An act to authorize appropriations for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and for other purposes.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Authorization Act of 1991 - Title I: NOAA Atmospheric and Satellite Programs - Authorizes appropriations to the Department of Commerce for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for: (1) operations and research activities of the National Weather Service; (2) public warning and forecast systems, (3) climate and air quality research; (4) atmospheric research activities; (5) satellite observing systems activities; (6) maintaining geostationary environmental satellite coverage for monitoring and prediction of hurricanes and severe storms; and (7) data and information services. Requires submission to specified congressional committees of a strategic plan for development, procurement, and operation of the environmental satellite program of the Department of Commerce.

Directs the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Commerce to establish a five-year joint program for collecting operational and reconnaissance data, conducting research, and analyzing data on tropical cyclones to assist the forecast and warning program and increase the understanding of the cause and behavior of tropical cyclones. Sets forth the responsibilities of each Secretary.

Directs those Secretaries to jointly develop and submit to the Congress management plans for: (1) the program established by this Act; and (2) continued tropical cyclone surveillance and reconnaissance which will adequately protect the citizens of U.S. coastal areas.

Mandates that the management plans and programs required by this Act: (1) provide for at least the same degree and quality of protection as currently exists with a combination of satellite technology and manned flights; and (2) in no way allow any reduction in the level, quality, timeliness, sustainability, or area served of both the existing principal and back-up tropical cyclone reconnaissance and tracking systems.

Mandates establishment of a United States Weather Research Program to take specified steps, including with regard to modernizing the U.S. public weather forecast system, improving local and regional forecasts and warnings, and addressing weather-related scientific issues.

Authorizes NOAA to construct or acquire, on land leased from the University of Nevada System, Desert Research Institute, a Weather Forecast Office, upper air facility, regional climate center, and associated items. Amends the Land Remote-Sensing Commercialization Act of 1984 to mandate that any license issued under specified provisions of that Act specify that the licensee shall promptly make available all unenhanced data which the Secretary of the Interior (currently, the Secretary of Commerce) may request under specified provisions of the Act relating to archiving of data.

Amends provisions of the Act relating to archiving in order to transfer from the Secretary of Commerce to the Secretary of the Interior responsibility for: (1) providing for long-term storage, maintenance, and upgrading of the basic, global, land remote-sensing data set; (2) requesting data needed for the basic data set from a system operator; (3) making data which is in the public domain available to requesting parties; and (4) using existing Government facilities, to the extent practicable, to carry out these functions.

Directs the Secretary of the Interior to consult with the Secretary of Commerce to ensure that archiving activities are consistent with the terms and conditions of any contract, agreement, or license under specified provisions of the Act.

Prohibits, until a specified date, closure, consolidation, automation, or relocation of any National Weather Service Office or National Weather Service Forecast Office for weather service modernization.

Amends the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act, Fiscal Year 1989 to prohibit such actions unless certain conditions are met.

Title II: NOAA Ocean and Coastal Programs - Authorizes appropriations to the Department of Commerce for NOAA for: (1) mapping, charting, and geodesy; (2) observation and assessment; (3) ocean management; and (4) ocean and Great Lakes research.

Title III: NOAA Marine Fishery Programs - Amends the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Marine Fisheries Program Authorization Act to authorize appropriations to the Department of Commerce for the National Marine Fisheries Service for information collection and analysis, conservation and management operations, and State and industry assistance.

Earmarks certain funds for developing dolphin-safe methods of locating and catching yellowfin tuna. Requires measures for cost-sharing by foreign governments that conduct, or authorize their nationals to conduct, yellowfin tuna fishing in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean.

Amends the Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson Act) to mandate a comprehensive program of fishery research to carry out the Act. Amends the Merchant Marine Act, 1936 to define "fishery facility" as it applies to aquaculture.

Mandates a report to specified congressional committees on joint enforcement by the Coast Guard and NOAA in the western Pacific Ocean under the Magnuson Act.

Establishes in NOAA the Chesapeake Bay Estuarine Resources Office. Earmarks funds for the establishment of the Office.

Title IV: Miscellaneous Provisions - Authorizes appropriations to the Department of Commerce for NOAA for: (1) executive direction and administration; (2) acquisition, construction, maintenance, and operation of facilities; (3) marine services; (4) acquisition of a multibeam sonar mapper; (5) reactivation and operation of a specified research vessel; (6) fleet modernization; and (7) aircraft services.

Mandates acquisition of space for NOAA in the area of Newport News-Norfolk, Virginia. Prohibits: (1) the Secretary of Commerce from deactivating any NOAA research vessel until an equivalent replacement vessel is operational; (2) subject to exception, construction of NOAA vessels and their major components in a foreign shipyard; and (3) overhauling, repairing, or maintaining a NOAA vessel homeported in the United States in a shipyard outside the United States. Requires consultation regarding interoperability of NOAA and Navy vessels. Mandates submission to the Congress of a detailed fleet replacement and modernization plan. Authorizes NOAA vessel acquisition by purchase, lease, lease-purchase, or otherwise under one or more multiyear contracts.

Prohibits the Secretary from reprogramming amounts without prior notice to specified congressional committees.

Title V: Coastal Monitoring - Marine and Coastal Monitoring Act of 1991 - Establishes in NOAA a uniformed nationwide monitoring network, to include the National Status and Trends Program, to be the single Federal activity for the national-scale monitoring of U.S. marine and coastal waters with regard to ecological conditions.

Mandates: (1) designation of specific estuarine and coastal regions of major concern for intensive monitoring: (2) establishment of monitoring coordination groups for each region; (3) establishment in NOAA of a National Coastal Monitoring Center to develop scientific methods for carrying out the monitoring under this title; and (4) development of methods for collecting and analyzing baseline data on environmental phenomena in the Boston Harbor.

Authorizes monitoring of the ecological impacts on Cape Cod Bay resulting from the cleanup of Boston Harbor.

Authorizes appropriations.

Title VI: NOAA Foundation - NOAA Foundation Establishment Act - Establishes a charitable and nonprofit corporation to be known as the NOAA Foundation (the Foundation). Specifies that the Foundation is neither an agency nor an establishment of the United States.

Sets forth the functions of the organization, including: (1) accepting and administering gifts for the benefit of, or in connection with, either the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) or the Foundation; (2) undertaking activities that enhance and support the activities of NOAA; (3) assisting international organizations conducting activities of the type conducted by NOAA; and (4) conducting education and outreach programs to foster an understanding of the mission of NOAA. Authorizes appropriations.