Amends the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act to authorize the Secretary of Commerce, upon the request of a state Governor, to establish a regional economic transition program to provide disaster relief to fishermen, charter fishing operators, U.S. fish processors, and owners of related fishery infrastructure affected by a catastrophic regional fishery disaster.
[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5447 Introduced in House (IH)]
109th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 5447
To amend the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act
to authorize the Secretary of Commerce to establish a regional economic
transition program to provide immediate disaster relief assistance to
the fishermen, charter fishing operators, United States fish
processors, and owners of related fishery infrastructure affected by a
catastrophic regional fishery disaster, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 22, 2006
Mr. Jindal introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Resources
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act
to authorize the Secretary of Commerce to establish a regional economic
transition program to provide immediate disaster relief assistance to
the fishermen, charter fishing operators, United States fish
processors, and owners of related fishery infrastructure affected by a
catastrophic regional fishery disaster, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. REGIONAL COASTAL DISASTER ASSISTANCE, TRANSITION, AND
RECOVERY PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--Title III of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1851 et seq.) is amended by
adding at the end the following:
``SEC. 315. REGIONAL COASTAL DISASTER ASSISTANCE, TRANSITION, AND
RECOVERY PROGRAM.
``(a) In General.--When there is a catastrophic regional fishery
disaster the Secretary may, upon the request of, and in consultation
with, the Governors of affected States, establish a regional economic
transition program to provide immediate disaster relief assistance to
the fishermen, charter fishing operators, United States fish
processors, and owners of related fishery infrastructure affected by
the disaster.
``(b) Program Components.--
``(1) In general.--Subject to the availability of
appropriations, the program shall provide funds or other
economic assistance to affected entities, or to governmental
entities for disbursement to affected entities, for--
``(A) meeting immediate regional shoreside fishery
infrastructure needs, including processing facilities,
cold storage facilities, ice houses, docks, including
temporary docks and storage facilities, and other
related shoreside fishery support facilities and
infrastructure;
``(B) financial assistance and job training
assistance for fishermen who wish to remain in a
fishery in the region that may be temporarily closed as
a result of environmental or other effects associated
with the disaster;
``(C) vessel repair and refloating;
``(D) debris removal and cleaning;
``(E) public and private oyster bed, shrimp, and
other fisheries rehabilitation; and
``(F) any other activities authorized under section
312(a) of this Act or section 308(d) of the
Interjurisdictional Fisheries Act of 1986 (16 U.S.C.
4107(d)).
``(2) Job training.--Any fisherman who decides to scrap a
fishing vessel under the program shall be eligible for job
training assistance.
``(3) No matching required.--The Secretary may waive the
matching requirements of section 312 of this Act, section 308
of the Interjurisdictional Fisheries Act of 1986 (16 U.S.C.
4107), and any other provision of law under which the Federal
share of the cost of any activity is limited to less than 100
percent if the Secretary determines that--
``(A) no reasonable means are available through
which applicants can meet the matching requirement; and
``(B) the probable benefit of 100 percent Federal
financing outweighs the public interest in imposition
of the matching requirement.
``(4) Net revenue limit inapplicable.--Section 308(d)(3) of
the Interjurisdictional Fisheries Act (16 U.S.C. 4107(d)(3))
shall not apply to assistance under this section.
``(c) Regional Impact Evaluation.--Within 2 months after a
catastrophic regional fishery disaster the Secretary shall provide the
Governor of each State participating in the program a comprehensive
economic and socio-economic evaluation of the affected region's
fisheries to assist the Governor in assessing the current and future
economic viability of affected fisheries, including the economic impact
of foreign fish imports and the direct, indirect, or environmental
impact of the disaster on the fishery and coastal communities.
``(d) Catastrophic Regional Fishery Disaster Defined.--In this
section the term `catastrophic regional fishery disaster' means a
natural disaster, including a hurricane or tsunami, or a judicial or
regulatory closure to protect human health or the marine environment,
that--
``(1) results in economic losses to coastal or fishing
communities;
``(2) affects more than 1 State or a major fishery managed
by a Council or interstate fishery commission; and
``(3) is determined by the Secretary to be a commercial
fishery failure under section 312(a) of this Act or a fishery
resource disaster or section 308(d) of the Interjurisdictional
Fisheries Act of 1986 (16 U.S.C. 4107(d)).''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of contents in the first section
of that Act is amended by inserting after the item relating to section
314 the following:
``Sec. 315. Regional coastal disaster assistance, transition, and
recovery program''.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Resources.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Fisheries and Oceans.
Executive Comment Requested from Commerce.
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