110 HRES 814 IH: Encouraging the elimination of fishing U.S. House of Representatives 2007-11-09 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

IV 110th CONGRESS 1st Session H. RES. 814 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES November 9, 2007 Mr. Kind (for himself and Mr. Brady of Texas) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means RESOLUTION Encouraging the elimination of fishing subsidies that contribute to overcapacity in the world’s commercial fishing fleets and lead to overfishing of global fish stocks.

Whereas 2,600,000,000 people in the world get at least 20 percent of their total dietary animal protein intake from fish; Whereas the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations has found that 75 percent of the world’s fisheries are currently overexploited, fully exploited, significantly depleted, or recovering from overexploitation; Whereas countries throughout the world are currently being forced to deal with the negative social and economic consequences that result from the overexploitation of crucial fisheries stocks; Whereas the global fishing fleet capacity is estimated to be considerably greater than is needed to catch what the ocean can sustainably produce; Whereas the United States Congress recognized the threat of overfishing to our oceans and economy and therefore included the requirement to end overfishing in United States commercial fisheries by 2011 in the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Reauthorization Act of 2006; Whereas the United States Commission on Ocean Policy and the Pew Oceans Commission identified overcapitalization of the global commercial fishing fleets as a major contributor to the decline of economically important fish populations; Whereas the United Nations Code of Conduct for Responsible Fishing clearly articulates that the United States and all countries should take actions to prevent overfishing and excess fishing capacity; Whereas scientific studies indicate that subsidies result in fishing activity that is beyond biologically sustainable limits; Whereas harmful fishing subsidies encourage overcapitalization and overfishing, support destructive fishing practices that would not otherwise be economically viable, and amount to at least $20,000,000,000 annually, an amount equivalent to approximately 25 percent of the global commercial trade in fish; Whereas harmful fishing subsidies are concentrated in relatively few countries, putting other fishing countries, including the United States, at an economic disadvantage; Whereas the scope and magnitude of global fisheries subsidies are so massive that eliminating subsidies that contribute to increasing capacity is one of the most significant actions that can be taken to help reverse the decline in global fish stocks; Whereas new multilateral trade rules on subsidies that distort production, trade and the sustainability of fisheries resources are necessary to restore global fish stocks to sustainable levels; Whereas it is essential that the United States continue to be a world leader in advancing policies to eliminate fishing subsidies that promote overcapacity and overfishing; Whereas the United States has represented to the World Trade Organization that a broad prohibition addressing all elements that support fishing capacity is needed to clarify and improve the international trade rules on subsidies; and Whereas members of the World Trade Organization, as part of the Doha Development Agenda (Doha Development Round), are engaged in historic negotiations to end harmful fishing subsidies that contribute to overcapacity and overfishing: Now, therefore, be it

That the House of Representatives urge the United States to seek, in the Doha Development Round negotiations, effective multilateral agreements to prohibit fishing subsidies that promote— (1)overcapitalization; (2)overfishing; and (3)illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing.