The Secretary shall establish the United States catch level for Pacific whiting according to the standards and procedures of the Agreement and this chapter rather than under the standards and procedures of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.), except to the extent necessary to address the rebuilding needs of other species. Except for establishing the catch level, all other aspects of Pacific whiting management shall be—

(1) subject to the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act; and

(2) consistent with this chapter.

For any year in which both parties to the Agreement approve recommendations made by the joint management committee with respect to the catch level, the Secretary shall implement the approved recommendations. Any regulation promulgated by the Secretary to implement any such recommendation shall apply, as necessary, to all persons and all vessels subject to the jurisdiction of the United States wherever located.

If the parties to the Agreement do not approve the joint management committee’s recommendation with respect to the catch level for any year, the Secretary shall establish the total allowable catch for Pacific whiting for the United States catch. In establishing the total allowable catch under this subsection, the Secretary shall—

(1) take into account any recommendations from the Pacific Fishery Management Council, the joint management committee, the joint technical committee, the scientific review group, and the advisory panel;

(2) base the total allowable catch on the best scientific information available;

(3) use the default harvest rate set out in paragraph 1 of Article III of the Agreement unless the Secretary determines that the scientific evidence demonstrates that a different rate is necessary to sustain the offshore whiting resource; and

(4) establish the United State’s [1] share of the total allowable catch based on paragraph 2 of Article III of the Agreement and make any adjustments necessary under section 5 of Article II of the Agreement.

(Pub. L. 109–479, title VI, § 608, Jan. 12, 2007, 120 Stat. 3647.)