,,ii #aaith ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #dich ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,june #bd1 #bjbf,mr4 ,sullivan introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,commerce1 ,science1 and ,transportation ,a ,,bill ,to reduce trawl gear impacts on bycatch and seafloor habitat in the ,bering ,sea1 ,aleutian ,islands1 and ,gulf of ,alaska1 to establish gear performance standards1 seafloor contact detection1 and salmon excluder requirements1 to improve ,council transparency and participation1 to prioritize ecosystem analyses1 to modernize electronic monitoring1 to prohibit unsustainable foreign seafood imports1 and to establish a ,bycatch ,mitigation and ,habitat ,protection ,assistance ,fund4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,bycatch ,reduction ,act4 #b4 ,ensuring mid-water nets do not operate like bottom trawl gear 7a7 ,in general ,the ,north ,pacific ,fishery ,management ,council shall-- 7#a7 establish a pelagic trawl gear performance standard for vessels using pelagic trawl gear in fisheries managed under the ,bering ,sea and ,aleutian ,islands ,groundfish ,fishery ,management ,plan and ,gulf of ,alaska ,groundfish ,fishery ,management ,plan 7referred to in this section as applicable vessels72 and 7#b7 implement enforceable regulations to manage gear impacts from such applicable vessels on benthic habitat and reduce unobserved mortality on important subsistence1 commercial1 or recreational species during fishing operations4 7b7 ,establish a pelagic trawl gear baseline 7#a7 ,in general ,not later than #a year after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,north ,pacific ,fishery ,management ,council shall use methods1 such as gear design standards1 model and field testing verification1 sensors1 or technology1 to identify the current baseline of the effects of pelagic trawl gear on marine benthic habitat in areas managed under the ,bering ,sea and ,aleutian ,islands ,groundfish ,fishery ,management ,plan and ,gulf of ,alaska ,groundfish ,fishery ,management ,plan4 7#b7 ,independent review ,the ,north ,pacific ,fishery ,management ,council shall enter into an agreement with the ,national ,academies of ,sciences1 ,engineering1 and ,medicine to review the methodology1 data1 and findings used to identify the baseline under paragraph 7#a74 ,the results of the review shall be made publicly available4 7c7 ,regulations ,following the identification of the pelagic trawl gear baseline under subsection 7b71 the ,administrator of the ,national ,oceanic and ,atmospheric ,administration 7referred to in this ,act as the ,administrator71 in consultation with the ,north ,pacific ,fishery ,management ,council1 shall promulgate regulations to reduce impacts relative to such baseline from pelagic trawl gear1 including through-- 7#a7 requiring gear modifications to pelagic trawl gear1 including requiring applicable vessels to be equipped with a commercially available seafloor contact detection system capable of monitoring and verifying the net position and clearance of pelagic trawl gear in relation to the seafloor2 7#b7 reductions in the amount of fishing effort that results in pelagic trawl gear making contact with the marine benthic habitat in areas that are closed to nonpelagic trawl gear2 7#c7 prohibitions on fishing by pelagic trawl gear in areas closed to nonpelagic trawl gear2 or 7#d7 prohibitions in fishing by pelagic trawl gear if there are any areas identified in section #f7;c77#d7 that support juvenile recruitment of important subsistence1 commercial1 or recreational species4 7d7 ,monitoring2 data retention and access ,in providing consultation to the ,administrator for the promulgation of regulations under subsection 7c77#a71 the ,north ,pacific ,fishery ,management ,council shall consider-- 7#a7 establishing protocols for the collection1 storage1 and submission of data related to the use of pelagic trawl gear2 7#b7 requiring real-time or near-real-time monitoring of such data1 with transmission of such data each week to support compliance monitoring and enforcement2 7#c7 ensuring seafloor contact detection systems are compatible with existing electronic monitoring or observer programs implemented by the ,national ,marine ,fisheries ,service2 and 7#d7 establishing requirements for the retention1 submission1 and confidentiality of data collected under this section consistent with section #djb of the ,magnuson-,stevens ,fishery ,conservation and ,management ,act 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #ahha;a74 7e7 ,enforcement ,an applicable vessel that fails to comply with the regulations promulgated under this section shall be deemed to have violated the ,magnuson-,stevens ,fishery ,conservation and ,management ,act 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #ahja