§1863 Northwest Atlantic Ocean Fisheries Reinvestment Program

Summary

The Secretary must set up a Northwest Atlantic Ocean Fisheries Reinvestment Program by October 1, 1993. The program must help build markets and new fishing chances for underused northwest Atlantic fish, give technical help to U.S. fishermen and processors to make those fisheries profitable, find ways to use fish waste for jobs, and help restore overfished New England groundfish with aquaculture or hatcheries. The Secretary must talk with commercial fishers, seafood processors, and academics (including the National Sea Grant Program). The Secretary can award contracts, grants, and other help to U.S. citizens, and must give top priority to someone who owns or operates a New England groundfish-permitted vessel and agrees to surrender that permit while they get the aid. Up to $5,000,000 is authorized for each fiscal year 1993 through 1999. For fiscal year 1993 no more than $1,000,000, and for fiscal year 1994 no more than $2,000,000, of those funds may come from money available under section 713c–3(b) of title 15. The Secretary must seek help from other Federal agencies, including the Secretary of Agriculture, to include these fish in Foreign Agricultural Service programs under the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (Public Law 101–624; 104 Stat. 3359). The New England Fishery Management Council must quickly make management plans for any underused northwest Atlantic species not already covered to prevent overfishing. "Underutilized species of the northwest Atlantic Ocean" means any fish the Director of the Northeast Fisheries Center of the National Marine Fisheries Service identifies as underutilized.