Promoting climate resilience in fisheries management

(a) In general Section 303(a) (16 U.S.C. 1853(a)) is amended— (1) in paragraph (1)(A)— (A) by striking and before to protect; and (B) by inserting, and to promote the resilience of stocks of fish to cumulative stressors, including cumulative stressors associated with climate change before the semicolon at the end; (2) in paragraph (3), by inserting including considering the impacts of climate change, after fishery,; (3) in paragraph (8), by striking 1991 and inserting 2025, and by inserting, including data needed to implement the plan effectively under prevailing and anticipated environmental or ecological conditions, including climate change before the semicolon at the end; (4) in paragraph (13), by inserting as well as examine the vulnerability of the fishery and fishery participants to the impacts of prevailing and anticipated environmental or ecological conditions, including climate change before the semicolon at the end; (5) in paragraph (14), by striking and; and inserting a semicolon; (6) in paragraph (15), by striking the period at the end and inserting a semicolon; and (7) by adding at the end the following: (16) assess and describe the anticipated impacts of climate change and other environmental and ecological changes on the fishery, including an assessment of whether and how the management measures contained in the plan or plan amendment have accounted for such impacts, and a summary of the information used in such assessment; and (17) describe and identify the current range and distribution of, and fishing patterns on, each stock of fish managed under the plan, including areas outside the jurisdiction of the Council having authority to issue the plan, and for each stock of fish the distribution of which crosses management boundaries, describe the measures used to coordinate with other relevant management bodies for the conservation and management of each such stock of fish.. (b) Increasing resilience of stocks of fish to climate change Title III (16 U.S.C. 1851 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following: 322. Increasing resilience of stocks of fish to climate change (a) Vulnerability assessment Not later than 3 years after the date of the enactment of the Sustaining America’s Fisheries for the Future Act of 2025, and every 5 years thereafter, the Secretary shall— (1) assess the vulnerability of stocks of fish within the geographical area of authority of each Council to climate change; (2) notify each Council of the vulnerability of stocks of fish within such geographical area; and (3) make recommendations to each Council for measures to increase the resilience of stocks of fish within such geographical area identified as vulnerable to climate change. (b) Council prioritization plans (1) In general Not later than 1 year after receiving a notification from the Secretary under subsection (a), each Council shall publish a plan identifying management actions to increase resilience of the stocks of fish identified as vulnerable to climate change and begin implementing such management actions. (2) Highly migratory species With respect to stocks of fish managed under section 302(a)(3), not later than 1 year after issuing a notification under subsection (a), the Secretary shall publish a plan identifying management actions to increase resilience of such stocks of fish identified as vulnerable to climate change and begin implementing such management actions. (3) Report Not later than 3 years after publishing a plan under paragraph (1), each Council shall report to the Secretary on the actions the Council has taken to implement such plan or provide an explanation for not taking such action. (c) Report to Congress Not later than 3 years after the date of the enactment of the Sustaining America’s Fisheries for the Future Act of 2025, and every 5 years thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report— (1) describing the vulnerability of stocks of fish to climate change; (2) identifying the risks posed by climate change to the conservation and management of stocks of fish; and (3) summarizing the steps taken by the Secretary and the Councils to mitigate and address the impacts on and risks of climate change to stocks of fish.. (c) Guidance for Councils Section 305 (16 U.S.C. 1855) is amended by adding at the end the following: (l) Guidance Not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of the Sustaining America’s Fisheries for the Future Act of 2025, the Secretary shall issue guidelines to assist the Councils in preparing and adapting fishery management for the impacts of climate change, including for consideration of climate change in the conservation and management of stocks of fish under the geographical area of authority of each Council.. (d) Effective date The amendments made by subsection (a) shall take effect on the date that is 4 years after the date of the enactment of this section.