[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 143 (Wednesday, October 5, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: October 5, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]


                              {time}  1900
 
 SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT MEASURES FOR 
                         ATLANTIC BLUEFIN TUNA

  Mr. STUDDS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee 
on Merchant Marine and Fisheries be discharged from further 
consideration of the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 295) to 
express the sense of the Congress of the United States that the United 
States should actively seek compliance by all countries with the 
conservation and management measures for Atlantic bluefin tuna adopted 
by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas, 
and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.
  The Clerk read the title of the concurrent resolution.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Visclosky). Is there objection to the 
request of the gentleman from Massachusetts?
  Mr. FIELDS of Texas. Mr. Speaker, reserving the right to object, and 
I will not object, this piece of legislation has been cleared on our 
side, and I yield to the distinguished gentleman from Massachusetts 
[Mr. Studds], our chairman, for an opportunity to explain the 
legislation if he so desires.
  Mr. STUDDS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his cooperation.
  Mr. Speaker, House Concurrent Resolution 295 expresses the sense of 
the Congress that the United States should actively seek compliance by 
all nations with the conservation and management measures for Atlantic 
bluefin tuna adopted by the International Commission for the 
Conservation of Atlantic Tunas [ICCAT].
  During the past two decades, bluefin tuna stocks in the Atlantic 
Ocean have declined to 20 percent of their pre-1970 levels. Through 
ICCAT, the United States has assumed a leadership role in the 
development of conservation and management programs to rebuild bluefin 
stocks. Significant conservation and management measures have been 
adopted in the western Atlantic, resulting in substantial quota 
reductions for U.S. fishermen.
  Unfortunately, other nations whose fishermen fish for bluefin have 
not been as responsible. ICCAT member nations that fish in the eastern 
Atlantic continue to flaunt the most basic ICCAT guidelines, exceeding 
target harvest levels and catching millions of undersized fish. In 
addition, many other countries that are not members of ICCAT also 
harvest bluefin in violation of ICCAT recommendations.
  Last month, a National Academy of Sciences panel concluded that this 
onesided conservation program will not rebuild bluefin stocks. It also 
found that previously reported declines in the abundance of bluefin in 
the western Atlantic were not supported by the scientific data and that 
further quota reductions could not be justified.
  The United States has consistently demonstrated its commitment to the 
recovery of Atlantic bluefin. Now it is time for other nations to do 
the same. The results of the National Academy review confirm this. This 
resolution directs the United States to encourage all nations 
harvesting bluefin to adopt bluefin conservation programs comparable to 
the U.S. program. It also states that the United States should not even 
consider further quota reductions until foreign fishermen have done 
their fair share.
  The current ICCAT program for bluefin, which focuses conservation 
efforts strictly in the western Atlantic, where only 12 percent of the 
bluefin harvest occurs, is unfair to U.S. fishermen and will not 
restore bluefin stocks. Instead all nations must play by the same 
rules. It is time for our Government to assume a leadership role on 
this issue comparable to the leadership position we have taken in the 
conservation of this magnificent fish.
  (Mr. STUDDS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. FIELDS of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I withdraw my reservation of 
objection.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Massachusetts?
  There was no objection.
  The Clerk read the concurrent resolution, as follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 295

