(a) Program

(1) Not later than October 1, 1993, the Secretary shall establish a Northwest Atlantic Ocean Fisheries Reinvestment Program for the purposes of—

(A) promoting development of commercial fisheries and markets for underutilized species of the northwest Atlantic Ocean;

(B) developing alternative fishing opportunities for participants in the New England groundfish fishery;

(C) providing technical support and assistance to United States fishermen and fish processors to improve the value-added processing of underutilized species and to make participation in fisheries for underutilized species of the northwest Atlantic Ocean economically viable;

(D) creating new economic opportunities through the improved processing and expanded use of fish waste; and

(E) helping to restore overfished New England groundfish stocks through aquaculture or hatchery programs.


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Terms Used In 16 USC 1863

  • commercial fishing: means fishing in which the fish harvested, either in whole or in part, are intended to enter commerce or enter commerce through sale, barter or trade. See 16 USC 1802
  • Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
  • Council: means any Regional Fishery Management Council established under section 1852 of this title. See 16 USC 1802
  • Fiscal year: The fiscal year is the accounting period for the government. For the federal government, this begins on October 1 and ends on September 30. The fiscal year is designated by the calendar year in which it ends; for example, fiscal year 2006 begins on October 1, 2005 and ends on September 30, 2006.
  • fish: means finfish, mollusks, crustaceans, and all other forms of marine animal and plant life other than marine mammals and birds. See 16 USC 1802
  • fishery: means &mdash. See 16 USC 1802
  • fishing: means &mdash. See 16 USC 1802
  • fishing vessel: means any vessel, boat, ship, or other craft which is used for, equipped to be used for, or of a type which is normally used for&mdash. See 16 USC 1802
  • person: means any individual (whether or not a citizen or national of the United States), any corporation, partnership, association, or other entity (whether or not organized or existing under the laws of any State), and any Federal, State, local, or foreign government or any entity of any such government. See 16 USC 1802
  • Secretary: means the Secretary of Commerce or his designee. See 16 USC 1802
  • United States: when used in a geographical context, means all the States thereof. See 16 USC 1802

(2) Consultation.—In establishing and implementing the Northwest Fisheries Reinvestment Program, the Secretary shall consult with representatives of the commercial fishing industry, the seafood processing industry, and the academic community (including the National Sea Grant Program).

(3) Activities Under Program.—Subject to the availability of appropriations, the Secretary shall award contracts, grants and other financial assistance to United States citizens to carry out the purposes of subsection 1 (1), under the terms and conditions provided in section 713c-3(c) of title 15, except that, in making awards under this section for projects involving participation in fisheries for underutilized species, the Secretary shall give the highest priority to a person who owns or operates a fishing vessel permitted under this chapter to participate in the New England groundfish fishery who agrees to surrender that permit to the Secretary during the duration of the contract, grant or other assistance.

(4) Authorization of Appropriations.—There are authorized to be appropriated $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 1993 through 1999 to carry out the purposes of this section. For fiscal year 1993 no more than $1,000,000, and for fiscal year 1994 no more than $2,000,000, of such funds may be provided from monies made available under section 713c-3(b) of title 15.

(b) Assistance of other agencies

The Secretary shall actively seek the assistance of other Federal agencies in the development of fisheries for underutilized species of the northwest Atlantic Ocean, including, to the extent permitted by other applicable laws, assistance from the Secretary of Agriculture in including such underutilized species as agricultural commodities in the programs of the Foreign Agricultural Service for which amounts are authorized under the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (Public Law 101-624; 104 Stat. 3359).

(c) Management plans for underutilized species

The New England Fishery Management Council, in consultation with other appropriate Councils, shall develop fishery management plans as soon as possible for any underutilized species of the northwest Atlantic Ocean that is not covered under such a plan, in order to prevent overfishing of that species.

(d) “Underutilized species” defined

For purposes of this section, the term “underutilized species of the northwest Atlantic Ocean” means any fish species of the northwest Atlantic Ocean that is identified, by the Director of the Northeast Fisheries Center of the National Marine Fisheries Service, as an underutilized species.

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