text: 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.''.
target: 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.
feat_title: A bill to amend title 46, United States Code, to modify the vessels eligible for a fishery endorsement, and for other purposes.