et seq47 and shall be subject to the penalties and sanctions1 including civil penalties1 permit sanctions1 or other enforcement actions1 provided under such ,act4 7f7 ,consultation ,in implementing this section1 the ,administrator and the ,north ,pacific ,fishery ,management ,council shall consult with affected subsistence1 commercial1 and recreational participants1 including harvesters1 processors1 communities1 and community development quota groups4 #c4 ,getting trawl nets off the seafloor to reduce unobserved fishing mortality and habitat impacts 7a7 ,in general 7#a7 ,gear performance standards ,the ,north ,pacific ,fishery ,management ,council shall establish a gear performance standard system for applicable vessels using nonpelagic trawl gear in fisheries managed under the ,bering ,sea and ,aleutian ,islands ,groundfish ,fishery ,management ,plan and ,gulf of ,alaska ,groundfish ,fishery ,management ,plan to manage gear impacts on benthic habitat and reduce unobserved mortality on important subsistence1 commercial1 or recreational species during fishing operations4 7#b7 ,applicable vessel ,in this section1 the term applicable vessel means a trawl catcher_/processor vessel that is not eligible to harvest pollock under section #bjh of the ,american ,fisheries ,act 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #ahea note74 7b7 ,performance review and standards ,not later than #a year after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,administrator shall-- 7#a7 deliver a report to the ,north ,pacific ,fishery ,management ,council that-- 7,a7 identifies1 using methods such as gear design standards1 model and field testing verification1 sensors1 or technology1 the current baseline of the effects of nonpelagic trawl gear on marine benthic habitat in areas managed under the ,bering ,sea and ,aleutian ,islands ,groundfish ,fishery ,management ,plan and ,gulf of ,alaska ,groundfish ,fishery ,management ,plan2 and 7,b7 describes nonpelagic trawl gear regulations for applicable vessels and analyzes the potential impacts to marine benthic habitat and bycatch from modifying nonpelagic trawl gear2 and 7#b7 establish a #a-year phase in period that requires each applicable vessel to be equipped with a modified footrope and modified trawl sweeps1 as applicable1 to reduce seafloor contact and maximize seafloor clearance relative to such baseline from applicable vessels using nonpelagic trawl gear4 7c7 ,independent review ,the ,administrator shall enter into an agreement with the ,national ,academies of ,sciences1 ,engineering1 and ,medicine to review the methodology1 data1 and findings used to identify the baseline under subsection 7b77#a77;,a74 ,the results of the review shall be made publicly available4 7d7 ,full compliance ,the ,administrator shall require full compliance with the requirements of this section not later than #b years after the date of enactment of this ,act4 7e7 ,enforcement ,an applicable vessel that fails to comply with the requirements of this section or regulations issued under this section shall be deemed to have violated the ,magnuson-,stevens ,fishery ,conservation and ,management ,act 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #ahja et seq47 and shall be subject to the penalties and sanctions1 including civil penalties1 permit sanctions1 or other enforcement actions1 provided under such ,act4 7f7 ,consultation ,in implementing this section1 the ,administrator and the ,north ,pacific ,fishery ,management ,council shall consult with affected subsistence1 commercial1 and recreational participants1 including harvesters1 processors1 communities1 and community development quota groups4 #d4 ,improving public transparency and increasing participation in the ,north ,pacific ,fishery management council process 7a7 ,regional fishery management councils ,section #cjb of the ,magnuson-,stevens ,fishery ,conservation and ,management ,act 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #aheb7 is amended-- 7#a7 in subsection 7e71 by striking paragraph 7#e7 and inserting the following3 7#e7 ,each ,council shall hold a recorded vote on all non-procedural matters before the ,council4 ,the official minutes and other appropriate records of any ,council meeting shall identify all roll call votes held1 the name of each voting member present during each roll call vote1 and how each member voted on each roll call vote4 2 7#b7 in subsection 7i77#b71 by adding at the end the following3 7,g7 ,each ,council shall make available on the internet website of the ,council-- 7i7 to the extent practicable1 a webcast1 an audio recording1 or a live broadcast of each meeting of the ,council1 and of the ,council coordination committee established under subsection 7l71 that is not closed in accordance with paragraph 7#c72 and 7ii7 audio1 video 7if the