H.R. 5126 — Direct Enhancement of Snapper Conservation and the Economy through Novel Devices Act of 2020 | PoliFocus

H.R. 5126116th Congress

DESCEND Act of 2020

To require individuals fishing for Gulf reef fish to use certain descending devices, and for other purposes.

Subjects

Public Lands and Natural Resources

Summary

Direct Enhancement of Snapper Conservation and the Economy through Novel Devices Act of 2020 or the DESCEND Act of 2020

This bill addresses the use of descending devices to release reef fish in the Gulf of Mexico. (A descending device is an instrument that will release fish at a depth sufficient for the fish to be able to recover from the effects of barotrauma.)

Specifically, the bill requires

commercial and recreational fishermen to possess a venting tool or descending device that is rigged and ready for use when fishing for reef fish in the Gulf of Mexico Exclusive Economic Zone,
the Department of Commerce to contract with the National Academy of Sciences to conduct a study and produce a report on discard mortality in the Gulf reef fish fisheries, and
Commerce and the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council to develop guidance for reporting discards and associated mortality and develop a plan to assess the effectiveness and usage of barotrauma-reducing devices.

Full Text

Related Legislation

S. 2960DESCEND Act of 2019
2019-12-02Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Related

Legislative Actions

2020-09-24
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 116-531.
2020-09-24
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 431.
2020-10-01
Mrs. Dingell moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
2020-10-01
Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H5176-5178)
2020-10-01
DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 5126.
2020-10-01
Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
2020-10-01
On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H5176)
2020-10-01
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
2020-10-19
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
2020-12-21
Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation discharged by Unanimous Consent.
2020-12-21
Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation discharged by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S7902)
2020-12-21

Enacted as Public Law 116-340

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