[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 344 Introduced in House (IH)]
105th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. CON. RES. 344
To express the sense of the Congress regarding North Atlantic swordfish
and other highly migratory species of fish.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
October 8, 1998
Mr. Pallone submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was
referred to the Committee on Resources
_______________________________________________________________________
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
To express the sense of the Congress regarding North Atlantic swordfish
and other highly migratory species of fish.
Whereas North Atlantic swordfish were caught on a sustainable basis for nearly
150 years using harpoons and rod and reel gear;
Whereas North Atlantic swordfish populations have fallen nearly 70 percent
following the introduction of longline fishing gear in 1963;
Whereas North Atlantic swordfish populations are at only 58 percent of levels
needed to achieve the maximum sustainable yield--the management goal
level mandated by both the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and
Management Act and the International Commission for the Conservation of
Atlantic Tunas;
Whereas domestic management measures of the United States and international
management measures of the International Commission for the Conservation
of Atlantic Tunas have failed to manage North Atlantic swordfish
populations on a sustainable basis;
Whereas the bycatch from commercial longline and driftnet gear in the North
Atlantic swordfish fishery constitutes a grave threat to the biological
health of swordfish and other highly migratory species;
Whereas the average size of a commercially caught North Atlantic swordfish has
fallen from 266 pounds in 1963 to just 90 pounds in 1996;
Whereas nearly 2 of 3 North Atlantic swordfish now caught in the United States
commercial swordfish fishery are juveniles caught before they are
capable of spawning;
Whereas longline fishing gear captures 98 percent of the swordfish taken in the
North Atlantic United States swordfish fishery; and
Whereas the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas
scientific body has recommended that overall fishing mortality be
significantly reduced to rebuild depleted populations of North Atlantic
swordfish and other highly migratory species: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring),
That it is the sense of the Congress that--
(1) the National Marine Fisheries Service should implement
such management measures as will restore populations of North
Atlantic swordfish to levels mandated by the Magnuson-Stevens
Fishery Conservation and Management Act within 7 years;
(2) to rebuild depleted North Atlantic swordfish
populations within 7 years, appropriate Federal agencies should
take action to establish a bycatch reduction framework,
including a timeframe and reference points, to reduce the
bycatch of North Atlantic swordfish and other highly migratory
species of fish by 75 percent in the directed commercial
swordfish fishery by 2005 through the implementation of
appropriate management and conservation measures, with 50
percent of this reduction occurring in the first 2 years;
(3) dead North Atlantic swordfish and all other highly
migratory species discarded as a result of commercial fishing
activities should be counted against species-specific quotas of
the United States established as a result of domestic
regulation or international fishery management agreements;
(4) species-specific bycatch limits should be established
by the United States for North Atlantic swordfish and all other
highly migratory species, that, if exceeded, trigger
predetermined regulatory actions having as their sole purpose
the conservation of highly migratory species;
(5) time and area closures for longline and driftnet gear
should be utilized for known nursery areas, spawning grounds,
and other areas with high concentrations of commercial bycatch
of North Atlantic swordfish and other highly migratory species
to reduce its associated mortality;
(6) longlines intended for use in the exclusive economic
zone of the United States or by United States fishing vessels
should be limited to not more than 10 standard highway miles in
overall length to reduce the bycatch and associated mortality
of North Atlantic swordfish and other highly migratory species;
(7) the use of longlines should be prohibited in the
exclusive economic zone of the United States or by United
States fishing vessels for more than 6 consecutive hours
without retrieving the longlines, to reduce harmful levels of
bycatch mortality associated with the bycatch of highly
migratory species;
(8) additional fishing gear and technique modifications
should be required as necessary to accomplish needed bycatch
reduction goals for swordfish and other highly migratory
species;
(9) domestic observer coverage should be increased to not
less that 50 percent of all pelagic longline and driftnet
vessels pursuing highly migratory species in United States
waters;
(10) representatives of the United States should
aggressively pursue complementary international conservation
and management measures for highly migratory species, including
meaningful international enforcement and compliance measures,
beginning at the 1999 International Commission for the
Conservation of Atlantic Tunas regular meeting and during the
course of other international fishery discussions and
negotiations; and
(11) if conservation and management goals are not
adequately met in the final fisheries management plan for
highly migratory species, the Congress should seek to enact
such restrictions and conservation measures as are necessary to
ensure that the policies expressed in this concurrent
resolution are met in the most expeditious manner possible.
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