       Whereas Atlantic bluefin tuna are a valuable commercial and 
     recreational fishery of the United States;
       Whereas many other countries also harvest Atlantic bluefin 
     tuna in the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea;
       Whereas the International Commission for the Conservation 
     of Atlantic Tunas (hereinafter referred to as the 
     Commission), was established in 1969 to develop conservation 
     and management recommendations for Atlantic bluefin tuna and 
     other highly migratory species in the Atlantic Ocean and the 
     Mediterranean Sea;
       Whereas the Commission adopted conservation and management 
     recommendations in 1974 to ensure the recovery and 
     sustainability of Atlantic bluefin tuna throughout the 
     Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea;
       Whereas in 1981, the Commission adopted a management 
     strategy for Atlantic bluefin tuna predicated on a hypothesis 
     that two stocks of the fish existed; a western stock found in 
     the Atlantic west of 45 degrees west longitude (hereinafter 
     referred to as the 45 degree line), and an eastern stock 
     found in the Atlantic Ocean east of the 45 degree line and in 
     the Mediterranean Sea;
       Whereas since 1981, the Commission has adopted additional, 
     more restrictive conservation and management recommendations 
     for Atlantic bluefin tuna for countries that harvest bluefin 
     tuna west of the 45 degree line, including a 25 percent quota 
     reduction since 1991 with an additional 40 percent quota 
     reduction scheduled for 1995;
       Whereas the United States and other Commission members that 
     harvest bluefin tuna west of the 45 degree line have 
     implemented all conservation and management recommendations 
     adopted by the Commission for Atlantic bluefin tuna west of 
     the 45 degree line;
       Whereas many other Commission members do not comply with 
     the conservation and management recommendations adopted by 
     the Commission for Atlantic bluefin tuna east of the 45 
     degree line;
       Whereas a recent National Academy of Sciences (NAS) review 
     of the scientific data used by the Commission concluded that 
     the available data is consistent with a one stock management 
     strategy for bluefin tuna in the North Atlantic;
       Whereas the NAS review also found that abundance of 
     Atlantic bluefin tuna in the western Atlantic has remained 
     stable since 1988, in contrast to the roughly 50 percent 
     decline in abundance reported by the Commission;
       Whereas the continued unrestricted harvesting of Atlantic 
     bluefin tuna east of the 45 degree line and in the 
     Mediterranean Sea will undermine the Commission's 
     recommendations being implemented west of the line to rebuild 
     Atlantic bluefin tuna; and
       Whereas, in order to successfully rebuild the Atlantic 
     bluefin tuna stock, conservation and management 
     recommendations must be adopted and implemented throughout 
     the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea: Now, therefore, 
     be it
         Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring), That it is the sense of the Congress that--
       (1) the United States and the International Commission for 
     the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (hereinafter referred to 
     as the Commission) should continue to promote the 
     conservation and management of Atlantic bluefin tuna 
     throughout the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea and 
     develop a program to rebuild Atlantic bluefin tuna that 
     requires the participation of all nations that harvest this 
     species;
       (2) the United States should ensure that the scientific 
     findings and recommendations of the National Academy of 
     Sciences Atlantic bluefin tuna review panel are made 
     available to and included in the considerations of the 
     Commission's scientific advisory panel;
       (3) the United States should oppose any further quota 
     reductions for nations harvesting Atlantic bluefin tuna west 
     of the 45 degree line until the impacts of recent 
     conservation measures can be determined, and until all 
     nations harvesting Atlantic bluefin tuna west and east of the 
     45 degree line share equally in conservation and rebuilding 
     efforts for the Atlantic bluefin tuna resources;
       (4) the continued harvesting by fishermen from any country 
     which is a member of the Commission and which does not comply 
     with the conservation and management recommendations of the 
     Commission will be considered by the Congress to diminish the 
     effectiveness of an international fishery conservation 
     program and, as such, will be considered by the Congress to 
     be subject to the embargo provision in section 6 of the 
     Atlantic Tunas Convention Act;
       (5) the United States should encourage other nations with 
     significant markets for Atlantic bluefin tuna to prohibit the 
     importation of that species from harvesting nations which did 
     not comply with the conservation and management 
     recommendations adopted by the Commission; and
       (6) the United States should encourage the Commission to 
     adopt recommendations authorizing the use of discretionary 
     trade actions as enforcement measures when the actions of a 
     nation are undermining the effectiveness of conservation and 
     management recommendations of the Commission.


