[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7042 Introduced in House (IH)]
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117th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 7042
To provide assistance to American fisheries participants to comply with
Federal regulations to protect the endangered North Atlantic right
whale by reducing the risk of incidental entanglement in fishing gear.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 9, 2022
Mr. Pappas (for himself, Mr. Golden, and Ms. Pingree) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural
Resources
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To provide assistance to American fisheries participants to comply with
Federal regulations to protect the endangered North Atlantic right
whale by reducing the risk of incidental entanglement in fishing gear.
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 ``Stewarding Atlantic Fisheries
Ecosystems by Supporting Economic Assistance and Sustainability Act of
2022'' or the ``SAFE SEAS Act of 2022''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) The North Atlantic right whale is critically
endangered, with estimates suggesting fewer than 350 remain,
including fewer than 100 breeding females.
(2) Harvesters in the North Atlantic have taken previous
actions to protect whales, including by implementing weak
links, replacing thousands of miles of floating ground line
with whale-safe sinking line, and increasing the minimum number
of traps per trawl to remove thousands of miles of vertical
buoy lines.
(3) Seventeen North Atlantic right whale mortalities were
observed in 2017, including many determined to have been caused
by vessel strikes and entanglements, leading to a declaration
of a right whale Unusual Mortality Event.
(4) The Department of Commerce has issued regulations
revising the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan under
section 229.32 of title 50, Code of Federal Regulations (as in
effect on the day before the date of enactment of this Act)
that require lobster and Jonah crab harvesters to make gear
modifications.
(5) Implementing the federally required gear modifications,
including markings, is estimated to cost the industry tens of
millions of dollars per year.
(6) The fishing industry is a vital driver of regional
economies, supporting our coastal communities and stewarding
natural resources.
SEC. 3. GRANT ASSISTANCE FOR LOBSTER AND JONAH CRAB HARVESTER GEAR
MODIFICATION.
(a) Purposes.--The purposes of this section are to--
(1) protect the highly endangered North Atlantic right
whale population;
(2) facilitate lobster and Jonah crab harvesters'
transition to modified and new gear types in accordance with
the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan;
(3) assist lobster and Jonah crab harvesters with the
financial burden of this transition; and
(4) assist compliance with any subsequent modifications to
the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan in any future
impacted fisheries.
(b) Program Authorized.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary of Commerce (referred to in
this section as the ``Secretary''), in coordination with the
Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, shall provide
grants to States from allotments under paragraph (2) to enable
the States to assist lobster and Jonah crab harvesters with the
costs of gear modifications, including markings, in accordance
with the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan.
(2) Allotments.--
(A) In general.--Except as provided in subparagraph
(B), funds made available for any fiscal year to carry
out this section shall be allotted to each State in
proportion to the number of active federally permitted
lobster trap harvesters in each State. For purposes of
this subparagraph, a federally permitted lobster trap
harvester is considered in a State if the Principal
Port in the Federal permit application of the lobster
trap harvester is in such State.
(B) Minimum.--From the total amount available for
any fiscal year to carry out this section, each State
with not less than 20 active federally permitted
lobster trap harvesters shall be allotted not less than
4 percent of such the total amount.
(3) Application.--A State that desires to receive a grant
under this section shall submit an application to the Secretary
at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by such
information as the Secretary may require.
(4) Allowable uses.--A State that receives a grant under
this section shall use the grant funds--
(A) to assist State-permitted and federally
permitted lobster and Jonah crab harvesters with
management measures needed to comply with the Atlantic
Large Whale Take Reduction Plan, including the costs of
federally required gear modification, configuration,
and marking within the Northeast lobster and Jonah crab
fisheries, including requirements to modify gear
marking, change gear configurations to increase traps
fished on trawls, or modify buoy lines to accommodate
new weak rope and weak insertions;
(B) to implement electronic tracking requirements
within the American lobster and Jonah crab fishery;
(C) to conduct research to inform future management
actions, including in preparation for potential
subsequent modifications to the Atlantic Large Whale
Take Reduction Plan; and
(D) to assist fishery compliance with any
subsequent modifications to the Atlantic Large Whale
Take Reduction Plan, as necessary.
(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2022
and such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 2023 and
2024.
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