tribal fisheries.

(B) Limitations on administrative expenses

(i) Federal

(ii) State governments or Indian Tribes

(i) In general

(ii) Assistance conditionsAs a condition of providing assistance under this subsection with respect to a vessel under a fishing capacity reduction program, the Secretary shall—(I) prohibit the vessel from being used for fishing in Federal, State, or international waters; and(II) require that the vessel be—(aa) scrapped or otherwise disposed of in a manner approved by the Secretary;(bb) donated to a nonprofit organization and thereafter used only for purposes of research, education, or training; or(cc) used for another non-fishing purpose provided the Secretary determines that adequate measures are in place to ensure that the vessel cannot reenter any fishery anywhere in the world.

(D) No fishery endorsement

(i) In general

(ii) Noneffective

(iii) No sale

(8) Public information on data collection

(9) Authorization of appropriations

(b) Fishing capacity reduction program

(1) The Secretary, at the request of the appropriate Council for fisheries under the authority of such Council, the Governor of a State for fisheries under State authority, or a majority of permit holders in the fishery, may conduct a voluntary fishing capacity reduction program (referred to in this section as the “program”) in a fishery if the Secretary determines that the program—

(A) is necessary to prevent or end overfishing, rebuild stocks of fish, or achieve measurable and significant improvements in the conservation and management of the fishery;

(B) is consistent with the Federal or State fishery management plan or program in effect for such fishery, as appropriate, and that the fishery management plan—

(i) will prevent the replacement of fishing capacity removed by the program through a moratorium on new entrants, practicable restrictions on vessel upgrades, and other effort control measures, taking into account the full potential fishing capacity of the fleet; and

(ii) establishes a specified or target total allowable catch or other measures that trigger closure of the fishery or adjustments to reduce catch; and

(C) is cost-effective and, in the instance of a program involving an industry fee system, prospectively capable of repaying any debt obligation incurred under section 53735 of title 46.

(2) The objective of the program shall be to obtain the maximum sustained reduction in fishing capacity at the least cost and in a minimum period of time. To achieve that objective, the Secretary is authorized to pay—

(A) the owner of a fishing vessel, if the permit authorizing the participation of the vessel in the fishery is surrendered for permanent revocation and the vessel owner and permit holder relinquish any claim associated with the vessel or permit that could qualify such owner or holder for any present or future limited access system permit in the fishery for which the program is established or in any other fishery and such vessel is (i) scrapped, or (ii) through the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating, subjected to title restrictions (including loss of the vessel’s fisheries endorsement) that permanently prohibit and effectively prevent its use in fishing in federal 1

1 So in original. Probably should be capitalized.

or state 1 waters, or fishing on the high seas or in the waters of a foreign nation; or

(B) the holder of a permit authorizing participation in the fishery, if such permit is surrendered for permanent revocation, and such holder relinquishes any claim associated with the permit and vessel used to harvest fishery resources under the permit that could qualify such holder for any present or future limited access system permit in the fishery for which the program was established.

(3) Participation in the program shall be voluntary, but the Secretary shall ensure compliance by all who do participate.

(4) The harvester proponents of each program and the Secretary shall consult, as appropriate and practicable, with Councils, Federal agencies, State and regional authorities, affected fishing communities, participants in the fishery, conservation organizations, and other interested parties throughout the development and implementation of any program under this section.

(5)Payment condition.—The Secretary may not make a payment under paragraph (2) with respect to a vessel that will not be scrapped unless the Secretary certifies that the vessel will not be used for fishing in the waters of a foreign nation or fishing on the high seas.

(6)Report.—

(A)In general.—Subject to the availability of funds, the Secretary shall, within 12 months after January 12, 2007, submit to the Congress a report—

(i) identifying and describing the 20 fisheries in United States waters with the most severe examples of excess harvesting capacity in the fisheries, based on value of each fishery and the amount of excess harvesting capacity as determined by the Secretary;

(ii) recommending measures for reducing such excess harvesting capacity, including the retirement of any latent fishing permits that could contribute to further excess harvesting capacity in those fisheries; and

(iii) potential sources of funding for such measures.

