[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 89 (Tuesday, July 12, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: July 12, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                      THE STRIPED BASS ACT OF 1994

  Mr. STUDDS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 4504), a bill to amend the Atlantic Striped Bass 
Conservation Act, and for other purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 4504

       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 Striped Bass Act of 1994''.

   TITLE I--AMENDMENTS TO THE ATLANTIC STRIPED BASS CONSERVATION ACT

     SEC. 101. ATLANTIC STRIPED BASS CONSERVATION ACT AMENDMENTS.

       Section 7(a) of the Atlantic Striped Bass Conservation Act 
     is amended by striking ``1986'' and all that follows through 
     ``1994'', and inserting in its place ``1995 and 1996''.

     SEC. 102. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN PREPARATION OF PLANS AND 
                   AMENDMENTS TO PLANS FOR ATLANTIC STRIPED BASS.

       Section 10 of the Atlantic Striped Bass Conservation Act 
     (16 U.S.C. 1851 note) is amended to read as follows:

     ``SEC. 10. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN PREPARATION OF PLANS AND 
                   AMENDMENTS TO PLANS FOR ATLANTIC STRIPED BASS.

       ``Within 6 months after the date of the enactment of the 
     Striped Bass Act of 1994, the Commission shall establish 
     standards and procedures to ensure that the Commission 
     provides an adequate opportunity for public participation in 
     the preparation of any plan for the management of Atlantic 
     striped bass and any amendment to a plan (including any 
     amendment to the Interstate Fisheries Management Plan for 
     Striped Bass, dated October 1, 1981), including public 
     hearings and procedures for the submission of written 
     comments to the Commission.''.

      TITLE II--AMENDMENTS TO THE ANADROMOUS FISH CONSERVATION ACT

     SEC. 201. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       Section 7(d) of the Anadromous Fish Conservation Act (16 
     U.S.C. 757g(d)) is amended by striking ``1991, 1992, 1993, 
     and 1994.'' and inserting ``1994, 1995, 1996, and 1997.''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Massachusetts [Mr. Studds] will be recognized for 20 minutes, and the 
gentleman from Alaska [Mr. Young] will be recognized for 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Massachusetts [Mr. Studds].
  Mr. STUDDS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, 10 years after passage of the Atlantic Striped Bass 
Conservation Act, the striped bass, once considered to be well on its 
way to an endangered species, has been declared recovered and fishermen 
up and down the coast are encountering stripers in record numbers. The 
act has been praised by Federal and State agencies and fishermen alike. 
The cooperative effort it fostered has rebuilt the striped bass fishery 
and reauthorization of the act will ensure that it stays that way. At a 
time when New England and Pacific Northwest fishermen are facing 
greatly restricted fishing seasons to conserve and rebuild their 
fisheries, I am hopeful that they will be inspired by the return of the 
striper. There is no better example of how conservation works.
  This bill reauthorizes the Atlantic Striped Bass Conservation Act 
through fiscal year 1996 and reauthorizes the Anadromous Fish 
Conservation Act through fiscal year 1997. It is supported by the Fish 
and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service, and I 
urge Members' support.
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  (Mr. YOUNG of Alaska asked and was given permission to revise and 
extend his remarks.)
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, the Atlantic Striped Bass 
Conservation Act is a piece of legislation that has achieved its 
objectives. It was enacted to get the Atlantic States to cooperate in 
the conservation and recovery of the Atlantic striped bass. The stocks 
of the Atlantic striped bass are now at levels that can sustain both 
commercial and recreational fishing.
  As important as the reauthorization of this act is, we must remember 
the reason why we enacted the legislation to begin with. We fished the 
stocks to such an extent that they were put into jeopardy.
  Mr. Speaker, in our struggle to become better managers of our marine 
resources, we need to follow through with good management practices and 
not fall back into old perceptions that once a stock recovers, we can 
stop managing and conserving it.
  Mr. STUDDS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New 
York [Mr. Manton].
  Mr. MANTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 4504. 
During the recent past, we Americans, along with our follow citizens of 
the world, have engaged in a myriad of activities that have almost 
eliminated entire stocks of fish. Fortunately, there are success 
stories and today we are dealing with one.
  As recently as 9 years ago, the striped bass fishery had crashed and 
the catch had declined to 77 percent of its former high level.
  Now, as a result of aggressive conservation actions by States, the 
Federal Government and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, 
striper stocks are on the rebound. However, unless Congress acts, the 
Atlantic Striped Bass Act will expire. H.R. 4504 reauthorizes the 
Atlantic Striped Bass Conservation Act and also the Anadromous Fish 
Conservation Act. These reauthorizations are essential to complete this 
task of restoring striped bass for future generations of commercial and 
sport fishermen.
  This bill has widespread support and I urge my colleagues to join me 
in supporting this important legislation.
  Mr. FIELDS of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I support this legislation to 
reauthorize the Atlantic Striped Bass Conservation Act.
  Mr. Speaker, some of our Members may remember the serious decline of 
the striped bass off the east coast in the 1970's and early 1980's. 
That crisis caught our attention in Congress and led to the enactment 
of the Anadromous Fish Conservation Act.
  The Atlantic striped bass are an anadromous fish, traveling to fresh 
water to spawn and then back to salt water for the majority of their 
lives. Their migratory range covers the coast from Maine to North 
Carolina which, before passage of the Atlantic Striped Bass 
Conservation Act, resulted in inconsistent management and led to a 
decline of the stock.
  In 1979, Congress authorized an Emergency Striped Bass study under 
section 7 of the Anadromous Fish Conservation Act. The U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service undertook a 
joint study to determine the cause of the striped bass decline and to 
recommend corrective actions.
  In 1984, Congress enacted the Atlantic Striped Bass Conservation Act, 
giving the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission [ASMFC] the 
authority to enforce the Atlantic striped bass management plan. While 
recognizing the traditional role of the State in managing fisheries 
within State waters, the act requires each State to create management 
measures which are consistent with the overall interstate management 
plan. If a State is not in compliance, the Secretaries of Commerce and 
the Interior can declare a moratorium on the striped bass fishery of 
that State.
  The rebound of the striped bass population along the Atlantic coast 
is one of too few success stories of fisheries management. The past few 
years have shown a healthy recovery of the stock and this act deserves 
much of the credit.
  Mr. Speaker, this has been an effective law and I support the 
reauthorization of this Act.

                              {time}  1300

  Mr. STUDDS. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and at 
this point the Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries will depart 
the floor with its usual bipartisan tranquility.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Fields of Louisiana). The question is on 
the motion offered by the gentleman from Massachusetts [Mr.  Studds] 
that the House suspend the rules and pass H.R. 4504, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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