meeting was in person or by video conference71 or a searchable audio or written transcript of each meeting of the ,council and of the meetings of advisory bodies of the ,council1 by not later than #cj days after the conclusion of the meeting4 7,h7 ,the ,secretary shall maintain and make available to the public a permanent online archive of each webcast1 audio1 broadcast1 video1 and transcript made available under clauses 7i7 and 7ii7 of subparagraph 7,g74 2 7#c7 in subsection 7j7-- 7,a7 in paragraph 7#a71 by striking subparagraph 7,b7 and inserting the following3 7,b7 the term designated official means an attorney employed in the ,office of the ,general ,counsel of the ,national ,oceanic and ,atmospheric ,administration who-- 7i7 has expertise in ,federal conflict-of-interest requirements2 and 7ii7 is designated by the ,secretary1 in consultation with a ,council1 to attend the meetings of such ,council and make determinations under paragraph 7#g77;,b74 2 7,b7 in paragraph 7#b77;,c71 by inserting contractor1 after partner12 and 7,c7 in paragraph 7#e77;,b71 by striking on the ,internet and inserting on the internet website of ,national ,oceanic and ,atmospheric ,administration1 on the internet website of the applicable ,council14 7b7 ,north pacific fishery management council written public comment procedure ,not later than #ahj days after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,north ,pacific ,fishery ,management ,council shall update its ,public ,comment ,policy and provide a minimum comment period of #d weeks before the start of the ,council meeting4 7c7 ,national oceanic and atmospheric administration recusal review process 7#a7 ,in general ,not later than #a year after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,administrator shall conduct a comprehensive review of the financial interest and recusal procedures under section #cjb7;j7 of the ,magnuson-,stevens ,fishery ,conservation and ,management ,act 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #aheb7;j77 and the regulations promulgated to carry out such section1 including section #fjj4bce of title #ej1 ,code of ,federal ,regulations 7or successor regulations74 7#b7 ,compliance ,the review under paragraph 7#a7 shall evaluate whether there has been compliance with regulatory requirements promulgated to carry out section #cjb7;j7 of the ,magnuson-,stevens ,fishery ,conservation and ,management ,act 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #aheb7;j771 including timely submission of disclosures and the effectiveness and consistency of recusal determinations4 7#c7 ,identification of gaps and weaknesses ,the ,administrator shall include1 as part of the annual report to be submitted in #bjbg1 in accordance with section #cjb7;j77#i7 of the ,magnuson-,stevens ,fishery ,conservation and ,management ,act 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #aheb7;j77#i771 a section identifying any gaps or weaknesses in the current disclosure and recusal process and providing recommendations on defining or clarifying the recusal standards4 #e4 ,requiring salmon excluders in the ,north ,pacific 7a7 ,in general ,the ,north ,pacific ,fishery ,management ,council shall require all vessels using pelagic trawl gear in fisheries managed under the ,bering ,sea and ,aleutian ,islands ,groundfish ,fishery ,management ,plan and ,gulf of ,alaska ,groundfish ,fishery ,management ,plan 7referred to in this section as applicable vessels7 to be equipped with a salmon excluder device4 7b7 ,gear requirements ,not later than #a year after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,north ,pacific ,fishery ,management ,council shall require each applicable vessel to be equipped with a salmon excluder device that is operational and has been field tested1 scientifically reviewed1 and verified to reduce salmon bycatch effectively4 7c7 ,salmon excluder devices ,the ,administrator shall-- 7#a7 support field testing and scientific review of salmon excluder devices2 and 7#b7 implement an outreach strategy to ensure industry adoption4 7d7 ,technical assistance and guidance ,the ,administrator shall provide technical assistance and guidance to applicable vessel operators to facilitate installation and use of approved salmon excluder devices4 7e7 ,full compliance ,the ,administrator shall require full compliance with the requirements of this section not later than #a year after the date of enactment of this ,act4 7f7 ,enforcement ,an applicable vessel that fails to comply with the requirements of this section or regulations issued under this section shall be deemed to have violated the ,magnuson-,stevens ,fishery ,conservation and ,management ,act 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #ahja et seq47 and shall be subject to the penalties and sanctions1 including civil penalties1 