[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1192 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







105th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1192

To limit the size of vessels permitted to fish for Atlantic mackerel or 
herring, to the size permitted under the appropriate fishery management 
                                 plan.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           September 18, 1997

  Ms. Snowe (for herself, Mr. Kerry, and Mr. Kennedy) introduced the 
 following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on 
                 Commerce, Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To limit the size of vessels permitted to fish for Atlantic mackerel or 
herring, to the size permitted under the appropriate fishery management 
                                 plan.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``North Atlantic Fisheries Resource 
Conservation Act''.

SEC. 2. HARVEST OF ATLANTIC MACKEREL AND HERRING BY LARGE FISHING 
              VESSELS.

    (a) Permit Required.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law to 
the contrary, the Secretary of Commerce may not authorize or permit any 
fishing vessel (as defined in section 3(17) of the Magnuson-Stevens 
Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1802(17) that--
            (1) is 165 feet in length or longer; or
            (2) has an engine or engines capable of producing a total 
        of more than 3,000 horsepower,
to harvest Atlantic mackerel or Atlantic herring in a fishery unless 
the participation of such a vessel is specifically allowed under a 
fishery management plan developed and implemented for that fishery 
under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 
U.S.C. 1801 et seq.).
    (b) Existing Permit To Be Revoked.--Within 5 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall revoke any permit issued by 
the Secretary before that date to a vessel described in subsection (a) 
under which the vessel would be permitted to harvest Atlantic mackerel 
or Atlantic herring in such a fishery.
    (c) Fishery Management Plan.--
            (1) Implementation of plan.--The New England Fishery 
        Management Council shall prepare and submit a fishery 
        management plan for Atlantic herring no later than June 30, 
        1998. The Secretary of Commerce shall implement the plan no 
        later than September 30, 1998.
            (2) Amendment of plan to permit larger vessels to 
        harvest.--The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, in 
        consultation with the New England Fishery Management Council, 
        shall prepare and submit, no later than June 30, 1998, an 
        amendment to the Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Mackerel, 
        Squid, and Butterfish Fisheries which specifically addresses 
        the participation of vessels described in subsection (a) in the 
        harvesting of Atlantic mackerel. The Secretary of Commerce 
        shall implement the amendment no later than September 30, 1998.
            (3) Vessel length and power criteria.--The Council and the 
        Secretary may include vessel length or vessel power 
        limitations, or both, in any fishery management plan or 
        amendment under paragraph (1) or (2). The limitations may be 
        greater or smaller than the vessel length and vessel power of a 
        vessel described in subsection (a).
                                 <all>