(B)Basis for recommendations.—The Secretary shall base the recommendations made with respect to a fishery on—

(i) the most cost effective means of achieving voluntary reduction in capacity for the fishery using the potential for industry financing; and

(ii) including measures to prevent the capacity that is being removed from the fishery from moving to other fisheries in the United States, in the waters of a foreign nation, or on the high seas.

(1) The program may be funded by any combination of amounts—

(A) available under clause (iv) of section 713c–3(b)(1)(A) of title 15;

(B) appropriated for the purposes of this section;

(C) provided by an industry fee system established under subsection (d) and in accordance with section 53735 of title 46; or

(D) provided from any State or other public sources or private or non-profit organizations.

(2) All funds for the program, including any fees established under subsection (d), shall be paid into the fishing capacity reduction fund established under section 53735 of title 46.

(d) Industry fee system

(1)

(A) If an industry fee system is necessary to fund the program, the Secretary may conduct a referendum on such system. Prior to the referendum, the Secretary shall—

(i) identify, to the extent practicable, and notify all permit or vessel owners who would be affected by the program; and

(ii) make available to such owners information about the industry fee system describing the schedule, procedures, and eligibility requirements for the referendum, the proposed program, and the amount and duration and any other terms and conditions of the proposed fee system.

(B) The industry fee system shall be considered approved if the referendum votes which are cast in favor of the proposed system constitute at least a majority of the permit holders in the fishery, or 50 percent of the permitted allocation of the fishery, who participated in the fishery.

(2) Notwithstanding section 1854(d) of this title and consistent with an approved industry fee system, the Secretary is authorized to establish such a system to fund the program and repay debt obligations incurred pursuant to section 53735 of title 46. The fees for a program established under this section shall—

(A) be determined by the Secretary and adjusted from time to time as the Secretary considers necessary to ensure the availability of sufficient funds to repay such debt obligations;

(B) not exceed 5 percent of the ex-vessel value of all fish harvested from the fishery for which the program is established;

(C) be deducted by the first ex-vessel fish purchaser from the proceeds otherwise payable to the seller and accounted for and forwarded by such fish purchasers to the Secretary in such manner as the Secretary may establish, unless the Secretary determines that such fees should be collected from the seller; and

(D) be in effect only until such time as the debt obligation has been fully paid.

(e) Implementation plan

(1) Framework regulations

(2) Program regulations

(3) Harvester proponents’ implementation planThe Secretary may not propose implementation regulations for a program to be paid for by an industry fee system until the harvester proponents of the program provide to the Secretary a proposed implementation plan that, among other matters—

(A) proposes the types and numbers of vessels or permits that are eligible to participate in the program and the manner in which the program shall proceed, taking into account—

(i) the requirements of this section;

(ii) the requirements of the framework regulations;

(iii) the characteristics of the fishery and affected fishing communities;

(iv) the requirements of the applicable fishery management plan and any amendment that such plan may require to support the proposed program;

(v) the general needs and desires of harvesters in the fishery;

(vi) the need to minimize program costs; and

(vii) other matters, including the manner in which such proponents propose to fund the program to ensure its cost effectiveness, as well as any relevant factors demonstrating the potential for, or necessary to obtain, the support and general cooperation of a substantial number of affected harvesters in the fishery (or portion of the fishery) for which the program is intended; and

(B) proposes procedures for program participation (such as submission of owner bids under an auction system or fair market-value assessment), including any terms and conditions for participation, that the harvester proponents deem to be reasonably necessary to meet the program’s proposed objectives.