permit sanctions1 or other enforcement actions1 provided under such ,act4 7g7 ,consultation ,in developing regulations to implement this section1 the ,administrator and the ,north ,pacific ,fishery ,management ,council shall consult with affected fishing industry participants1 including harvesters1 processors1 communities1 and community development quota groups4 #f4 ,prioritizing foundational investigations and ecosystem analyses to reduce bycatch and seafloor impacts 7a7 ,reconstitution of the alaska salmon research task force 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,administrator shall reconstitute the membership of the ,alaska ,salmon ,research ,task ,force1 as described in the ,alaska ,salmon ,research ,task ,force ,act 7,public ,law #aag-cbh2 #acf ,stat4 #ebga74 7#b7 ,bycatch reduction task force ,the reconstituted membership described in paragraph 7#a7 shall be referred to as the ,bycatch ,reduction ,task ,force4 7#c7 ,members ,the ,secretary of ,commerce shall appoint an additional #g representatives to the ,bycatch ,reduction ,task ,force as follows3 7,a7 #c members who are academic experts1 of which #a member shall be an expert in salmon ecology1 #a member shall be an expert in groundfish ecology1 and #a member shall be an expert in invertebrate ecology4 7,b7 #a member who is a resident of the ,bering ,sea or ,aleutian ,islands region and #a member who is a resident of the ,gulf of ,alaska region4 7,c7 #b members who are subject matter experts with trawl fishing gear technology and its operations4 7#d7 ,duties ,the ,bycatch ,reduction ,task ,force shall-- 7,a7 review all research conducted and reports published under this section2 and 7,b7 in consultation with the ,administrator1 provide priority recommendations for future work as described in subsection 7d77#b74 7#e7 ,inapplicability of federal advisory committee act ,chapter #aj of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code 7commonly known as the ,federal ,advisory ,committee ,act71 shall not apply to the ,bycatch ,reduction ,task ,force4 ,notwithstanding the inapplicability of chapter #aj of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code1 the ,administrator shall1 to the maximum extent practicable and consistent with protection of confidential and proprietary information1 make publicly available on an internet website-- 7,a7 the membership of the ,bycatch ,reduction ,task ,force2 7,b7 meeting dates and agendas of the ,bycatch ,reduction ,task ,force2 7,c7 non-proprietary materials provided to or produced by the ,bycatch ,reduction ,task ,force2 and 7,d7 a mechanism for the public to submit written statements for consideration by the ,bycatch ,reduction ,task ,force4 7b7 ,salmon life history research 7#a7 ,salmon tagging 7,a7 ,in general ,the ,administrator shall enter into public-private partnerships with ,state agencies1 nonprofit organizations1 institutions of higher education 7as defined in section #aja7;a7 of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajja7;a7771 ,indian ,tribes or ,tribal organizations 7as defined in section #d of the ,indian ,self-,determination and ,education ,assistance ,act 7#be ,u4,s4,c4 #ecjd771 and research institutions to research the marine life history of ,alaska origin salmon species in the ,bering ,sea1 ,aleutian ,islands1 and ,gulf of ,alaska4 7,b7 ,partnerships ,in entering into partnerships described in subparagraph 7,a71 the ,administrator-- 7i7 shall involve a diverse group of ,alaska salmon experts1 including ,alaska ,natives1 fishing industry representatives1 commercial fishermen1 and individuals who possess personal knowledge of1 and direct experience with1 subsistence uses in ,alaska2 and 7ii7 may include cooperative research efforts with privately owned commercial or charter fishing vessel owners4 7,c7 ,research 7i7 ,in general ,at a minimum1 the research required under subparagraph 7,a7 shall include satellite tagging or other intelligent tagging methodologies to better understand migration and distributions of ,alaska origin salmon during their marine life history in the ,bering ,sea1 ,aleutian ,islands1 or ,gulf of ,alaska4 7ii7 ,satellite tagging studies ,the satellite tagging or other intelligent tagging described in clause 7i7 shall aim to conduct-- 7,i7 genetic determination of stock-of-origin on all tagged salmon2 7,,ii7 an analysis of movement1 behavior1 and habitat use for different genetic stocks2 7,,iii7 systematic sampling across different ages1 sizes1 run timings1 and cohorts rather than opportunistic tagging2 and 7,,iv7 research on depth occupancy patterns1 vertical migration behavior1 and #c-;dimensional habitat associations4 7iii7 ,data stewardship and analyses 7,i7 ,in general ,the ,administrator shall ensure the results and analyses under this subsection are publicly accessible1 usable1 