--- kind: "section" citation: "16 U.S.C. § 1863" title: "16" title_heading: "Conservation" number: "1863" heading: "Northwest Atlantic Ocean Fisheries Reinvestment Program" release: "119-102" date: "2026-07-12" url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/16/1863" units: - "Chapter 38 — Fishery Conservation and Management" - "Subchapter IV — National Fishery Management Program" --- # §1863. Northwest Atlantic Ocean Fisheries Reinvestment Program - (a) **Program—** - (1) Not later than October 1, 1993, the [Secretary](/usc/16/1802.md?p=39) shall establish a Northwest Atlantic Ocean [Fisheries](/usc/16/1802.md?p=13) Reinvestment Program for the purposes of— - (A) promoting development of commercial [fisheries](/usc/16/1802.md?p=13) and markets for underutilized species of the northwest Atlantic Ocean; - (B) developing alternative [fishing](/usc/16/1802.md?p=16) opportunities for participants in the New England groundfish [fishery](/usc/16/1802.md?p=13); - (C) providing technical support and assistance to [United States](/usc/16/1802.md?p=45) fishermen and [fish](/usc/16/1802.md?p=12) processors to improve the value-added processing of underutilized species and to make participation in [fisheries](/usc/16/1802.md?p=13) for underutilized species of the northwest Atlantic Ocean economically viable; - (D) creating new economic opportunities through the improved processing and expanded use of [fish](/usc/16/1802.md?p=12) waste; and - (E) helping to restore [overfished](/usc/16/1802.md?p=34) New England groundfish stocks through aquaculture or hatchery programs. - (2) **Consultation.—** In establishing and implementing the Northwest [Fisheries](/usc/16/1802.md?p=13) Reinvestment Program, the [Secretary](/usc/16/1802.md?p=39) shall consult with representatives of the [commercial fishing](/usc/16/1802.md?p=4) industry, the seafood processing industry, and the academic community (including the National Sea Grant Program). - (3) **Activities Under Program.—** Subject to the availability of appropriations, the [Secretary](/usc/16/1802.md?p=39) shall award contracts, grants and other financial assistance to [United States](/usc/16/1802.md?p=45) citizens to carry out the purposes of subsection[^1] (1), under the terms and conditions provided in [section 713c–3(c) of title 15](/usc/15/713c–3.md?p=c), except that, in making awards under this section for [projects](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-4) involving participation in [fisheries](/usc/16/1802.md?p=13) for underutilized species, the [Secretary](/usc/16/1802.md?p=39) shall give the highest priority to a [person](/usc/16/1802.md?p=36) who owns or operates a [fishing vessel](/usc/16/1802.md?p=18) permitted under this chapter to participate in the New England groundfish [fishery](/usc/16/1802.md?p=13) who agrees to surrender that permit to the [Secretary](/usc/16/1802.md?p=39) during the duration of the contract, grant or other assistance. - (4) **Authorization of Appropriations.—** There are authorized to be appropriated $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 1993 through 1999 to carry out the purposes of this section. For fiscal year 1993 no more than $1,000,000, and for fiscal year 1994 no more than $2,000,000, of such funds may be provided from monies made available under [section 713c–3(b) of title 15](/usc/15/713c–3.md?p=b). - (b) **Assistance of other agencies—** The [Secretary](/usc/16/1802.md?p=39) shall actively seek the assistance of other Federal agencies in the development of [fisheries](/usc/16/1802.md?p=13) for underutilized species of the northwest Atlantic Ocean, including, to the extent permitted by other applicable laws, assistance from the [Secretary](/usc/16/1802.md?p=39) of Agriculture in including such underutilized species as agricultural commodities in the programs of the Foreign Agricultural Service for which amounts are authorized under the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (Public Law 101–624; 104 Stat. 3359). - (c) **Management plans for underutilized species—** The New England [Fishery](/usc/16/1802.md?p=13) Management [Council](/usc/16/1802.md?p=8), in consultation with other appropriate [Councils](/usc/16/1802.md?p=8), shall develop [fishery](/usc/16/1802.md?p=13) [management plans](/usc/16/544.md?p=k) as soon as possible for any underutilized species of the northwest Atlantic Ocean that is not covered under such a plan, in order to prevent [overfishing](/usc/16/1802.md?p=34) of that species. - (d) **“Underutilized species” defined—** For purposes of this section, the term “underutilized species of the northwest Atlantic Ocean” means any [fish](/usc/16/1802.md?p=12) species of the northwest Atlantic Ocean that is identified, by the Director of the Northeast [Fisheries](/usc/16/1802.md?p=13) Center of the National Marine [Fisheries](/usc/16/1802.md?p=13) Service, as an underutilized species. ## Footnotes [^1]: So in original. Probably should be “paragraph”. ## Source credit (Pub. L. 94–265, title III, § 314, as added Pub. L. 102–567, title IX, § 902(a), Oct. 29, 1992, 106 Stat. 4317; amended Pub. L. 104–297, title I, § 117(b), Oct. 11, 1996, 110 Stat. 3604.) ## Notes ### Editorial Notes ### References in Text This chapter, referred to in subsec. (a)(3), was in the original “this Act”, meaning Pub. L. 94–265, Apr. 13, 1976, 90 Stat. 331, known as the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 1801 of this title and Tables. The Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990, referred to in subsec. (b), is Pub. L. 101–624, Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 3359. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title of 1990 Amendment note set out under section 1421 of Title 7, Agriculture, and Tables. ### Amendments 1996—Subsec. (a)(4). Pub. L. 104–297 substituted “1999” for “1997”.