STUDY OF JOINT ENFORCEMENT OF FISHERIES REGULATIONS.

SEC. 305. STUDY OF JOINT ENFORCEMENT OF FISHERIES REGULATIONS. Not later than 4 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation and the Secretary of Commerce shall submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries of the House of Representatives a joint report describing methods by which Coast Guard enforcement efforts in the western Pacific Ocean under the Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.) may be enhanced and coordinated with those of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The report shall— (1) evaluate the ability of the Coast Guard to address key enforcement problems, which the Secretary of Commerce shall identify, for the western Pacific Ocean, particularly in the exclusive economic zone adjacent to the Hawaiian Islands, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the territories and possessions of the United States; (2) propose procedures by which the Coast Guard and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration may coordinate their efforts to improve and maximize effective enforcement of fisheries regulations, including but not limited to the chartering of light aircraft for fisheries surveillance and enforcement; and (3) recommend appropriate levels of Coast Guard participation in such efforts.