and directly applicable to better understanding ,alaska origin salmon migrations and distributions1 and to reduce bycatch in the ,bering ,sea1 ,aleutian ,islands1 and ,gulf of ,alaska4 7,,ii7 ,methods ,in carrying out all analyses under this subsection1 the ,administrator1 in consultation with the ,bycatch ,reduction ,task ,force and applicable public-private partnerships described under subparagraph 7,a71 shall use modern analytical methods that may include machine learning or artificial intelligence for predictive modeling1 to the extent practicable4 7,,iii7 ,public availability ,all-- 7aa7 methods and models used to carry out this subsection shall be publicly available and accessible for use in peer-reviewed venues or technical reports and shall include all algorithms and analytical code2 and 7bb7 developed or produced tools1 guides1 visualizations1 or decision-support products used to carry out this subsection shall be made publicly available and usable4 7,,iv7 ,open standards ,all satellite tagging data collected under this subsection shall abide by open data standards and be deposited in publicly accessible repositories 7such as the ,ocean ,tracking ,network or the ,animal ,telemetry ,network7 using standardized formats4 7,d7 ,inapplicability of federal advisory committee act ,chapter #aj of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code 7commonly known as the ,federal ,advisory ,committee ,act71 shall not apply to the partnerships described in subparagraph 7,a74 7#b7 ,genetic sampling grant program ,the ,administrator shall conduct a competitive grant program to support improving the turnaround time of genetic analyses of biological samples collected at-sea or shoreside to provide real-time or near-real-time1 in-season genetic stock identification1 and age composition estimates of ,alaska origin salmon caught incidentally in commercial fisheries conducted in the exclusive economic zone 7as defined in section #c of the ,magnuson-,stevens ,fishery ,conservation and ,management ,act 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #ahjb7 off ,alaska74 7#c7 ,reporting ,not later than #c years after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,administrator shall publish a report-- 7,a7 on the findings of the salmon tagging research conducted under paragraph 7#a7 and the findings of the genetic analyses grant program conducted under paragraph 7#b7 that details how the salmon tagging research and genetic analyses can better inform ,alaska origin salmon stock status and distributions2 and 7,b7 that includes potential uses of artificial intelligence or machine learning technology to perform predictive modeling to inform potential ,alaska salmon bycatch avoidance areas4 7c7 ,ecosystem analyses 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,administrator shall conduct-- 7,a7 research1 through studies and models that incorporate existing data1 literature1 and ongoing research1 including relevant international data and research from comparable marine ecosystems1 of how contact from nonpelagic trawl and pelagic trawl gear impact shallow shelves or other marine benthic habitats in the ,bering ,sea1 ,aleutian ,islands1 and ,gulf of ,alaska2 7,b7 a review of existing data1 literature1 and ongoing research efforts on fluctuations in ,bering ,sea1 ,aleutian ,islands1 and ,gulf of ,alaska marine ecosystems that may affect the survivability or energetic condition of commercially or culturally important wild marine and anadromous species1 including examining-- 7i7 harmful algal blooms2 7ii7 marine heatwaves2 7iii7 in-river temperatures2 7iv7 sea ice extent and thickness2 7v7 ocean acidification2 7vi7 diseases2 7vii7 nutrient or prey availability2 7viii7 density dependence2 7ix7 shifting stock distributions2 7x7 carrying capacity2 7xi7 impacts from hatchery released species1 with particular attention to foreign hatchery releases2 and 7xii7 predator-prey interactions2 and 7,c7 new research1 using the review of data1 literature1 and ongoing research efforts under subparagraph 7,b71 to prioritize data collection that support conservation of commercially or culturally important wild marine and anadromous species4 7#b7 ,diverse group involvement ,in conducting research under paragraph 7#a71 the ,administrator shall-- 7,a7 enter into public-private partnerships with relevant entities1 such as ,state agencies1 nonprofit organizations1 institutions of higher education 7as defined in section #aja7;a7 of the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajja7;a7771 and ,indian ,tribes or ,tribal organizations 7as defined in section #d of the ,indian ,self-,determination and ,education ,assistance ,act 7#be ,u4,s4,c4 #ecjd772 and 7,b7 involve a diverse group of experts in commercially or culturally important wild marine and anadromous species1 