     amendment in the nature of a substitute offered by mr. studds

  Mr. STUDDS. Mr. Speaker, I offer an amendment in the nature of a 
substitute.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Amendment in the nature of a substitute offered by Mr. 
     Studds: Strike out all after the resolving clause and insert:
       (1) the United States and the International Commission for 
     the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (hereinafter referred to 
     as the Commission) should continue to promote the 
     conservation and management of Atlantic bluefin tuna 
     throughout the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea and 
     develop a program to rebuild Atlantic bluefin tuna that 
     requires the participation of all nations that harvest this 
     species;
       (2) the United States should ensure that the scientific 
     findings and recommendations of the National Academy of 
     Sciences Atlantic bluefin tuna review panel are made 
     available to and included in the considerations of the 
     Commission's scientific advisory panel;
       (3) the United States should oppose any further quota 
     reductions for nations harvesting Atlantic bluefin tuna west 
     of the 45 degree line and insist that all nations harvesting 
     Atlantic bluefin tuna west and east of the 45 degree line 
     implement comparable conservation and rebuilding programs for 
     the Atlantic bluefin tuna resource;
       (4) the continued harvesting by fishermen from any country 
     which is a member of the Commission and which does not comply 
     with the conservation and management recommendations of the 
     Commission will be considered by the Congress to diminish the 
     effectiveness of an international fishery conservation 
     program and, as such, will be considered by the Congress to 
     be subject to the embargo provision in Section 6 of the 
     Atlantic Tunas Convention Act;
       (5) the United States should encourage other nations with 
     significant markets for Atlantic bluefin tuna to prohibit the 
     importation of that species from harvesting nations which do 
     not comply with the conservation and management 
     recommendations adopted by the Commission; and
  (6) the United States should encourage the Commission to adopt 
recommendations authorizing the use of discretionary trade actions as 
enforcement measures when the actions of a nation are undermining the 
effectiveness of conservation and management recommendations of the 
Commission.

  Mr. STUDDS (during the reading). Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent 
that the amendment be considered as read and printed in the Record.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Massachusetts?
  There was no objection.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the amendment in the 
nature of a substitute offered by the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. 
Studds).
  The amendment in the nature of a substitute was agreed to.
  The concurrent resolution was agreed to.


            Amendment to the Preamble Offered by Mr. STUDDS

  Mr. STUDDS. Mr. Speaker, I offer an amendment to the preamble.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Amendment to the preamble offered by Mr. Studds: Amend the 
     preamble to read as follows:
       Whereas Atlantic bluefin tuna are a valuable commercial and 
     recreational fishery of the United States;
       Whereas many other countries also harvest Atlantic bluefin 
     tuna in the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea;
       Whereas the International Commission for the Conservation 
     of Atlantic Tunas (hereinafter referred to as the 
     Commission), was established in 1969 to develop conservation 
     and management recommendations for Atlantic bluefin tuna and 
     other highly migratory species in the Atlantic Ocean and the 
     Mediterranean Sea;
       Whereas the Commission adopted conservation and management 
     recommendations in 1974 to ensure the recovery and 
     sustainability of Atlantic bluefin tuna throughout the 
     Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea;
       Whereas in 1981, the Commission adopted a management 
     strategy for Atlantic bluefin tuna predicated on a hypothesis 
     that two stocks of the fish existed: a western stock found in 
     the Atlantic west of 45 degrees west longitude (hereinafter 
     referred to as the 45 degree line), and an eastern stock 
     found in the Atlantic Ocean east of the 45 degree line and in 
     the Mediterranean Sea;
       Whereas since 1981, the Commission has adopted additional, 
     more restrictive conservation and management recommendations 
     for Atlantic bluefin tuna for countries that harvest bluefin 
     tuna west of the 45 degree line, including a 25% quota 
     reduction since 1991 with an additional 40% quota reduction 
     scheduled for 1995;
       Whereas the United States and other Commission members that 
     harvest bluefin tuna west of the 45 degree line have 
     implemented all conservation and management recommendations 
     adopted by the Commission for Atlantic bluefin tuna west of 
     the 45 degree line;
       Whereas many other Commission members do not comply with 
     the conservation and management recommendations adopted by 
     the Commission for Atlantic bluefin tuna east of the 45 
     degree line;
       Whereas a recent National Academy of Sciences (NAS) review 
     of the scientific data used by the Commission concluded that 
     the available data is consistent with a one stock management 
     strategy for bluefin tuna in the North Atlantic;
       Whereas the NAS review also found that abundance of 
     Atlantic bluefin tuna in the western Atlantic has remained 
     stable since 1988, in contrast to the roughly 50% decline in 
     abundance reported by the Commission;
       Whereas the continued unrestricted harvesting of Atlantic 
     bluefin tuna east of the 45 degree line and in the 
     Mediterranean Sea will undermine the Commission's 
     recommendations being implemented west of the line to rebuild 
     Atlantic bluefin tuna;
       Whereas, in order to successfully rebuild the Atlantic 
     bluefin tuna stock, conservation and management 
     recommendations must be adopted and implemented throughout 
     the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the amendment to the 
preamble offered by the gentleman from Massachusetts [Mr. Studds].
  The amendment to the preamble was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________