(4) Participation contracts

(5) Reduction auctions

(6) Bid invitations

(Pub. L. 94–265, title III, § 312, as added Pub. L. 104–297, title I, § 116(a), Oct. 11, 1996, 110 Stat. 3600; amended Pub. L. 109–479, title I, § 112(a), Jan. 12, 2007, 120 Stat. 3598; Pub. L. 117–328, div. S, title II, § 202, Dec. 29, 2022, 136 Stat. 5261.)

§ 1861b. Fisheries enforcement plans and reporting

(a) Fisheries enforcement plans

(b) Fishery patrols

(Pub. L. 108–293, title II, § 224, Aug. 9, 2004, 118 Stat. 1040.)

§ 1862. North Pacific fisheries conservation

(a) In generalThe North Pacific Council may prepare, in consultation with the Secretary, a fisheries research plan for any fishery under the Council’s jurisdiction except a salmon fishery which—

(1) requires that observers be stationed on fishing vessels engaged in the catching, taking, or harvesting of fish and on United States fish processors fishing for or processing species under the jurisdiction of the Council, including the Northern Pacific halibut fishery, for the purpose of collecting data necessary for the conservation, management, and scientific understanding of any fisheries under the Council’s jurisdiction; and

(2) establishes a system, or system,1

1 So in original.

of fees, which may vary by fishery, management area, or observer coverage level, to pay for the cost of implementing the plan.

(b) Standards

(1) Any plan or plan amendment prepared under this section shall be reasonably calculated to—

(A) gather reliable data, by stationing observers on all or a statistically reliable sample of the fishing vessels and United States fish processors included in the plan, necessary for the conservation, management, and scientific understanding of the fisheries covered by the plan;

(B) be fair and equitable to all vessels and processors;

(D) take into consideration the operating requirements of the fisheries and the safety of observers and fishermen.

(2) Any system of fees established under this section shall—

(A) provide that the total amount of fees collected under this section not exceed the combined cost of (i) stationing observers, or electronic monitoring systems, on board fishing vessels and United States fish processors, (ii) the actual cost of inputting collected data, and (iii) assessments necessary for a risk-sharing pool implemented under subsection (e) of this section, less any amount received for such purpose from another source or from an existing surplus in the North Pacific Fishery Observer Fund established in subsection (d) of this section;

(B) be fair and equitable to all participants in the fisheries under the jurisdiction of the Council, including the Northern Pacific halibut fishery;

(C) provide that fees collected not be used to pay any costs of administrative overhead or other costs not directly incurred in carrying out the plan;

(D) not be used to offset amounts authorized under other provisions of law;

(E) be expressed as a fixed amount reflecting actual observer costs as described in subparagraph (A) or a percentage, not to exceed 2 percent, of the unprocessed ex-vessel value of fish and shellfish harvested under the jurisdiction of the Council, including the Northern Pacific halibut fishery;

(F) be assessed against some or all fishing vessels and United States fish processors, including those not required to carry an observer or an electronic monitoring system under the plan, participating in fisheries under the jurisdiction of the Council, including the Northern Pacific halibut fishery;

(G) provide that fees collected will be deposited in the North Pacific Fishery Observer Fund established under subsection (d) of this section;

(H) provide that fees collected will only be used for implementing the plan established under this section;

(I) provide that fees collected will be credited against any fee for stationing observers or electronic monitoring systems on board fishing vessels and United States fish processors and the actual cost of inputting collected data to which a fishing vessel or fish processor is subject under section 1854(d) of this title; and

(J) meet the requirements of section 9701(b) of title 31.

(1) Within 60 days after receiving a plan or plan amendment from the North Pacific Council under this section, the Secretary shall review such plan or plan amendment and either (A) remand such plan or plan amendment to the Council with comments if it does not meet the requirements of this section, or (B) publish in the Federal Register proposed regulations for implementing such plan or plan amendment.

(2) During the 60-day public comment period, the Secretary shall conduct a public hearing in each State represented on the Council for the purpose of receiving public comments on the proposed regulations.