including ,alaska ,natives1 fishing industry representatives1 commercial fishermen1 and individuals who possess personal knowledge of1 and direct experience with1 subsistence uses in ,alaska4 7#c7 ,data stewardship and analyses 7,a7 ,in general ,the ,administrator shall ensure the results and literature review analyses under this subsection are publicly accessible1 usable1 and directly applicable to the research conducted under this subsection4 7,b7 ,methods ,in carrying out all analyses under this subsection1 the ,administrator1 in consultation with the ,bycatch ,reduction ,task ,force and applicable public-private partnerships described under subparagraph 7#b7 shall use modern analytical methods that may include machine learning or artificial intelligence for predictive modeling1 to the extent practicable4 7,c7 ,public availability ,all-- 7i7 methods and models used to carry out this subsection shall be publicly available and accessible for use in peer-reviewed venues or technical reports and shall include all algorithms and analytical code2 and 7ii7 developed or produced tools1 guides1 visualizations1 or decision-support products used to carry out this subsection shall be made publicly available and usable4 7,d7 ,open standards ,all newly produced ecosystem data collected under this subsection shall abide by open data standards and be deposited in publicly accessible repositories using standardized formats4 7#d7 ,juvenile recruitment of species ,as part of the essential fish habitat 7,,efh7 review1 the ,north ,pacific ,fishery ,management ,council shall analyze areas closed to #a or more commercial fishing gear types that overlap with habitats that support juvenile recruitment of important commercial1 subsistence1 or recreational species4 ,the review shall include an evaluation of the potential benefits associated with such closures1 and whether these habitat closure areas should be expanded to other commercial fishing gear types4 7d7 ,reports 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,administrator shall publish interim annual reports and a final report 7not later than #c years after the date of enactment of this ,act7-- 7,a7 on findings and results of the research and literature review analyses conducted under subsection 7c77#a7 and the status of milestones reached for all research initiatives under this section2 7,b7 on the results from the salmon tagging and genetic sampling research under subsection 7b71 including modeled ,alaska origin salmon migration routes and potential applications to inform how best to minimize ,alaska salmon bycatch2 and 7,c7 that includes results from the ecosystem analyses under subsection 7c74 7#b7 ,recommendations2 findings ,the reports described under paragraph 7#a7 shall include-- 7,a7 descriptions of explicit mechanisms to connect research outputs to management processes through research products that document specific examples of how research findings are being incorporated into management decisions1 fishery regulations1 or industry practices2 7,b7 recommendations to the ,north ,pacific ,fishery ,management ,council on creating feedback loops that ensure collaboration through establishing regular workshops or working groups that bring together researchers1 managers1 industry representatives1 and fishermen to coordinate research efforts and share findings related to bycatch reduction2 7,c7 recommendations for applying the results from the ecosystem analyses review to model potential impacts on commercially or culturally important wild marine and anadromous species in the ,bering ,sea1 ,aleutian ,islands1 and ,gulf of ,alaska to support informed management actions2 and 7,d7 other findings and recommendations for future work under this section4 #g4 ,prohibiting unsustainable foreign seafood imports 7a7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,beneficial owner ,the term beneficial owner means1 with respect to a vessel1 a person that directly or indirectly1 through any contract1 arrangement1 understanding1 relationship1 or otherwise-- 7,a7 exercises substantial control over the vessel2 or 7,b7 owns not less than #ej percent of the ownership interests of the vessel4 7#b7 ,foreign vessel ,the term foreign vessel has the meaning given the term in section #aaj of title #df1 ,united ,states ,code4 7#c7 ,seafood ,the term seafood means fish1 shellfish1 or other aquatic animal life intended for human consumption1 whether fresh1 frozen1 canned1 smoked1 prepared1 or otherwise processed4 7b7 ,prohibition ,it is prohibited for any person in the ,united ,states to enter into or facilitate1 directly or indirectly1 any transaction related to the importation1 procurement1 or selling of seafood from a foreign vessel or beneficial owner of a foreign vessel unless the ,secretary of ,commerce determines that the fishery