Overview
Title
To amend the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act to add an economic cause as an allowable cause to declare a fishery resource disaster.
ELI5 AI
H.R. 10010 is a proposed law that wants to help U.S. fishermen by allowing them to get help if problems caused by people in other countries make it hard for them to sell their fish. It says if these foreign actions mess up their business, it can be called a "disaster," and they can get assistance.
Summary AI
H.R. 10010 is a bill that aims to modify the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act by allowing an economic cause to be a valid reason for declaring a fishery resource disaster. The bill defines "economic cause" as activities by foreign entities that can negatively impact the market, sustainability, or economic viability of a U.S. fishery. Additionally, it clarifies what constitutes a "foreign person" and outlines other economic factors that would warrant a disaster declaration. This proposed change seeks to protect U.S. fisheries from certain detrimental economic activities, including illegal fishing and unfair pricing practices.
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Bill Statistics
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AnalysisAI
General Summary of the Bill
The proposed legislation, titled the Protect American Fisheries Act of 2024, seeks to amend the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. The core amendment introduces "economic cause" as a valid reason for declaring a fishery resource disaster. This change highlights scenarios where activities by "foreign persons" disrupt fishery operations, affect sustainability, or distort related markets. The bill outlines the scope of "foreign persons" to include individuals, governments, and various organizational structures based in foreign countries. Furthermore, it identifies specific adverse activities, such as illegal fishing and predatory pricing, that could trigger such a disaster declaration.
Summary of Significant Issues
One of the primary issues raised by this bill is the broad and potentially ambiguous nature of the "economic cause." This broadness might lead to varied interpretations about what qualifies as grounds for declaring a disaster. Additionally, the term "foreign person" encompasses a wide range of entities, which could complicate enforcement and regulation. Moreover, the bill does not clearly specify the methods for measuring or validating the adverse effects linked to foreign activities, which could lead to disputes and inconsistencies in application. These complexities might hinder the speed and effectiveness of responses to genuine fishery resource disasters.
Impact on the Public
For the general public, particularly those involved in the fishing industry or connected sectors, this amendment could provide a more comprehensive safety net. If successfully implemented, it could offer crucial support in scenarios where economic factors, often outside of their control, threaten their livelihoods. However, the broad language and potential for disputes might delay aid, affecting the timely delivery of needed assistance. The public, especially coastal communities heavily reliant on fishing, could experience either a bolstered sense of security or face frustration if procedural complexities slow aid delivery.
Impact on Specific Stakeholders
Fisheries and Fishing Communities: Potentially, these groups stand to benefit significantly from this legislation, as it aims to protect them from unforeseen economic disturbances driven by international activities. However, they could also suffer if procedural ambiguities delay necessary interventions.
Foreign Entities: Businesses and individuals from foreign countries might face increased scrutiny and restrictive measures as a result of this legislation. Those involved in practices now categorized as contributing to economic causes could encounter significant barriers to entering or competing in the U.S. market.
Regulatory Bodies: Agencies tasked with implementing this act might deal with increased workload and complexity, needing to develop clear guidelines and effective monitoring mechanisms. This could necessitate additional resources or adjustments to current regulatory practices to handle the broadened scope of what constitutes a fishery resource disaster.
Overall, while the intent of the bill is to provide more robust protection for U.S. fisheries, its broad definitions and the potential complexities they introduce could pose challenges in effectively achieving this goal.
Issues
The definition of 'economic cause' in Section 2 might be overly broad, allowing for various interpretations that could lead to implementation challenges. This broadness could complicate policy application and decision-making processes.
The inclusion of 'activities by foreign persons' in Section 2 to declare a fishery resource disaster introduces complexities into the assessment process. These complexities might slow down response times and result in disputes over what constitutes an adverse effect, potentially impacting the timely aid to affected fisheries.
Section 2's definition of 'foreign person' encompasses a wide array of entities, which may complicate enforcement and regulation. This broad categorization could lead to challenges in effectively monitoring and managing foreign influences on fishery resources.
It is unclear in Section 2 how adverse effects caused by activities of foreign persons will be measured or validated, potentially leading to disputes or inconsistencies in application. This could result in fairness issues regarding who is held responsible for fishery disasters.
Sections
Sections are presented as they are annotated in the original legislative text. Any missing headers, numbers, or non-consecutive order is due to the original text.
1. Short title Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The first section of this bill states that it can be officially called the “Protect American Fisheries Act of 2024.”
2. Economic fishery resource disasters Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The bill proposes changes to the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, adding "economic cause" as a reason for fishery resource disasters, which includes activities by foreign persons that negatively impact fisheries' operations or markets. It defines "foreign person" and outlines how this can affect U.S. seafood prices, with a focus on illegal fishing and predatory pricing.