,,ii  #aag? ,,congress  #b;d ,session   
,s4 #cgfe  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!      
,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,m>* #g1 #bjbb,mrs4    
,%ahe5 7= h]self & ,ms4 ,coll9s7        
introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 read     
twice & ref]r$ to ! ,committee on       
,comm]ce1 ,sci5ce1 & ,transportation  ,a
 ,,bill  ,to provide assi/ance to       
,am]ican fi%]ies p>ticipants to comply )
 ,f$]al regulations to protect !        
endang]$ ,nor? ,atlantic "r :ale by     
r$uc+ ! risk ( incid5tal entanglem5t 9  
fi%+ ge>4  #a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may
 be cit$ z ! ,/ew>d+ ,atlantic ,fi%]ies 
,ecosy/ems by ,support+ ,economic       
,assi/ance & ,su/a9ability ,act ( #bjbb 
or ! ,,safe ,,seas ,act ( #bjbb 4  #b4  
,f9d+s ,congress f9ds ! foll[+3 7#a7 ,! 
,nor? ,atlantic "r :ale is critically   
endang]$1 ) e/imates sugge/+ few] ?an   
#cej rema91 includ+ few] ?an #ajj bre$+ 
females4  7#b7 ,h>ve/]s 9 ! ,nor?       
,atlantic h tak5 previ\s actions to     
protect :ales1 includ+ by implem5t+ weak
 l9ks1 replac+ ?\s&s ( miles ( float+   

gr\nd l9e ) :ale-safe s9k+ l9e1 &       
increas+ ! m9imum numb] ( traps p] trawl
 to remove ?\s&s ( miles ( v]tical buoy 
l9es4  7#c7 ,sev5te5 ,nor? ,atlantic "r 
:ale mortalities 7 obs]v$ 9 #bjag1      
includ+ _m det]m9$ to h be5 caus$ by    
vessel /rikes & entanglem5ts1 lead+ to a
 decl>ation ( a "r :ale ,unusual        
,mortality ,ev5t4  7#d7 ,! ,dep>tm5t (  
,comm]ce has issu$ regulations revis+ ! 
,atlantic ,l>ge ,:ale ,take ,r$uction   
,plan "u section #bbi4cb ( title #ej1   
,code ( ,f$]al ,regulations 7z 9 effect 
on ! day be=e ! date ( enactm5t ( ?is   
,act7 t require lob/] & ,jonah crab     
h>ve/]s to make ge> modifications4  7#e7
 ,implem5t+ ! f$]ally requir$ ge>       
modifications1 includ+ m>k+s1 is e/imat$
 to co/ ! indu/ry t5s ( millions (      
doll>s p] ye>4  7#f7 ,! fi%+ indu/ry is 
a vital driv] ( regional economies1     
support+ our coa/al communities & /ew>d+
 natural res\rces4  #c4 ,grant assi/ance
 = lob/] & ,jonah crab h>ve/] ge>       
modification  7a7 ,purposes ,! purposes 

( ?is section are to-- 7#a7 protect !   
highly endang]$ ,nor? ,atlantic "r :ale 
population2  7#b7 facilitate lob/] &    
,jonah crab h>ve/]s' transition to      
modifi$ & new ge> types 9 accordance ) !
 ,atlantic ,l>ge ,:ale ,take ,r$uction  
,plan2  7#c7 assi/ lob/] & ,jonah crab  
h>ve/]s ) ! f9ancial burd5 ( ?is        
transition2 &  7#d7 assi/ compliance )  
any subsequ5t modifications to !        
,atlantic ,l>ge ,:ale ,take ,r$uction   
,plan 9 any future impact$ fi%]ies4  7b7
 ,program au?oriz$  7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,!    
,secret>y ( ,comm]ce 7ref]r$ to 9 ?is   
section z ! ,secret>y71 9 coord9ation ) 
! ,atlantic ,/ates ,m>9e ,fi%]ies       
,commission1 %all provide grants to     
,/ates f allotm5ts "u p>agraph 7#b7 to  
enable ! ,/ates to assi/ lob/] & ,jonah 
crab h>ve/]s ) ! co/s ( ge>             
modifications1 includ+ m>k+s1 9         
accordance ) ! ,atlantic ,l>ge ,:ale    
,take ,r$uction ,plan4  7#b7 ,allotm5ts 
7,a7 ,9 g5]al ,except z provid$ 9       
subp>agraph 7,b71 funds made available =

 any fiscal ye> to c>ry out ?is section 
%all be allott$ to ea* ,/ate 9          
proportion to ! numb] ( active f$]ally  
p]mitt$ lob/] trap h>ve/]s 9 ea* ,/ate4 
,= purposes ( ?is subp>agraph1 a f$]ally
 p]mitt$ lob/] trap h>ve/] is consid]$ 9
 a ,/ate if ! ,pr9cipal ,port 9 ! ,f$]al
 p]mit application ( ! lob/] trap h>ve/]
 is 9 su* ,/ate4  7,b7 ,m9imum ,f !     
total am\nt available = any fiscal ye>  
to c>ry out ?is section1 ea* ,/ate ) n  
less ?an #bj active f$]ally p]mitt$     
lob/] trap h>ve/]s %all be allott$ n    
less ?an #d p]c5t ( ! total am\nt4  7#c7
 ,application ,a ,/ate t desires to     
receive a grant "u ?is section %all     
submit an application to ! ,secret>y at 
su* "t1 9 su* mann]1 & accompani$ by su*
 in=mation z ! ,secret>y may require4   
7#d7 ,all[able uses ,a ,/ate t receives 
a grant "u ?is section %all use ! grant 
funds-- 7,a7 to assi/ ,/ate-p]mitt$ &   
f$]ally p]mitt$ lob/] & ,jonah crab     
h>ve/]s ) managem5t measures ne$$ to    
comply ) ! ,atlantic ,l>ge ,:ale ,take  

,r$uction ,plan1 includ+ ! co/s (       
f$]ally requir$ ge> modification1       
configuration1 & m>k+ )9 ! ,nor!a/ lob/]
 & ,jonah crab fi%]ies1 includ+         
requirem5ts to modify ge> m>k+1 *ange   
ge> configurations to increase traps    
fi%$ on trawls1 or modify buoy l9es to  
accommodate new weak rope & weak        
ins]tions2  7,b7 to implem5t electronic 
track+ requirem5ts )9 ! ,am]ican lob/] &
 ,jonah crab fi%]y2  7,c7 to conduct    
rese>* to in=m future managem5t actions1
 includ+ 9 prep>ation = pot5tial        
subsequ5t modifications to ! ,atlantic  
,l>ge ,:ale ,take ,r$uction ,plan2 &    
7,d7 to assi/ fi%]y compliance ) any    
subsequ5t modifications to ! ,atlantic  
,l>ge ,:ale ,take ,r$uction ,plan1 z    
necess>y4  7c7 ,au?orization (          
appropriations ,!re are au?oriz$ to be  
appropriat$ to c>ry out ?is section     
#aj1jjj1jjj = fiscal ye> #bjbb & su*    
sums z may be necess>y = ea* ( fiscal   
ye>s #bjbc & #bjbd4