from which the seafood originates harvests fish in a way that is comparable to the national standards for fishery conservation and management under the ,magnuson-,stevens ,fishery ,conservation and ,management ,act 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #ahja et seq474 7c7 ,seizure ,any seafood in the possession of a person that violates the prohibition described in subsection 7b7 shall be seized by the ,secretary of ,commerce4 7d7 ,disposal of seafood ,the ,secretary of ,commerce shall determine how to dispose of any seafood seized under subsection 7c74 #h4 ,building infrastructure to support cleaner fishing gear and innovative technology 7a7 ,in general ,the ,administrator shall enter into a public-private partnership to build a flume tank for the ,national ,oceanic and ,atmospheric ,administration1 the fishing industry1 and other researchers to test technology and improved fishing gear aimed at reducing bycatch and contact with ,bering ,sea1 ,aleutian ,islands1 and ,gulf of ,alaska marine benthic habitats4 7b7 ,flume tank assistance fund ,the ,administrator shall establish a ,flume ,tank ,assistance ,fund to provide grants or other financial assistance to support entities that wish to test their innovative technology1 including approaches that support prototype development and associated devices1 instruments1 sensors1 or fishing gear designs aimed at reducing bycatch in fisheries and contact with ,bering ,sea1 ,aleutian ,islands1 and ,gulf of ,alaska marine benthic habitat from mobile or fixed fishing gear1 including workforce and training programs on such technology or gear4 #i4 ,modernizing fisheries monitoring and improving observer program transparency 7a7 ,electronic monitoring and reporting ,the ,administrator shall-- 7#a7 create a timeline and process for reviewing and approving exempted fishing permits in ,federally managed ,north ,pacific fisheries to support innovative fishing gear types and technology for reducing bycatch1 unobserved fishing mortality1 and reducing marine habitat disturbances1 including streamlining exempted fishing permits for fishermen and owners and operators of commercial fishing vessels who purchase or modify fishing gear1 equipment1 or technology with financial assistance provided under the ,bycatch ,mitigation and ,habitat ,protection ,assistance ,fund1 established under section #cbb of the ,magnuson-,stevens ,fishery ,conservation and ,management ,act1 if approving such permits does not interfere with fishery conservation objectives2 7#b7 streamline the approval process for experimental or exempted fishing permits used in ,federally managed ,north ,pacific fisheries for electronic monitoring pilot projects1 including owners and operators of commercial fishing vessels who purchase or utilize low-cost commercially available electronic monitoring solutions1 if approving such permits does not interfere with fishery conservation objectives2 7#c7 facilitate cooperative research programs and regional pilot frameworks2 7#d7 conduct a public stakeholder consultation process not less often than once every #c years1 which shall include public notice1 listening sessions1 a written comment period of not less than #fj days1 and solicit input from stakeholders1 including service providers1 regional fishery management councils1 fishery industry participants1 and data scientists1 on-- 7,a7 revisions to electronic monitoring and electronic reporting technical standards or operational guidance2 7,b7 improvements to cost-effectiveness or usability2 and 7,c7 barriers to electronic monitoring adoption1 particularly among small-scale fleets2 and 7#e7 provide a data integration strategy that-- 7,a7 incorporates electronic monitoring data directly into regional science center workflows and stock assessment models2 7,b7 reduces latency between data collection and management application2 and 7,c7 supports the development of interoperable databases that facilitate real-time or near-real-time analysis and decision-making4 7b7 ,transparency ,the ,administrator shall-- 7#a7 require the regional offices of the ,national ,marine ,fisheries ,service to publish1 online and in layman's terms1 up-to-date observer coverage category requirements for ,federal trawl fisheries specifying the ,federal fishery under their jurisdiction1 including prohibited species catch 7bycatch7 for each observer program category2 and 7#b7 ensure that the ,national ,marine ,fisheries ,service develops and disseminates1 in print and for online distribution1 public communications materials that clearly explain bycatch in ,federal fisheries under its jurisdiction1 using accessible1 layman's terminology and graphics4 7c7 ,reporting 7#a7 ,in general ,not later than #c years after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,administrator shall publish a report