    [Senate Treaty Document 113-3]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]

    113th Congress                                              Treaty Doc.
    SENATE
    1st Session                                                113-3
    _______________________________________________________________________

     AMENDMENT TO THE CONVENTION ON FUTURE MULTILATERAL COOPERATION IN THE
                          NORTHWEST ATLANTIC FISHERIES

                                   __________

                                    MESSAGE

                                      from

                       THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

                                  transmitting

     AMENDMENT TO THE CONVENTION ON FUTURE MULTILATERAL COOPERATION IN THE
      NORTHWEST ATLANTIC FISHERIES, ADOPTED ON SEPTEMBER 28, 2007, AT THE
          TWENTY-NINTH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE NORTH ATLANTIC FISHERIES
                              ORGANIZATION (NAFO)

    April 22, 2013.--Treaty was read the first time, and together with the
    accompanying papers, referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations and
                ordered to be printed for the use of the Senate

                             LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL

                                  ----------

                                       The White House, April 22, 2013.
    To the Senate of the United States:
        With a view to receiving the advice and consent of the
    Senate to ratification, I transmit herewith the Amendment to
    the Convention on Future Multilateral Cooperation in the
    Northwest Atlantic Fisheries (the ``Convention''), adopted on
    September 28, 2007, at the twenty-ninth Annual Meeting of the
    North Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO). I also transmit,
    for the information of the Senate, the report of the Secretary
    of State on the Amendment, which includes an article-by-article
    analysis.
        The Amendment serves to bring the Convention in line with
    modern international fisheries governance, including revisions
    to its decisionmaking and objection rules and a new
    comprehensive dispute settlement procedure. The Amendment also
    reflects changes to the budget contribution scheme that are
    expected to significantly reduce U.S. annual payments to NAFO.
    Involved Federal agencies and stakeholders strongly support the
    proposed changes to the Convention. The strengthened Convention
    will improve the way NAFO manages the fish stocks under its
    purview and enforces compliance with the measures it adopts,
    which in turn will improve the chances that key stocks in the
    Northwest Atlantic will recover enough to support resumed
    fishing.
        The recommended changes to the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries
    Convention Act of 1995 necessary to implement the Amendment
    will be submitted separately to the Congress. I therefore
    recommend that the Senate give favorable consideration to the
    Amendment to the Convention and give its advice and consent to
    ratification at the earliest possible date.
                                                          Barack Obama.

                              LETTER OF SUBMITTAL

                                  ----------

                                           Department of State,
                                          Washington, October 19, 2012.
    The President,
    The White House.
        The President: I have the honor to submit to you, with a
    view to its transmission to the Senate for advice and consent
    to ratification, comprehensive amendments to the 1979
    Convention on Future Multilateral Cooperation in the Northwest
    Atlantic Fisheries (the ``Convention''), adopted in Lisbon,
    Portugal on September 28, 2007. Also enclosed is an Overview of
    the amended Convention, which includes a detailed article-by-
    article analysis.
        The Convention established the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries
    Organization (NAFO), which is charged with coordinating the
    scientific study and cooperative management of most of the
    fisheries resources of the Northwest Atlantic Ocean. NAFO
    launched a reform effort in 2005 to bring itself in line with
    the principles of modem fisheries management, which also
    offered the opportunity to address the United States'
    particular concerns over catch allocations and fair
    participation.
        The resulting comprehensive amendments include new articles
    detailing definitions and general principles; specifying the
    basic duties of Contracting Parties, flag State Parties and
    port State Parties; and addressing cooperation with non-
    Contracting Parties and other international organizations. The
    amendments also change the basis for decision-making and impose
    greater discipline on the process by which Contracting Parties
    may object to a Commission decision. The revised text
    establishes for the first time a comprehensive dispute
    settlement procedure. Finally, the updates create a more
    equitable budget contribution scheme, which, once in force, is
    expected to reduce U.S. payments to the Organization by at
    least one-third,
        The U.S. Department of State, U.S. Department of Commerce,
    the U.S. Coast Guard, environmental NGOs, and the U.S. fishing
    industry support the amendments. The strengthened Convention
    will improve the way NAFO manages the stocks under its purview
    and enforces compliance with the measures it adopts, which in
    turn will improve the chances that key stocks will recover
    enough to support resumed fishing.
        Recommended changes to the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries
    Convention Act of 1995 to implement the amendments will be
    submitted separately to the Congress.
        I recommend, therefore, that you transmit the amended
    Convention to the Senate for its advice and consent to
    ratification at the earliest possible date.
        Respectfully submitted.
                                                Hillary Rodham Clinton.
        Enclosure: As stated.