Florida Fisheries Improvement Act

Florida Fisheries Improvement Act

TITLE I-- CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT

(Sec. 101) This bill amends the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA) to revise requirements for fishery management in the Gulf of Mexico and the South Atlantic.

Regional fishery management councils may use alternative fishery management measures in a recreational fishery.

(Sec. 102) The bill revises requirements for fishery management plans, including by exempting certain species from fishery rebuilding requirements, changing how to determine the timelines for rebuilding fisheries, and repealing the requirement for plans to contain catch limits for red snapper.

(Sec. 103) Funds received as fines, penalties, and forfeitures of property for violations of marine resource law may be used for the cost of stock assessments, surveys, and data collection on fisheries.

(Sec. 104) A citizen owning or leasing an eligible fishery facility may make an agreement with the Department of Commerce to establish a capital construction fund to provide for the acquisition, construction, or reconstruction of a qualified facility.

(Sec. 105) Commerce must make a decision on whether there is a commercial fishery failure because of a fishery resource disaster within 90 days of a receiving a complete estimate of the economic impact of the disaster.

(Sec. 106) The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council and the South Atlantic Council must review, at least every five years, the allocation of fishing privileges. The Councils may delay the review for three one-year periods.

(Sec. 107) Commerce must enter into an arrangement with the National Academy of Sciences to conduct a study on allocating fishing privileges.

TITLE II--FISHERY INFORMATION, RESEARCH, AND DEVELOPMENT

(Sec. 201) Commerce must: (1) develop and publish a plan to conduct stock assessments for all stocks of fish for which a MSA fishery management plan is in effect, unless the assessment is not necessary; and (2) report on facilitating greater incorporation of data, analysis, stock assessments, and surveys from nongovernmental sources into fisheries management decisions.

(Sec. 203) The bill prohibits consideration by Congress of any bill that reduces any amount in the Fisheries Promotion Fund.