Pub. L. 112-55, div. B, tit. I (as amended)

113.(a)The U.S. Participating Territories of the Commission for the Conservation and Management of Highly Migratory Fish Stocks in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean (Commission) are each authorized to use, assign, allocate, and manage catch limits of highly migratory fish stocks, or fishing effort limits, agreed to by the Commission through arrangements with U.S. vessels with permits issued under the Pelagics Fishery Management Plan of the Western Pacific Region. Vessels under such arrangements are integral to the domestic fisheries of the U.S. Participating Territories provided that such arrangements shall impose no requirements regarding where such vessels must fish or land their catch and shall be funded by deposits to the Western Pacific Sustainable Fisheries Fund in support of fisheries development projects identified in a Territory’s Marine Conservation Plan and adopted pursuant to section 204 of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1824). The Secretary of Commerce shall attribute catches made by vessels operating under such arrangements to the U.S. Participating Territories for the purposes of annual reporting to the Commission.(b)The Western Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Council—(1)is authorized to accept and deposit into the Western Pacific Sustainable Fisheries Fund funding for arrangements pursuant to subsection (a);(2)shall use amounts deposited under paragraph (1) that are attributable to a particular U.S. Participating Territory only for implementation of that Territory’s Marine Conservation Plan adopted pursuant to section 204 of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1824); and(3)2shall recommend an amendment to the Pelagics Fishery Management Plan for the Western Pacific Region, and associated regulations, to implement this section. 2 Section 110 of division B of Public Law 113-6 provides for an amendment to section 113(b)(3) by striking 2012 and inserting 2013. Such amendment could not be executed and probably should have been made to the matter preceding paragraph (1) of subsection (c) of section 113. (c)Subsection (a) shall remain in effect until the earlier of December 31, 20122, or such time as—(1)the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council recommends an amendment to the Pelagics Fishery Management Plan for the Western Pacific Region, and implementing regulations, to the Secretary of Commerce that authorize use, assignment, allocation, and management of catch limits of highly migratory fish stocks, or fishing effort limits, established by the Commission and applicable to U.S. Participating Territories;(2)the Secretary of Commerce approves the amendment as recommended; and(3)such implementing regulations become effective.This title may be cited as the Department of Commerce Appropriations Act, 2012.