(3) Within 45 days of the close of the public comment period, the Secretary, in consultation with the Council, shall analyze the public comment received and publish final regulations for implementing such plan.

(4) If the Secretary remands a plan or plan amendment to the Council for failure to meet the requirements of this section, the Council may resubmit such plan or plan amendment at any time after taking action the Council believes will address the defects identified by the Secretary. Any plan or plan amendment resubmitted to the Secretary will be treated as an original plan submitted to the Secretary under paragraph (1) of this subsection.

(d) Fishery Observer Fund

(e) Special provisions regarding observers

(1) The Secretary shall review—

(A) the feasibility of establishing a risk sharing pool through a reasonable fee, subject to the limitations of subsection (b)(2)(E) of this section, to provide coverage for vessels and owners against liability from civil suits by observers, and

(B) the availability of comprehensive commercial insurance for vessel and owner liability against civil suits by observers.

(2) If the Secretary determines that a risk sharing pool is feasible, the Secretary shall establish such a pool, subject to the provisions of subsection (b)(2) of this section, unless the Secretary determines that—

(A) comprehensive commercial insurance is available for all fishing vessels and United States fish processors required to have observers under the provisions of this section, and

(B) such comprehensive commercial insurance will provide a greater measure of coverage at a lower cost to each participant.

(f) Bycatch reduction

(g) Bycatch reduction incentives

(1) Notwithstanding section 1854(d) of this title, the North Pacific Council may submit, and the Secretary may approve, consistent with the provisions of this chapter, a system of fines in a fishery to provide incentives to reduce bycatch and bycatch rates; except that such fines shall not exceed $25,000 per vessel per season. Any fines collected shall be deposited in the North Pacific Fishery Observer Fund, and may be made available by the Secretary to offset costs related to the reduction of bycatch in the fishery from which such fines were derived, including conservation and management measures and research, and to the State of Alaska to offset costs incurred by the State in the fishery from which such penalties were derived or in fisheries in which the State is directly involved in management or enforcement and which are directly affected by the fishery from which such penalties were derived.

(2)

(A) Notwithstanding section 1853(d) of this title, and in addition to the authority provided in section 1853(b)(10) of this title, the North Pacific Council may submit, and the Secretary may approve, conservation and management measures which provide allocations of regulatory discards to individual fishing vessels as an incentive to reduce per vessel bycatch and bycatch rates in a fishery, Provided, That—

(i) such allocations may not be transferred for monetary consideration and are made only on an annual basis; and

(ii) any such conservation and management measures will meet the requirements of subsection (h) and will result in an actual reduction in regulatory discards in the fishery.

(B) The North Pacific Council may submit restrictions in addition to the restriction imposed by clause (i) of subparagraph (A) on the transferability of any such allocations, and the Secretary may approve such recommendation.

(h) Catch measurement

(1) By June 1, 1997 the North Pacific Council shall submit, and the Secretary may approve, consistent with the other provisions of this chapter, conservation and management measures to ensure total catch measurement in each fishery under the jurisdiction of such Council. Such measures shall ensure the accurate enumeration, at a minimum, of target species, economic discards, and regulatory discards.

(2) To the extent the measures submitted under paragraph (1) do not require United States fish processors and fish processing vessels (as defined in chapter 21 of title 46) to weigh fish, the North Pacific Council and the Secretary shall submit a plan to the Congress by January 1, 1998, to allow for weighing, including recommendations to assist such processors and processing vessels in acquiring necessary equipment, unless the Council determines that such weighing is not necessary to meet the requirements of this subsection.

(i) Full retention and utilization

(1) The North Pacific Council shall submit to the Secretary by October 1, 1998 a report on the advisability of requiring the full retention by fishing vessels and full utilization by United States fish processors of economic discards in fisheries under its jurisdiction if such economic discards, or the mortality of such economic discards, cannot be avoided. The report shall address the projected impacts of such requirements on participants in the fishery and describe any full retention and full utilization requirements that have been implemented.

