Climate-Ready Fisheries Act of 2019

IB Union Calendar No. 527 116TH CONGRESS 2D SESSION H. R. 4679 [Report No. 116–642] To require the Comptroller General of the United States to submit to Con- gress 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 Com- mittee on Natural Resources DECEMBER 14, 2020 Additional sponsors: Mr. GAETZ, Ms. KUSTER of New Hampshire, Mr. MALINOWSKI, Ms. OCASIO-CORTEZ, Mr. CASE, Mr. CICILLINE, Mr. TED LIEU of California, Mr. LANGEVIN, Mr. KIM, Mr. COOPER, Ms. LOF- GREN, Mr. KEATING, Mr. DEFAZIO, Mr. THOMPSON of California, Mr. FITZPATRICK, Ms. BROWNLEY of California, Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ, Ms. MUCARSEL-POWELL, Mr. AGUILAR, Mr. HASTINGS, Mr. GOLDEN, Ms. WILD, Mr. RUTHERFORD, and Mrs. NAPOLITANO DECEMBER 14, 2020 Reported from the Committee on Natural Resources; committed to the Com- mittee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed VerDate Sep 11 2014 20:39 Dec 15, 2020 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6652 E:\BILLS\H4679.RH H4679 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 4679 RH 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. VerDate Sep 11 2014 20:39 Dec 15, 2020 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6652 E:\BILLS\H4679.RH H4679 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 4679 RH Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Climate-Ready Fish- 4 eries Act of 2019’’. 5 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 6 Congress finds the following: 7 (1) According to the Fourth National Climate 8 Assessment, climate change, which results in ocean 9 warming, acidification, and oxygen loss, is rapidly al- 10 tering the abundance, productivity, and distribution 11 of fish stocks. 12 (2) United States commercial and recreational 13 fisheries generate approximately $210 billion in sales 14 impacts each year and are a critical economic driver 15 for thousands of coastal communities. 16 (3) Changing water temperatures have already 17 affected many commercially and recreationally tar- 18 geted fish stocks. 19 (4) Changing conditions and effects on fish 20 stocks are impacting subsistence fishing, which is 21 critical to food security and culture for Alaska Na- 22 tive and American Indian tribes, and fishing commu- 23 nities throughout the Nation, according to the 24 Fourth National Climate Assessment. 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 20:39 Dec 15, 2020 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H4679.RH H4679 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 4 •HR 4679 RH (5) The impacts of climate change on fish are 1 resulting in a cascade of management and sustain- 2 ability challenges, which negatively affect marine 3 ecosystems, fishermen, and fishing communities. 4 (6) A better understanding of current efforts 5 underway by the Regional Fishery Management 6 Councils, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Com- 7 mission, and the National Marine Fisheries Service 8 to address the impact of climate change on fishery 9 management is needed to ensure our fisheries and 10 their marine ecosystems are well prepared for chang- 11 ing ocean conditions. 12 SEC. 3. REPORT ON EFFORTS TO PREPARE AND ADAPT 13 UNITED STATES FISHERY MANAGEMENT FOR 14 THE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE. 15 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after the 16 date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General 17 of the United States shall submit a report to Congress 18 examining efforts by the Regional Fishery Management 19 Councils, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commis- 20 sion, and the National Marine Fisheries Service to prepare 21 and adapt to the impacts of climate change. 22 (b) CONTENTS OF STUDY.—The report required 23 under subsection (a) shall include— 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 20:39 Dec 15, 2020 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H4679.RH H4679 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 5 •HR 4679 RH (1) an examination of current or previous ef- 1 forts, and whether those efforts have resulted in 2 changes to management, by the Regional Fishery 3 Management Councils, the Atlantic States Marine 4 Fisheries Commission, and the National Marine 5 Fisheries Service to prepare and adapt Federal and 6 jointly managed fisheries for the impacts of climate 7 change; 8 (2) an examination of any guidance issued to 9 the Regional Fishery Management Councils by the 10 National Marine Fisheries Service to prepare and 11 adapt Federal fishery management for the impacts 12 of climate change and whether and how that guid- 13 ance has been utilized; 14 (3) identification of and recommendations for 15 how best to address the most significant economic, 16 social, ecological, or other knowledge gaps, as well as 17 key funding gaps, that would increase the ability of 18 the Regional Fishery Management Councils, the At- 19 lantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, or the 20 National Marine Fisheries Service to prepare and 21 adapt fishery management for the impacts of climate 22 change; 23 (4) recommendations for how the Regional 24 Fishery Management Councils, the Atlantic States 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 20:39 Dec 15, 2020 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H4679.RH H4679 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 6 •HR 4679 RH Marine Fisheries Commission, and the National Ma- 1 rine Fisheries Service can better adapt fishery man- 2 agement and prepare associated fishing industries 3 and dependent communities for the impacts of cli- 4 mate change; and 5 (5) recommendations for how to enhance the 6 capacity of the National Marine Fisheries Service to 7 monitor climate-related changes to fisheries and ma- 8 rine ecosystems, to understand the mechanisms of 9 change, to evaluate risks and priorities, to provide 10 forecasts and projections of future conditions, to 11 communicate scientific advice, and to better manage 12 fisheries under changing conditions due to climate 13 change. 14 VerDate Sep 11 2014 20:39 Dec 15, 2020 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H4679.RH H4679 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS VerDate Sep 11 2014 20:39 Dec 15, 2020 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H4679.RH H4679 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS Union Calendar No. 527 116TH CONGRESS 2D SESSION H. R. 4679 [Report No. 116–642] 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 fish- ery management for the impacts of climate change, and for other purposes. DECEMBER 14, 2020 Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed VerDate Sep 11 2014 20:39 Dec 15, 2020 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00008 Fmt 6651 Sfmt 6651 E:\BILLS\H4679.RH H4679 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS