article: SECTION 1. VESSEL SIZE LIMITS FOR FISHERY ENDORSEMENTS. (a) Length, Tonnage, and Horsepower.--Section 12113(d)(2) of title 46, United States Code, is amended-- (1) in subparagraph (A)-- (A) in clause (i), by adding ``and'' at the end; (B) in clause (ii) by striking ``and'' at the end; and (C) by striking clause (iii); (2) in subparagraph (B), by striking the period at the end and inserting ``; or''; and (3) by adding at the end the following: ``(C) the vessel is either a rebuilt vessel or a replacement vessel under section 208(g) of the American Fisheries Act (title II of division C of Public Law 105-277; 112 Stat. 2681-627) and is eligible for a fishery endorsement under this section.''. (b) Conforming Amendments.-- (1) Vessel rebuilding and replacement.--Subsection (g) of section 208 of the American Fisheries Act (title II of division C of Public Law 105-277; 112 Stat. 2681-627) is amended to read as follows: ``(g) Vessel Rebuilding and Replacement.-- ``(1) In general.-- ``(A) Rebuild or replace.--Notwithstanding any limitation to the contrary on replacing, rebuilding, or lengthening vessels or transferring permits or licenses to a replacement vessel contained in sections 679.2 and 679.4 of title 50, Code of Federal Regulations, as in effect on the date of enactment of this subsection and except as provided in paragraph (4), the owner of a vessel eligible under subsection (a), (b), (c), (d), or (e) (other than paragraph (21)), in order to improve vessel safety and operational efficiencies (including fuel efficiency), may rebuild or replace that vessel (including fuel efficiency) with a vessel documented with a fishery endorsement under section 12113 of title 46, United States Code. ``(B) Same requirements.--The rebuilt or replacement vessel shall be eligible in the same manner and subject to the same restrictions and limitations under such subsection as the vessel being rebuilt or replaced. ``(C) Transfer of permits and licenses.--Each fishing permit and license held by the owner of a vessel or vessels to be rebuilt or replaced under subparagraph (A) shall be transferred to the rebuilt or replacement vessel. ``(2) Recommendations of north pacific council.--The North Pacific Council may recommend for approval by the Secretary such conservation and management measures, including size limits and measures to control fishing capacity, in accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens Act as it considers necessary to ensure that this subsection does not diminish the effectiveness of fishery management plans of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area or the Gulf of Alaska. ``(3) Special rule for replacement of certain vessels.-- ``(A) In general.--Notwithstanding the requirements of subsections (b)(2), (c)(1), and (c)(2) of section 12113 of title 46, United States Code, a vessel that is eligible under subsection (a), (b), (c), (d), or (e) (other than paragraph (21)) and that qualifies to be documented with a fishery endorsement pursuant to section 203(g) or 213(g) may be replaced with a replacement vessel under paragraph (1) if the vessel that is replaced is validly documented with a fishery endorsement pursuant to section 203(g) or 213(g) before the replacement vessel is documented with a fishery endorsement under section 12113 of title 46, United States Code. ``(B) Applicability.--A replacement vessel under subparagraph (A) and its owner and mortgagee are subject to the same limitations under section 203(g) or 213(g) that are applicable to the vessel that has been replaced and its owner and mortgagee. ``(4) Special rules for certain catcher vessels.-- ``(A) In general.--A replacement for a covered vessel described in subparagraph (B) is prohibited from harvesting fish in any fishery (except for the Pacific whiting fishery) managed under the authority of any regional fishery management council (other than the North Pacific Council) established under section 302(a) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act. ``(B) Covered vessels.--A covered vessel referred to in subparagraph (A) is-- ``(i) a vessel eligible under subsection (a), (b), or (c) that is replaced under paragraph (1); or ``(ii) a vessel eligible under subsection (a), (b), or (c) that is rebuilt to increase its registered length, gross tonnage, or shaft horsepower. ``(5) Limitation on fishery endorsements.--Any vessel that is replaced under this subsection shall thereafter not be eligible for a fishery endorsement under section 12113 of title 46, United States Code, unless that vessel is also a replacement vessel described in paragraph (1). ``(6) Gulf of alaska limitation.--Notwithstanding paragraph (1), the Secretary shall prohibit from participation in the groundfish fisheries of the Gulf of Alaska any vessel that is rebuilt or replaced under this subsection and that exceeds the maximum length overall specified on the license that authorizes fishing for groundfish pursuant to the license limitation program under part 679 of title 50, Code of Federal Regulations, as in effect on the date of enactment of this subsection. ``(7) Authority of pacific council.