(2) The report shall address the advisability of measures to minimize processing waste, including standards setting minimum percentages which must be processed for human consumption. For the purpose of the report, “processing waste” means that portion of any fish which is processed and which could be used for human consumption or other commercial use, but which is not so used.

(j) Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands crab rationalization

(1) By not later than January 1, 2005, the Secretary shall approve and hereafter 2

2 See References in Text note below.

implement by regulation the Voluntary Three-Pie Cooperative Program for crab fisheries of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands approved by the North Pacific Fishery Management Council between June 2002 and April 2003, and all trailing amendments including those reported to Congress on May 6, 2003. This section shall not preclude the Secretary from approving by January 1, 2005, and implementing any subsequent program amendments approved by the Council.

(2) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, in carrying out paragraph (1) the Secretary shall approve all parts of the Program referred to in such paragraph. Further, no part of such Program may be implemented if, as approved by the North Pacific Fishery Management Council, individual fishing quotas, processing quotas, community development quota allocation, voluntary cooperatives, binding arbitration, regional landing and processing requirements, community protections, economic data collection, or the loan program for crab fishing vessel captains and crew members, is invalidated subject to a judicial determination not subject to judicial appeal. If the Secretary determines that a processor has leveraged its Individual Processor Quota shares to acquire a harvesters open-delivery “B shares”, the processor’s Individual Processor Quota shares shall be forfeited.

(3) Subsequent to implementation pursuant to paragraph (1), the Council may submit and the Secretary may implement changes to or repeal of conservation and management measures, including measures authorized in this section, for crab fisheries of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands in accordance with applicable law, including this chapter as amended by this subsection, to achieve on a continuing basis the purposes identified by the Council.

(4) The loan program referred to in paragraph (2) shall be carried out pursuant to the authority of sections 53735 and 53702(b) of title 46.

(5) For purposes of implementing this section $1,000,000 shall be made available each year until fully implemented from funds otherwise made available to the National Marine Fisheries Service for Alaska fisheries activities.

(6) Nothing in this chapter shall constitute a waiver, either express or implied, of the antitrust laws of the United States. The Secretary, in consultation with the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission, shall develop and implement a mandatory information collection and review process to provide any and all information necessary for the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission to determine whether any illegal acts of anti-competition, anti-trust, or price collusion have occurred among persons receiving individual processing quotas under the Program. The Secretary may revoke any individual processing quota held by any person found to have violated a provision of the antitrust laws of the United States.

(7) An individual processing quota issued under the Program shall be considered a permit for the purposes of sections 1857, 1858, and 1859 of this title, and may be revoked or limited at any time in accordance with this chapter. Issuance of an individual processing quota under the program shall not confer any right of compensation to the holder of such individual processing quota if it is revoked or limited and shall not create, or be construed to create, any right, title, or interest in or to any fish before the fish is purchased from an individual fishing quota holder.

(8) The restriction on the collection of economic data in section 1853 of this title shall not apply with respect to any fish processor who is eligible for, or who has received, individual processing quota under the Program. The restriction on the disclosure of information in section 1881a(b)(1) of this title shall not apply when the information is used to determine eligibility for or compliance with an individual processing quota program.

(9) The provisions of sections 1858, 1860, and 1861 of this title shall apply to the processing facilities and fish products of any person holding individual processing quota, and the provisions of subparagraphs (D), (E), and (L) of section 1857(l) 3

3 So in original. Probably should be section “1857(1)”.

of this title shall apply to any facility owned or controlled by a person holding individual processing quota.

(Pub. L. 94–265, title III, § 313, as added Pub. L. 101–627, title I, § 118(a), Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 4457; amended Pub. L. 102–582, title IV, § 404, Nov. 2, 1992, 106 Stat. 4909; Pub. L. 104–297, title I, § 117(a), Oct. 11, 1996, 110 Stat. 3603; Pub. L. 108–199, div. B, title VIII, § 801, Jan. 23, 2004, 118 Stat. 108; Pub. L. 109–479, title II, § 214, Jan. 12, 2007, 120 Stat. 3619.)

