governs the management and conservation of commercial and recreational fisheries in U.S. federal waters (3-200 nautical miles from shore). The MSFCMA also has evolved with changes to fishery resources, the U.S. fishing industry, recreational fishing, and seafood markets. The MSFCMA was last reauthorized and extensively amended in 2006 ( P.L. Although the authorization of appropriations under the MSFCMA expired at the end of FY2013, the act's requirements continue in effect and Congress has continued to appropriate funds to administer the act. Historically, reauthorization has also provided the opportunity to introduce significant amendments to the act. During the last three Congresses, a number of bills have been introduced to address these issues and other concerns related to fisheries management. Oversight and reauthorization hearings have been held by the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the House Committee on Natural Resources. In December 2013, the Chairman of the House Committee on Natural Resources released a reauthorization discussion draft. In early April 2014, the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation also released a draft to stakeholder groups. Several interrelated issues have emerged during the ongoing debate over requirements to use annual catch limits (ACLs) and to rebuild fish populations. Flexibility in Ending Overfishing and Rebuilding Overfished Fisheries

Flexibility in rebuilding overfished fisheries has become one of the main issues of the current MSFCMA reauthorization debate. Distributional issues may exist among different commercial gear types, commercial and recreational fishermen, and ports or communities. Catch shares may shift landings and affect specific fishing ports disproportionately. Bills Introduced During the 112th Congress

Several bills would have changed RFMC management processes and decision making. House and Senate Committee Proposals

The House Committee on Natural Resources and the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation have been pursuing efforts to reauthorize the MSFCMA during the 113 th Congress by holding hearings and by releasing discussion drafts composed of potential amendments to the act. 97-191 ) and more recently the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSFCMA, 109-479), it created a new system of federal fishery management. Constituencies
A variety of groups are involved in managing and utilizing marine fisheries. Regional Fishery Management Councils 
Section 103 of the legislation increased the role of science in decision-making through a number of provisions focused on the RFMCs' Scientific and Statistical Committees (SSCs) by:
specifying that the SSCs are to provide their councils with scientific advice needed for management decisions; requiring the regional councils to develop five-year research priorities for fisheries, fisheries interactions, habitats, and other areas of research necessary for management; modifying regional council fishery management plan procedures, including a requirement to improve coordination of the MSFCMA regulatory process and environmental review under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA; 42 U.S.C. Features of LAPPs, as provided in the act, include the following:
allows for allocation of harvesting privileges to individuals, corporations, fishing communities, or regional fishery associations; allows only fisheries that have been operating under a limited access system to be eligible for management under a LAPP system; directs the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to develop criteria for eligibility by considering several factors, such as traditional fishing practices, the cultural and social elements of the fishery, and the severity of projected economic and social impacts of LAPPs; allows processors to hold LAPPs and participate in the normal allocation process (but not by allocation of a separate processor quota); and requires a formal and detailed review five years after implementation of each program, and thereafter review within every seven years.
The 113th Congress is actively considering reauthorization of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSFCMA). The MSFCMA governs the management and conservation of commercial and recreational fisheries in U.S. federal waters (3-200 nautical miles from shore). The MSFCMA was last reauthorized and extensively amended in 2006 (P.L. 109-479). Although the authorization of appropriations under the MSFCMA expired at the end of FY2013, the act's requirements continue in effect and Congress has continued to appropriate funds to administer the act. Historically, reauthorization has also provided the opportunity to introduce significant amendments to the act.
During the first decade after the act was passed in 1976, fishery policy focused on controlling and replacing foreign fishing and developing U.S. fisheries in the newly declared 200-mile Fishery Conservation Zone. After that time, new issues emerged, including recognition of the need to sustain fish populations and respond to overfishing while attempting to satisfy the economic and social needs of recreational and commercial fishermen and fishing communities. Achieving this balance is closely related to allocating federal fishery resources among different users, developing and supporting existing management institutions, and investing in management and research.
This report covers issues that have been identified during congressional hearings and in legislation introduced during the last three Congresses. Although most issues are not new, they have evolved with changes to the statute, regulations, and fishery management plans. Major issues include (1) flexibility in rebuilding overfished fisheries, (2) annual catch limits, (3) uncertainty and data needs; (4) catch shares (limited access privilege programs), (5) management process and decision making, (6) bycatch, and (7) environmental quality. A variety of other issues are also covered in this report.
Most of these issues are part of a system of linked elements including ecosystems (fish populations and biophysical elements of the environment), fishing (commercial and recreational fishermen, processors, and other related fishing businesses), management (managers, scientists, and the regulatory system), fishing communities (other related businesses and coastal residents), and markets (wholesale, retail, restaurants, and consumers). Often a change in one element affects other elements. For example, requirements to stop overfishing that use restrictive catch limits may rebuild fish populations, but may also result in short-run harm to fishing businesses and coastal communities.
During the last three Congresses, over 30 different bills have been introduced to amend portions of the MSFCMA. These bills have covered a wide variety of topics, ranging from proposals to change management for specific fisheries or regions, to general changes to the management process such as requirements of fishery management plans. Oversight hearings concerning MSFCMA reauthorization have been held by the House Committee on Natural Resources and by the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. On December 18, 2013, the chairman of the House Committee on Natural Resources released a draft that included many elements of previously introduced bills. In early April 2014, the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation also released a reauthorization draft.