Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 120.djvu/3648

 PUBLIC LAW 109–479—JAN. 12, 2007

120 STAT. 3617

region shall receive less than 5 percent of the Fund in each allocation period. (e) LIMITATION ON THE USE OF THE FUND.—No amount made available from the Fund may be used to defray the costs of carrying out requirements of this Act or the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.) other than those uses identified in this section. SEC. 209. USE OF FISHERY FINANCE PROGRAM FOR SUSTAINABLE PURPOSES.

Section 53706(a)(7) of title 46, United States Code, is amended to read as follows: ‘‘(7) Financing or refinancing— ‘‘(A) the purchase of individual fishing quotas in accordance with section 303(d)(4) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (including the reimbursement of obligors for expenditures previously made for such a purchase); ‘‘(B) activities that assist in the transition to reduced fishing capacity; or ‘‘(C) technologies or upgrades designed to improve collection and reporting of fishery-dependent data, to reduce bycatch, to improve selectivity or reduce adverse impacts of fishing gear, or to improve safety.’’. SEC. 210. REGIONAL ECOSYSTEM RESEARCH.

Section 406 (16 U.S.C. 1882) is amended by adding at the end the following: ‘‘(f) REGIONAL ECOSYSTEM RESEARCH.— ‘‘(1) STUDY.—Within 180 days after the date of enactment of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Reauthorization Act of 2006, the Secretary, in consultation with the Councils, shall undertake and complete a study on the state of the science for advancing the concepts and integration of ecosystem considerations in regional fishery management. The study should build upon the recommendations of the advisory panel and include— ‘‘(A) recommendations for scientific data, information and technology requirements for understanding ecosystem processes, and methods for integrating such information from a variety of federal, state, and regional sources; ‘‘(B) recommendations for processes for incorporating broad stake holder participation; ‘‘(C) recommendations for processes to account for effects of environmental variation on fish stocks and fisheries; and ‘‘(D) a description of existing and developing council efforts to implement ecosystem approaches, including lessons learned by the councils. ‘‘(2) AGENCY TECHNICAL ADVICE AND ASSISTANCE, REGIONAL PILOT PROGRAMS.—The Secretary is authorized to provide necessary technical advice and assistance, including grants, to the Councils for the development and design of regional pilot programs that build upon the recommendations of the advisory panel and, when completed, the study.’’.

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