§ 1863. Northwest Atlantic Ocean Fisheries Reinvestment Program

(a) Program

(1) Not later than October 1, 1993, the Secretary shall establish a Northwest Atlantic Ocean Fisheries Reinvestment Program for the purposes of—

(A) promoting development of commercial fisheries and markets for underutilized species of the northwest Atlantic Ocean;

(B) developing alternative fishing opportunities for participants in the New England groundfish fishery;

(C) providing technical support and assistance to United States fishermen and fish processors to improve the value-added processing of underutilized species and to make participation in fisheries for underutilized species of the northwest Atlantic Ocean economically viable;

(D) creating new economic opportunities through the improved processing and expanded use of fish waste; and

(E) helping to restore overfished New England groundfish stocks through aquaculture or hatchery programs.

(2)Consultation.—In establishing and implementing the Northwest Fisheries Reinvestment Program, the Secretary shall consult with representatives of the commercial fishing industry, the seafood processing industry, and the academic community (including the National Sea Grant Program).

(3)Activities Under Program.—Subject to the availability of appropriations, the Secretary shall award contracts, grants and other financial assistance to United States citizens to carry out the purposes of subsection 1

1 So in original. Probably should be “paragraph”.

(1), under the terms and conditions provided in section 713c–3(c) of title 15, except that, in making awards under this section for projects involving participation in fisheries for underutilized species, the Secretary shall give the highest priority to a person who owns or operates a fishing vessel permitted under this chapter to participate in the New England groundfish fishery who agrees to surrender that permit to the Secretary during the duration of the contract, grant or other assistance.

(4)Authorization of Appropriations.—There are authorized to be appropriated $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 1993 through 1999 to carry out the purposes of this section. For fiscal year 1993 no more than $1,000,000, and for fiscal year 1994 no more than $2,000,000, of such funds may be provided from monies made available under section 713c–3(b) of title 15.

(b) Assistance of other agencies

(d) “Underutilized species” defined

(Pub. L. 94–265, title III, § 314, as added Pub. L. 102–567, title IX, § 902(a), Oct. 29, 1992, 106 Stat. 4317; amended Pub. L. 104–297, title I, § 117(b), Oct. 11, 1996, 110 Stat. 3604.)

§ 1864. Repealed. Pub. L. 117–328, div. S, title II, § 203(a), Dec. 29, 2022, 136 Stat. 5269

§ 1865. Bycatch reduction engineering program

(a) Bycatch reduction engineering program

Not later than 1 year after January 12, 2007, the Secretary, in cooperation with the Councils and other affected interests, and based upon the best scientific information available, shall establish a bycatch reduction program, including grants, to develop technological devices and other conservation engineering changes designed to minimize bycatch, seabird interactions, bycatch mortality, and post-release mortality in Federally managed fisheries. The program shall—

(1) be regionally based;

(2) be coordinated with projects conducted under the cooperative research and management program established under this chapter;

(3) provide information and outreach to fishery participants that will encourage adoption and use of technologies developed under the program; and

(4) provide for routine consultation with the Councils in order to maximize opportunities to incorporate results of the program in Council actions and provide incentives for adoption of methods developed under the program in fishery management plans developed by the Councils.

(b) Incentives

Any fishery management plan prepared by a Council or by the Secretary may establish a system of incentives to reduce total bycatch and seabird interactions, amounts, bycatch rates, and post-release mortality in fisheries under the Council’s or Secretary’s jurisdiction, including—

(1) measures to incorporate bycatch into quotas, including the establishment of collective or individual bycatch quotas;

(2) measures to promote the use of gear with verifiable and monitored low bycatch and seabird interactions, rates; and

(3) measures that, based on the best scientific information available, will reduce bycatch and seabird interactions, bycatch mortality, post-release mortality, or regulatory discards in the fishery.

