Climate-Ready Fisheries Act of 2019

Climate-Ready Fisheries Act of 2019

This bill directs the Government Accountability Office to examine efforts by the Regional Fishery Management Councils, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, and the National Marine Fisheries Service to prepare and adapt fisheries for the impacts of climate change.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4679 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 4679

 To require the Comptroller General of the United States to submit to 
Congress a report examining efforts by the Regional Fishery Management 
  Councils, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, and the 
 National Marine Fisheries Service to prepare and adapt United States 
  fishery management for the impacts of climate change, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 15, 2019

 Mr. Cunningham (for himself, Mr. Mast, Mr. Rooney of Florida, and Mr. 
   Huffman) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                     Committee on Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To require the Comptroller General of the United States to submit to 
Congress a report examining efforts by the Regional Fishery Management 
  Councils, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, and the 
 National Marine Fisheries Service to prepare and adapt United States 
  fishery management for the impacts of climate change, 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. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Climate-Ready Fisheries Act of 
2019''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) According to the Fourth National Climate Assessment, 
        climate change, which results in ocean warming, acidification, 
        and oxygen loss, is rapidly altering the abundance, 
        productivity, and distribution of fish stocks.
            (2) United States commercial and recreational fisheries 
        generate approximately $210 billion in sales impacts each year 
        and are a critical economic driver for thousands of coastal 
        communities.
            (3) Changing water temperatures have already affected many 
        commercially and recreationally targeted fish stocks.
            (4) Changing conditions and effects on fish stocks are 
        impacting subsistence fishing, which is critical to food 
        security and culture for Alaska Native and American Indian 
        tribes, and fishing communities throughout the Nation, 
        according to the Fourth National Climate Assessment.
            (5) The impacts of climate change on fish are resulting in 
        a cascade of management and sustainability challenges, which 
        negatively affect marine ecosystems, fishermen, and fishing 
        communities.
            (6) A better understanding of current efforts underway by 
        the Regional Fishery Management Councils, the Atlantic States 
        Marine Fisheries Commission, and the National Marine Fisheries 
        Service to address the impact of climate change on fishery 
        management is needed to ensure our fisheries and their marine 
        ecosystems are well prepared for changing ocean conditions.

SEC. 3. REPORT ON EFFORTS TO PREPARE AND ADAPT UNITED STATES FISHERY 
              MANAGEMENT FOR THE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit 
a report to Congress examining efforts by the Regional Fishery 
Management Councils, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, 
and the National Marine Fisheries Service to prepare and adapt to the 
impacts of climate change.
    (b) Contents of Study.--The report required under subsection (a) 
shall include--
            (1) an examination of current or previous efforts, and 
        whether those efforts have resulted in changes to management, 
        by the Regional Fishery Management Councils, the Atlantic 
        States Marine Fisheries Commission, and the National Marine 
        Fisheries Service to prepare and adapt Federal and jointly 
        managed fisheries for the impacts of climate change;
            (2) an examination of any guidance issued to the Regional 
        Fishery Management Councils by the National Marine Fisheries 
        Service to prepare and adapt Federal fishery management for the 
        impacts of climate change and whether and how that guidance has 
        been utilized;
            (3) identification of and recommendations for how best to 
        address the most significant economic, social, ecological, or 
        other knowledge gaps, as well as key funding gaps, that would 
        increase the ability of the Regional Fishery Management 
        Councils, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, or 
        the National Marine Fisheries Service to prepare and adapt 
        fishery management for the impacts of climate change;
            (4) recommendations for how the Regional Fishery Management 
        Councils, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, and 
        the National Marine Fisheries Service can better adapt fishery 
        management and prepare associated fishing industries and 
        dependent communities for the impacts of climate change; and
            (5) recommendations for how to enhance the capacity of the 
        National Marine Fisheries Service to monitor climate-related 
        changes to fisheries and marine ecosystems, to understand the 
        mechanisms of change, to evaluate risks and priorities, to 
        provide forecasts and projections of future conditions, to 
        communicate scientific advice, and to better manage fisheries 
        under changing conditions due to climate change.
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