Strengthening Fishing Communities and Increasing Flexibility in Fisheries Management Act
Latest action · Nov 16, 2021 Subcommittee Hearings Held.
Progress
Where this bill reached, and when. A stage with no date was not reached; one that failed a vote and later carried shows the date it carried.
- IntroducedJan 4, 2021
- Passed HouseNot reached
- Passed SenateNot reached
- To the PresidentNot reached
- Became lawNot reached
Summary
Strengthening Fishing Communities and Increasing Flexibility in Fisheries Management Act
This bill revises provisions related to fishery management activities and otherwise sets forth new requirements related to fisheries.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) must publish every three years a plan to conduct stock assessments for any species subject to a fishery management plan. NOAA must also develop a plan for implementing cooperative research with fisherman and outside groups.
The bill provides authority for fishery management councils to (1) use alternative fishery management measures in a recreational fishery (or the recreational component of a mixed-use fishery), (2) consider changes in an ecosystem and the economic needs of the fishing communities when establishing annual catch limits, and (3) base fishery stock rebuilding time frames on science given the biology and characteristics of such stock.
The bill also prohibits feeding sharks in federal waters off the coast of Florida and sets forth requirements under which a state may encourage the elimination of lionfish.
Cosponsors
Members who signed on, in the order they did.
Committees 1
Where it was sent and what each committee and subcommittee did with it, in order.
| Chamber | Committee | What it did |
|---|---|---|
| House | Natural Resources Committee | Referred Jan 4, 2021 |
| Water, Wildlife and Fisheries Subcommittee | Referred Feb 18, 2021Hearings Nov 16, 2021 |
Actions 4
Everything that happened, newest first.
- Nov 16, 2021Subcommittee Hearings Held.
- Feb 18, 2021Referred to the Subcommittee on Water, Oceans, and Wildlife.
- Jan 4, 2021Introduced in House
- Jan 4, 2021Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
Research
What has been written about this bill: committee reports, cost estimates, the sponsor’s authority statement, printed hearings and the Congressional Research Service’s work.
Constitutional authority
The sponsor’s statement, as printed in the Congressional Record, vol. 167, no. 2, January 4, 2021, page H52.
Printed hearings 2
Hearings whose printed record names this bill, newest first: hearings on it, and wider hearings where it came up.
| Number | Hearing | Committee | Held |
|---|---|---|---|
| Serial No. 117-89 | LEGISLATIVE HEARING TO STRENGTHEN ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE, EFFICIENCY, AND FINANCING149 pages | Energy and Commerce Committee | Jun 22, 2022 |
| Serial No. 117-11 | H.R. 59, ``STRENGTHENING FISHING COMMUNITIES AND INCREASING FLEXIBILITY IN FISHERIES MANAGEMENT ACT''; H.R. 4690, ``SUSTAINING AMERICA'S FISHERIES FOR THE FUTURE ACT OF 2021''; AND H.R. 5770, ``FORAGE FISH CONSERVATION ACT OF 2021''211 pages | Natural Resources Committee | Nov 16, 2021 |
CRS reports 6
Congressional Research Service work that CRS links to this bill or the law it became, newest first.
Cite it 6
Products on other subjects that cite it, usually among other measures.
| Product | Title | Kind | Published |
|---|---|---|---|
| R49355 | Fishery Resource Disaster Assistance | Report | Sep 18, 2026 |
| RL34209 | Fishery Resource Disaster Assistance Archived | Report | Sep 18, 2026 |
| R48951 | Shark Conservation and Management in the United States | Report | Jul 15, 2026 |
| R47645 | U.S. Regional Fishery Management Councils | Report | Jul 9, 2026 |
| IF13210 | The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA): Issues for the 119th Congress | Resource | May 7, 2026 |
Related bills 2
Companion bills and other measures the record links to this one.
| Bill | Title | Relationship | Latest action |
|---|---|---|---|
| HR 3697 | Strengthening Fishing Communities and Increasing Flexibility in Fisheries Management Act | Reintroduction of | Jul 25, 2019 |
| HR 6180 | Reef Assassin Act | Related bill | Dec 21, 2021 |
Titles 3
Every title it has carried, official and short, at each stage.
- Official Title as Introduced
- To amend the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act to provide flexibility for fishery managers and stability for fishermen, and for other purposes.
- Short Title(s) as Introduced
- Strengthening Fishing Communities and Increasing Flexibility in Fisheries Management Act
- Short Title(s) as Introduced for portions of this bill
- Reef Assassin Act
Subjects
Assigned by the Library of Congress. Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources.
- Administrative law and regulatory procedures
- Alaska
- Arctic and polar regions
- Atlantic Ocean
- Business records
- Congressional oversight
- Department of Commerce
- Disaster relief and insurance
- Economic performance and conditions
- Endangered and threatened species
- Environmental assessment, monitoring, research
- Fishes
- Government information and archives
- Government studies and investigations
- Gulf of Mexico
- Hunting and fishing
- Intergovernmental relations
- International law and treaties
- Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
- Marine pollution
- Oil and gas
- Pacific Ocean
- Public Lands and Natural Resources
- Public participation and lobbying
- Research administration and funding
- State and local government operations
- User charges and fees
- Water use and supply
Text 1
Each version as it was printed, newest first.
- Jan 4, 2021Introduced in House
Everything here is as published by Congress: the summary is the Congressional Research Service's, the action wording is the clerks', and the subjects are the Library of Congress's. How far it got is read from the actions themselves, taking the most recent one of each kind, so a bill that failed a vote and later passed is shown as having passed. Records come from this bill on Congress.gov and govinfo.gov; cost estimates are the Congressional Budget Office's, and the hearings are the printed hearings GovInfo publishes, which can appear months after the hearing.
