[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 126 (Friday, September 19, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Page S9734]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           NORTH ATLANTIC FISHERIES RESOURCE CONSERVATION ACT

 Ms. SNOWE. Mr. President, yesterday Senator Kerry and I 
introduced the North Atlantic Fisheries Resource Conservation Act. 
Unfortunately, we neglected to specifically ask that the text of the 
bill be printed in the Record. In order to ensure that the public has 
easy access to the bill's language, I now ask that the text of this 
bill be printed in the Record.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                S. 1192

       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 ``North Atlantic Fisheries 
     Resource Conservation Act''.

     SEC. 2. HARVEST OF ATLANTIC MACKEREL AND HERRING BY LARGE 
                   FISHING VESSELS.

       (a) Permit Required.--Nothwithstanding any other provision 
     of law to the contrary, the Secretary of Commerce may not 
     authorize or permit any fishing vessel (as defined in section 
     3(17) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and 
     Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1802(17) that--
       (1) is 165 feet in length or longer; or
       (2) has an engine or engines capable of producing a total 
     of more than 3000 horsepower,

     to harvest Atlantic mackerel or Atlantic herring in a fishery 
     unless the participation of such a vessel is specifically 
     allowed under a fishery management plan developed and 
     implemented for that fishery under the Magnuson-Stevens 
     Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1801 et 
     seq.).
       (b) Existing Permit To Be Revoked.--Within 5 days after the 
     date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall revoke any 
     permit issued by the Secretary before that date to a vessel 
     described in subsection (a) under which the vessel would be 
     permitted to harvest Atlantic mackerel or Atlantic herring in 
     such a fishery.
       (c) Fishery Management Plan.--
       (1) Implementation of plan.--The New England Fishery 
     Management Council shall prepare and submit a fishery 
     management plan for Atlantic herring no later than June 30, 
     1998. The Secretary of Commerce shall implement the plan no 
     later than September 30, 1998.
       (2) Amendment of plan to permit larger vessels to 
     harvest.--The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, in 
     consultation with the New England Fishery Management Council, 
     shall prepare and submit, no later than June 30, 1998, an 
     amendment to the Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic 
     Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Fisheries which specifically 
     addresses the participation of vessels described in 
     subsection (a) in the harvesting of Atlantic mackerel. The 
     Secretary of Commerce shall implement the amendment no later 
     than September 30, 1998.
       (3) Vessel length and power criteria.--The Council and the 
     Secretary may include vessel length or vessel power 
     limitations, or both, in any fishery management plan or 
     amendment under paragraph (1) or (2). The limitations may be 
     greater or smaller than the vessel length and vessel power of 
     a vessel described in subsection (a).

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