States as provided in section 310 of the Magnuson Act (16 (B) DISPOSAL OF FISH.-Any fish seized pursuant to this Act may be disposed of pursuant to the order of a court of competent jurisdiction, or, if perishable, in a manner prescribed in regulations. (d) ENFORCEMENT.-A person authorized by the Secretaries or the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating may take any action to enforce a moratorium declared under subsection (a) that an officer authorized by the Secretary under section 311(b) of the Magnuson Act (16 U.Š.C. 1861(b)) may take to enforce that Act (16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.). The Secretaries may, by agreement, on a reimbursable basis or otherwise, utilize the personnel, services, equipment (including aircraft and vessels), and facilities of any other Federal department or agency and of any agency of a State in carrying out that enforcement. (e) REGULATIONS.-The Secretaries may issue regulations to implement this section. SEC. 6. CONTINUING STUDIES OF STRIPED BASS POPULATIONS. (a) IN GENERAL.-For the purposes of carrying out this Act, the Secretaries shall conduct continuing, comprehensive studies of Atlantic striped bass stocks. These studies shall include, but shall not be limited to, the following: (1) Annual stock assessments, using fishery-dependent and fishery-independent data, for the purposes of extending the long-term population record generated by the annual striped bass study conducted by the Secretaries before 1994 and understanding the population dynamics of Atlantic striped bass. (2) Investigations of the causes of fluctuations in Atlantic striped bass populations. (3) Investigations of the effects of water quality, land use, and other environmental factors on the recruitment, spawning potential, mortality, and abundance of Atlantic striped bass populations, including the Delaware River population. (4) Investigations of (A) the interactions between Atlantic striped bass and other fish, including bluefish, menhaden, mackerel, and other forage fish or possible competitors, stock assessments of these species, to the extent appropriate; and (B) the effects of interspecies predation and competition on the recruitment, spawning potential mortality, and abundance of Atlantic striped bass. (b) SOCIO-ECONOMIC_STUDY.-The Secretaries, in consultation with with1 the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, shall conduct a study of the socio-economic benefits of the Atlantic striped bass resource. The Secretaries shall issue a report to the Congress concerning the findings of this study no later than September 30, 1998. (c) REPORTS.-The Secretaries shall make biennial reports to the Congress and to the Commission concerning the progress and findings of studies conducted under subsection (a) and shall make those reports public. Such reports shall, to the extent appropriate, 1 So in law. contain recommendations of actions which could be taken to encourage the sustainable management of Atlantic striped bass. SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS; COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS. (a) AUTHORIZATION.-For each of fiscal years 2001, 2002, and 2003, there are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act (1) $1,000,000 to the Secretary of Commerce; and (b) COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.-The Secretaries may enter into cooperative agreements with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission or with States, for the purpose of using amounts appropriated pursuant to this section to provide financial assistance for carrying out the purposes of this Act. SEC. 8. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN PREPARATION OF MANAGEMENT PLANS AND AMENDMENTS. (a) STANDARDS AND PROCEDURES.-In order to ensure the opportunity for public participation in the preparation of management plans and amendments to management plans for Atlantic striped bass, the Commission shall prepare such plans and amendments in accordance with the standards and procedures established under section 805(a)(2) of the Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative Management Act. (b) APPLICATION.-Subsection (a) shall apply to management plans and amendments adopted by the Commission after the 6month period beginning on the date of enactment of the Atlantic Striped Bass Conservation Act Amendments of 1997. SEC. 9. PROTECTION OF STRIPED BASS IN THE EXCLUSIVE ECONOMIC ZONE. (a) REGULATION OF FISHING IN EXCLUSIVE ECONOMIC ZONE.— The Secretary shall promulgate regulations governing fishing for Atlantic striped bass in the exclusive economic zone that the Secretary determines (1) are consistent with the national standards set forth in section 301 of the Magnuson Act (16 U.S.C. 1851); (2) are compatible with the Plan and each Federal moratorium in effect on fishing for Atlantic striped bass within the coastal waters of a coastal State; (3) ensure the effectiveness of State regulations on fishing for Atlantic striped bass within the coastal waters of a coastal State; and (4) are sufficient to assure the long-term conservation of Atlantic striped bass populations. (b) CONSULTATION; PERIODIC REVIEW OF REGULATIONS.—In preparing regulations under subsection (a), the Secretary shall consult with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, the appropriate Regional Fishery Management Councils, and each affected Federal, State, and local government entity. The Secretary shall periodically review regulations promulgated under subsection (a), and if necessary to ensure their continued consistency with the requirements of subsection (a), shall amend those regulations. (c) APPLICABILITY OF MAGNUSON ACT PROVISIONS.-The provisions of sections 307, 308, 309, 310, and 311 of the Magnuson Act (16 U.S.C. 1857, 1858, 1859, 1860, and 1861) regarding prohibited acts, civil penalties, criminal offenses, civil forfeitures, and enforcement shall apply with respect to regulations and any plan issued under subsection (a) of this section as if such regulations or plan were issued under the Magnuson Act. |