The Secretary, in coordination with the Secretary of 1

1 So in original. Probably should be “of the”.

Interior, is authorized to undertake projects in cooperation with industry to improve information and technology to reduce seabird bycatch, including—

(1) outreach to industry on new technologies and methods;

(2) projects to mitigate for seabird mortality; and

(3) actions at appropriate international fishery organizations to reduce seabird interactions in fisheries.

(d) Report

The Secretary shall transmit an annual report to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the House of Representatives Committee on Resources that—

(1) describes funding provided to implement this section;

(2) describes developments in gear technology achieved under this section; and

(3) describes improvements and reduction in bycatch and seabird interactions associated with implementing this section, as well as proposals to address remaining bycatch or seabird interaction problems.

(Pub. L. 94–265, title III, § 316, as added Pub. L. 109–479, title I, § 116(a), Jan. 12, 2007, 120 Stat. 3605.)

§ 1866. Shark feeding

Except to the extent determined by the Secretary, or under State law, as presenting no public health hazard or safety risk, or when conducted as part of a research program funded in whole or in part by appropriated funds, it is unlawful to introduce, or attempt to introduce, food or any other substance into the water to attract sharks for any purpose other than to harvest sharks within the Exclusive Economic Zone seaward of the State of Hawaii and of the Commonwealths, territories, and possessions of the United States in the Pacific Ocean Area.

(Pub. L. 94–265, title III, § 317, as added Pub. L. 109–479, title I, § 119, Jan. 12, 2007, 120 Stat. 3607.)

§ 1867. Cooperative research and management program

(a) In general

(b) Eligible projects

In making funds available the Secretary shall award funding on a competitive basis and based on regional fishery management needs, select programs that form part of a coherent program of research focused on solving priority issues identified by the Councils, and shall give priority to the following projects:

(1) Projects to collect data to improve, supplement, or enhance stock assessments, including the use of fishing vessels or acoustic or other marine technology.

(2) Projects to assess the amount and type of bycatch or post-release mortality occurring in a fishery.

(3) Conservation engineering projects designed to reduce bycatch, including avoidance of post-release mortality, reduction of bycatch in high seas fisheries, and transfer of such fishing technologies to other nations.

(4) Projects for the identification of habitat areas of particular concern and for habitat conservation.

(5) Projects designed to collect and compile economic and social data.

(d) Experimental permitting process

(e) Guidelines

(f) Exempted projects

(Pub. L. 94–265, title III, § 318, as added Pub. L. 109–479, title II, § 204, Jan. 12, 2007, 120 Stat. 3614.)

§ 1868. Herring study

(a) In general

(b) Report

(Pub. L. 94–265, title III, § 319, as added Pub. L. 109–479, title II, § 205, Jan. 12, 2007, 120 Stat. 3615.)

§ 1869. Restoration study

(a) In general

(b) Authorization of appropriations

(Pub. L. 94–265, title III, § 320, as added Pub. L. 109–479, title II, § 206, Jan. 12, 2007, 120 Stat. 3615.)

§ 1870. Required possession of descending devices

(a) Require gear in the Gulf reef fish fishery

(b) Savings clause

(1) Descending deviceThe term “descending device” means an instrument that—

(A) will release fish at a depth sufficient for the fish to be able to recover from the effects of barotrauma;

(B) is a weighted hook, lip clamp, or box that will hold the fish while it is lowered to depth, or another device determined to be appropriate by the Secretary; and

(i) releasing the fish automatically;

(ii) releasing the fish by actions of the operator of the device; or

(iii) allowing the fish to escape on its own.

(2) Venting tool

(3) Gulf reef fish

(Pub. L. 94–265, title III, § 321, as added Pub. L. 116–340, § 3(a), Jan. 13, 2021, 134 Stat. 5128.)