on how the ,national ,oceanic and ,atmospheric ,administration and ,regional ,fishery ,management ,councils can improve and integrate the use of observer and electronic monitoring data to better inform spatio-temporal fishing activity and impacts to harvested and incidentally harvested populations1 while ensuring the protection of confidential information4 7#b7 ,report to congress ,the ,administrator shall submit a report to ,congress and publish the report on the ,national ,oceanic and ,atmospheric ,administration's website that includes the data integration strategy for increasing data review efficiency and uniformity described in subsection 7a77#e74 ,the report shall include a summary of the feedback received during public stakeholder consultation described in subsection 7a77#d74 7#c7 ,recommendations ,the reports required under paragraphs 7#a7 and 7#b7 shall include recommendations-- 7,a7 for the use of any technologies identified as effective for sharing real-time1 or near-real-time1 catch information to identify bycatch hotspots and bycatch avoidance areas2 and 7,b7 to minimize bycatch and unobserved fishing mortality of commercially or culturally important wild marine and anadromous species in the ,bering ,sea1 ,aleutian ,islands1 and ,gulf of ,alaska1 such as ,pacific halibut1 ,alaska crab species1 and ,alaska-origin salmon4 #aj4 ,investing in cleaner fishing gear and healthy seafloor habitats 7a7 ,reauthorization of the ,,noaa national marine fisheries service bycatch reduction engineering program ,section #caf of the ,magnuson-,stevens ,fishery ,conservation and ,management ,act 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #ahfe7 is amended-- 7#a7 by redesignating subsections 7a71 7b71 7c71 and 7d71 as subsections 7b71 7c71 7d71 and 7e71 respectively2 7#b7 by inserting before subsection 7b71 as so redesignated1 the following3 7a7 ,purpose ,the purpose of the bycatch reduction program established under subsection 7b7 is to develop technological devices and other conservation engineering changes to improve fishing practices and minimize bycatch1 seabird interactions1 bycatch mortality1 unobserved fishing mortality1 and post-release mortality in ,federally managed fisheries4 2 and 7#c7 by adding at the end the following3 7f7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there is authorized to be appropriated to the ,secretary to carry out this section #aj1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years #bjbg through #bjca4 4 7b7 ,bycatch mitigation and habitat protection assistance fund ,title ,,iii of the ,magnuson-,stevens ,fishery ,conservation and ,management ,act 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #ahea et seq47 is amended by adding at the end the following3 #cbb4 ,bycatch mitigation and habitat protection assistance fund 7a7 ,in general ,there is established in the general fund of the ,treasury of the ,united ,states an account to be known as the ,bycatch ,mitigation and ,habitat ,protection ,assistance ,fund1 which shall-- 7#a7 be administered by the ,foundation2 and 7#b7 consist of donations of amounts accepted pursuant to subsection 7c74 7b7 ,use ,the ,foundation shall use the amounts in the ,fund to reduce or mitigate bycatch1 and reduce marine benthic habitat contact from mobile or fixed fishing gear1 including by providing financial assistance to fishing industry organizations1 associations1 fishermen and owners and operators of commercial fishing vessels to purchase or modify fishing gear1 equipment1 and technology1 including innovative technology1 prototypes1 instruments1 or sensors4 7c7 ,donations ,the ,foundation may solicit and accept donations of amounts for deposit into the ,fund4 7d7 ,consultation ,in administering the ,fund1 the ,foundation shall consult with the ,secretary1 acting through the ,administrator of the ,national ,oceanic and ,atmospheric ,administration1 each ,council1 and each of the regional offices and science centers of the ,national ,marine ,fisheries ,service to ensure that1 to the maximum extent practicable1 amounts in the ,fund are used in an efficient and cost-effective manner4 7e7 ,report ,not later than #c years after the date of enactment of this section1 and biennially thereafter1 the ,foundation shall publish and post online in a manner available to the public information regarding the use of the ,fund during-- 7#a7 with respect to the first publication of information1 the preceding #c years2 and 7#b7 with respect to each subsequent publication of information1 the preceding #b years4 7f7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,foundation ,the term ,foundation means the ,national ,fish and ,wildlife ,foundation4 7#b7 ,fund ,the term ,fund means the ,bycatch ,mitigation and ,habitat ,protection ,assistance ,fund established under subsection 7a74 4