[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 77 (Wednesday, June 6, 2001)]
[House]
[Pages H2900-H2901]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  EXTENDING AUTHORITY OF WASHINGTON, OREGON AND CALIFORNIA TO MANAGE 
                         DUNGENESS CRAB FISHERY

  Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 1661) to extend indefinitely the authority of the States of 
Washington, Oregon, and California to manage a Dungeness crab fishery 
until the effective date of a fishery management plan for the fishery 
under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 1661

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY OF STATES OF WASHINGTON, 
                   OREGON, AND CALIFORNIA TO MANAGE DUNGENESS CRAB 
                   FISHERY.

       Section 203 of the Act entitled ``An Act to approve a 
     governing international fishery agreement between the United 
     States and the Republic of Poland, and for other purposes'', 
     approved November 13, 1998 (Public Law 105-384; 16 U.S.C. 
     1856 note), is amended by striking subsection (i).

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Maryland (Mr. Gilchrest) and the gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands 
(Mrs. Christensen) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Gilchrest).
  Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1661 is a bill to extend the existing State 
management of the Dungeness crab fishery off the coasts of California, 
Oregon, and Washington. The bill is sponsored by the gentleman from 
California (Mr. George Miller) and the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. 
Walden).
  This is not the first time State management of the Dungeness crab 
fishery has been addressed by Congress. In 1996, in conjunction with 
the Sustainable Fisheries Act, Congress authorized the States of 
California, Oregon, and Washington the interim authority for the 
management of Dungeness crab for 3 years. During that period of time, 
the States showed they could cooperatively and effectively manage the 
Dungeness crab fishery.
  When the interim authority was due to expire in 1998, the Pacific 
Fishery Management Council, which has the Federal management 
responsibility for conservation and management of the fishery, wrote to 
Congress requesting an extension of State management authority.
  For the past 5 years, the States has been cooperatively managing the 
Dungeness crab fishery, which occurs in Federal waters adjacent to 
their States. This is an extremely valuable fishery. In fact, in the 
1999-2000 season, 41.3 million pounds of Dungeness crab were landed, 
which had a value of $84.2 million. This is a healthy food source for 
thousands of Americans.
  H.R. 1661 will extend the authority for State management 
indefinitely. Until the Pacific Council decides it should regain its 
authority through a Federal fishery management plan developed by the 
Council, the States will

[[Page H2901]]

continue their cooperative management.
  Congress has acted favorably on this issue in the past, and I urge 
passage of this non-controversial bill. I want to thank Members on both 
sides of the aisle for their cooperation, especially the Members who 
sponsored this legislation; and I want to thank the staff on both sides 
of the aisle for helping this legislation along.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the bill as well. As my colleague 
has explained, H.R. 1661, introduced by our colleague, the gentleman 
from California (Mr. George Miller), allows the States of California, 
Oregon, and Washington to continue to cooperatively adopt and enforce 
State laws to manage the Dungeness crab fishery in Federal waters along 
the West Coast of the United States.
  The States were first granted this interim authority in 1996 while 
future options for managing its fishery were explored. The compelling 
reason at that time was a need to accommodate the rights of Northwest 
Indian tribes to harvest a share of the crab resource off of the coast 
of Washington while the options for future management by the Pacific 
Fisheries Management Council were explored.
  The State management program worked well, and the Pacific Fishery 
Management Council has requested that the Congress allow the State 
management authority to be extended in lieu of a Federal plan.
  We have done that once already through legislation, and this bill 
would continue that authority indefinitely. It does not override the 
Council's authority in any way, as State authority would expire should 
the Council ever decide to develop a Federal plan. In the meantime, 
however, it ensures strong conservation and management of the Dungeness 
crab fishery, that it will continue, and is supported by all three 
States, the tribes, the processors and the fishermen. I urge Members to 
support the passage of H.R. 1661 today.
  Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and 
I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Gilchrest) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1661.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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