DISTANT WATER TUNA FLEET.

SEC. 421. DISTANT WATER TUNA FLEET.(a) Manning Requirements.—Notwithstanding section 8103(a) of title 46, United States Code, United States purse seine fishing vessels fishing exclusively for highly migratory species in the treaty area under a fishing license issued pursuant to the 1987 Treaty on Fisheries Between the Governments of Certain Pacific Islands States and the Government of the United States of America, or transiting to or from the treaty area exclusively for such purpose, may engage foreign citizens to meet the manning requirement (except for the master) in the 48-month period beginning on the date of enactment of this Act if, after timely notice of a vacancy to meet the manning requirement, no United States citizen personnel are readily available to fill such vacancy.(b) Licensing Restrictions.—(1) In general.—Subsection (a)(1) only applies to a foreign citizen that holds a valid license or certificate issued—(A) in accordance with the standards established by the 1995 amendments to the Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, 1978 (STCW 95); and(B) by an authority that the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating recognizes as imposing competency and training standards equivalent to or exceeding those required for a United States license issued under chapter 71 of title 46, United States Code.(2) Treatment of equivalent license.—An equivalent license or certificate as recognized by the Secretary under paragraph (1) shall be considered as meeting the requirements of section 8304 of title 46, United States Code, but only while a person holding the license or certificate is in the service of a vessel to which this section applies.(c) Limitation.—Subsection (a) applies only to vessels operating in and out of American Samoa.120 STAT. 548(d) Expiration.—This section expires 48 months after the date of enactment of this Act.(e) Reports.—On March 1, 2007, and annually thereafter until the date of expiration of this section, the Coast Guard and the National Marine Fisheries Service shall submit a report to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure and Resources of the House of Representatives, providing the following information on the United States purse seine fleet referred to in subsection (a):(1) The number and identity of vessels in the fleet using foreign citizens to meet manning requirements pursuant to this section and any marine casualties involving such vessel.(2) The number of vessels in the fishery under United States flag as of January 1 of the year in which the report is submitted, the percentage ownership or control of such vessels by non-United States citizens, and the nationality of such ownership or control.(3) Description of any transfers or sales of United States flag vessels in the previous calendar year, and the disposition of such vessel, including whether the vessel was scrapped or sold, and, if sold, the nationality of the new owner and location of any fishery to which the vessel will be transferred.(4) Landings of tuna by vessels under flag in the 2 previous calendar years, including an assessment of landing trends, and a description of landing percentages and totals—(A) delivered to American Samoa and any other port in a State or territory of the United States; and(B) delivered to ports outside of a State or territory of the United States, including the identity of the port.(5) An evaluation of capacity and trends in the purse seine fleet fishing in the area covered by the South Pacific Regional Fisheries Treaty, and any transfer of capacity from such fleet or area to other fisheries, including those governed under the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Convention and the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Convention.