[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 277 Introduced in Senate (IS)]





107th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 277

 Expressing the sense of the Senate regarding the policy of the United 
    States at the 19th Annual Meeting of the North Atlantic Salmon 
                       Conservation Organization.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 23, 2002

Ms. Snowe submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
           Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Expressing the sense of the Senate regarding the policy of the United 
    States at the 19th Annual Meeting of the North Atlantic Salmon 
                       Conservation Organization.

Whereas wild Atlantic salmon of both European stocks and those originating in 
        North American rivers have experienced a sharp decline in numbers in 
        recent years;
Whereas the return of these wild Atlantic salmon to the rivers of United States 
        and Canada to spawn is necessary to continue the species' survival;
Whereas the United States is deeply concerned about the status of the last 
        remaining stocks of wild Atlantic salmon returning to United States 
        rivers and is committed to their protection and recovery;
Whereas this situation is so serious that the United States has closed all its 
        Atlantic salmon fisheries and taken the critical step of listing 
        populations of Atlantic salmon as endangered under the United States 
        Endangered Species Act;
Whereas salmon originating in the State of Maine and in other New England salmon 
        rivers migrate to the waters west of Greenland to feed where they can be 
        subject to commercial harvest;
Whereas Atlantic salmon migrate throughout the Northern Atlantic and 
        international cooperation is required to successfully conserve and 
        protect these stocks;
Whereas scientific research and sampling programs to determine the origin of 
        harvested Atlantic salmon are critical and necessary to better 
        understanding and protecting the stocks;
Whereas in 1982 seven nations of the world adopted the Convention for the 
        Conservation of Salmon in the North Atlantic which created the North 
        Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization to promote conservation, 
        restoration, enhancement, and rational management of salmon stocks in 
        the North Atlantic through international cooperation; and
Whereas the United States cannot solve the difficulties facing United States 
        origin salmon alone and the assistance of all Convention member nations 
        is needed: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that--
            (1) at the 19th Annual Meeting of the North Atlantic Salmon 
        Conservation Organization the United States should--
                    (A) advocate the use of science in making Atlantic 
                salmon resource decisions and ensure that any quota 
                setting formula provides adequate protection to those 
                stocks originating in the United States, Canada, and 
                southern Europe that are now at considerable risk of 
                extinction;
                    (B) remain firmly opposed to commercial intercept 
                fishing which takes wild Atlantic Salmon of North 
                American origin;
                    (C) support opportunities to create long-term 
                conservation agreements with other Convention member 
                nations;
                    (D) support adoption of a long-term rebuilding goal 
                and develop a plan for the recovery of North American 
                salmon;
                    (E) advocate the use of sampling programs by all 
                nations to determine the origin of harvested salmon; 
                and
            (2) the United States should make full use of all 
        appropriate diplomatic mechanisms, relevant international laws 
        and agreements, and other appropriate mechanisms to implement 
        the goals set forth in subparagraphs (A) through (E) of 
        paragraph (1).
                                 <all>