Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Conservation Act of 1999

Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Conservation Act of 1999 - Prohibits any person from engaging in pelagic longline fishing in the: (1) Atlantic Conservation Zone for Highly Migratory Species (HMS); (2) Gulf of Mexico Conservation Zone for Swordfish from January 1 through Memorial Day; and (3) Gulf of Mexico Conservation Zone for HMS from Memorial Day through Labor Day for the next four years. Provides the geographic coordinates for each Zone. Makes such restrictions inapplicable to longline fishery research authorized by the Secretary of Commerce.

(Sec. 7) Directs the Secretary to conduct a voluntary Pelagic Longline Vessel Permit Holder Compensation Program, under which vessels prohibited from engaging in such fishing are compensated for fish catch losses. Identifies eligible vessels. Terminates vessel eligibility if the vessel or any Federal fishing permit or license applicable to that vessel is transferred to a different person after November 10, 1999. Requires notification of each eligible permit holder. Provides a compensation (buyout) amount of $125,000 plus either: (1) zero for any eligible holder that did not report any landings (catches) of HMS for the period between January 1 and October 1, 1999; or (2) for every other eligible holder, a landing payment determined by the Secretary. Provides for payment determination and prohibits such payment from exceeding $325,000. Outlines provisions concerning the buyout offer and its acceptance. Authorizes the Secretary to provide up to $10 million for such payments through a direct loan obligation for any payments not fully paid for by appropriated funds. Authorizes appropriations.

Directs the Secretary to establish a second voluntary buyout program for permitted vessels that have recorded landings of swordfish of at least 40 percent in the mid-Atlantic bight in any one year during the period of 1992 through 1999. Bases the compensation formula on one similar to that outlined in this section.

Directs the Secretary to reduce the overall U.S. quota of swordfish based on the landings of each vessel as it is bought out. Requires the reduction to reflect the vessel's overall percentage of the total landings within the mid-Atlantic bight. Reduces the overall quota by that specific percent. Makes a conforming amendment to the Atlantic Tunas Convention Act. Authorizes appropriations.

(Sec. 8) Requires the revocation of all commercial fishing permits or licenses held by those accepting payments under this Act, prohibiting such vessels from being used anywhere in the world for commercial fishing. Prohibits the foreign transfer or registry of such vessels. Provides criminal and civil penalties for violations of this section, including seizure and forfeiture. Requires revocation information to be recorded in the Federal vessel identification system maintained by the Secretary of Transportation.

(Sec. 9) Establishes a fishery conservation fee system, administered by the Secretary, for repayment of direct loans made under this Act. Provides fee amounts and payment requirements, including fees required from commercial Atlantic swordfish dealers.

States that a vessel registered in an affected State (South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas) shall not be required to purchase a Federal fishery conservation permit if such State, within 240 days after the enactment of this Act, makes a binding agreement to pay fully, within four years, that State's recreational share allocation, plus associated interest. Provides State share allocations.

Directs the Secretary to issue for $25 each an annual fishery conservation permit to vessels over 18 feet in length wishing to engage in recreational HMS fishing in any area closed to such fishing under this Act until the recreational share is fully repaid. Prohibits any such vessels without permits from engaging in such fishing.

(Sec. 10) Considers a person violating this Act to have also committed an act prohibited under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.

(Sec. 11) Establishes within the National Marine Fisheries Service at the Southeast Fisheries Science Center a Pelagic Longline Billfish Bycatch and Mortality Reduction Research Program (Research Program) to identify and test a variety of fishing gear configurations and uses for reducing billfish bycatch mortality in the pelagic longline fisheries of the Gulf of Mexico and in the exclusive economic zone north of the Atlantic Conservation Zone established by this Act. Requires observers to be placed on such vessels for monitoring purposes. Provides for Program design, monitoring by the Secretary, and reports to specified congressional committees.

(Sec. 12) Prohibits permitted pelagic longline vessels fishing in the mid-Atlantic bight from June through August from increasing: (1) their total pelagic longline effort (number of hooks and sets, length of line, and soak time) by more than ten percent based on the average total effort in the bight from 1992 through 1997; and (2) days at sea in the bight by more than ten percent based on the average days at sea from 1992 through 1997.

(Sec. 13) Prohibits interim regulations (with exceptions) by the Secretary prior to the later of the date one year after the date on which the Secretary reports on the results of the Research Program or four years from this Act's enactment date with respect to any time-area closures for pelagic longline fishing in the Atlantic by U.S. fishing vessels that are in addition to, or expand, closures established by this Act.

(Sec. 14) Prohibits, after the 165th day after enactment of this Act, any pelagic longline vessel from operating within the Atlantic HMS fishery without a vessel monitoring device approved by the Secretary. States that vessels accepting buyouts under this Act will not be required to carry such a device.

(Sec. 16) Authorizes appropriations.