--Nothing in this section shall be construed to diminish or otherwise affect the authority of the Pacific Council to recommend to the Secretary conservation and management measures to protect fisheries under its jurisdiction (including the Pacific whiting fishery) and participants in such fisheries from adverse impacts caused by this Act.''. (2) Exemption of certain vessels.--Section 203(g) of the American Fisheries Act (title II of division C of Public Law 105-277; 112 Stat. 2681-620) is amended-- (A) by inserting ``and'' after ``(United States official number 651041)''; (B) by striking ``, NORTHERN TRAVELER (United States official number 635986), and NORTHERN VOYAGER (United States official number 637398) (or a replacement vessel for the NORTHERN VOYAGER that complies with paragraphs (2), (5), and (6) of section 208(g) of this Act)''; and (C) by striking ``, in the case of the NORTHERN'' and all that follows through ``PHOENIX,''. (3) Fishery cooperative exit provisions.--Section 210(b) of the American Fisheries Act (title II of division C of Public Law 105-277; 112 Stat. 2681-629) is amended-- (A) by moving the matter beginning with ``the Secretary shall'' in paragraph (1) 2 ems to the right; and (B) by adding at the end the following: ``(7) Fishery cooperative exit provisions.-- ``(A) Fishing allowance determination.--For purposes of determining the aggregate percentage of directed fishing allowances under paragraph (1), when a catcher vessel is removed from the directed pollock fishery, the fishery allowance for pollock for the vessel being removed-- ``(i) shall be based on the catch history determination for the vessel made pursuant to section 679.62 of title 50, Code of Federal Regulations, as in effect on the date of enactment of this paragraph; and ``(ii) shall be assigned, for all purposes under this title, in the manner specified by the owner of the vessel being removed to any other catcher vessel or among other catcher vessels participating in the fishery cooperative if such vessel or vessels remain in the fishery cooperative for at least one year after the date on which the vessel being removed leaves the directed pollock fishery. ``(B) Eligibility for fishery endorsement.--Except as provided in subparagraph (C), a vessel that is removed pursuant to this paragraph shall be permanently ineligible for a fishery endorsement, and any claim (including relating to catch history) associated with such vessel that could qualify any owner of such vessel for any permit to participate in any fishery within the exclusive economic zone of the United States shall be extinguished, unless such removed vessel is thereafter designated to replace a vessel to be removed pursuant to this paragraph. ``(C) Limitations on statutory construction.-- Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed-- ``(i) to make the vessels AJ (United States official number 905625), DONA MARTITA (United States official number 651751), NORDIC EXPLORER (United States official number 678234), and PROVIDIAN (United States official number 1062183) ineligible for a fishery endorsement or any permit necessary to participate in any fishery under the authority of the New England Fishery Management Council or the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council established, respectively, under subparagraphs (A) and (B) of section 302(a)(1) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act; or ``(ii) to allow the vessels referred to in clause (i) to participate in any fishery under the authority of the Councils referred to in clause (i) in any manner that is not consistent with the fishery management plan for the fishery developed by the Councils under section 303 of the Magnuson-Stevens Act.''.
summary: Revises provisions concerning fishery endorsements for specified vessels that are either over 165 feet, more than 750 or 1,900 gross measured tons, or with more than 3,000 shaft power and that have a certificate of documentation issued for a fishery endorsement effective after September 25, 1997, and not placed under foreign registry after October 21, 1998, to also require for eligibility purposes that the vessel be either a rebuilt or replacement vessel under specified provisions of the American Fisheries Act relating to requirements for rebuilding and replacing vessels that are being revised by this Act and be otherwise eligible. Sets forth rules under such provisions of the American Fisheries Act relating to requirements for rebuilding and replacing vessels that are being revised by this Act concerning: (1) recommendations of the North Pacific Council for the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area or the Gulf of Alaska; (2) certain catcher vessels; (3) limitations on fishery endorsements; and (4) Gulf of Alaska groundfish fisheries limitations. Amends the American Fisheries Act with respect to: (1) the exemption of specified vessels; and (2) fishery allowances and the removal of a catcher vessel from the directed pollock fishery.