[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 89 (Tuesday, June 5, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H5934-H5936]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          ENCOURAGING ELIMINATION OF HARMFUL FISHING SUBSIDIES

  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree 
to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 94) encouraging the 
elimination of harmful fishing subsidies that contribute to 
overcapacity in commercial fishing fleets worldwide and that lead to 
the overfishing of global fish stocks, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the concurrent resolution.
  The text of the concurrent resolution is as follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 94

       Whereas nearly 1,000,000,000 people around the world depend 
     on fish as their primary source of dietary protein;
       Whereas the United Nations Food and Agriculture 
     Organization has found that 75 percent of the world's fish 
     populations are currently fully exploited, over exploited, 
     significantly depleted, or recovering from overexploitation;
       Whereas scientists have estimated that a significant 
     percentage of big predator fish such as tuna, marlin, and 
     swordfish are gone from the world's oceans as a result of 
     overfishing by foreign fishing fleets;
       Whereas the global fishing fleet capacity is estimated to 
     be up to 250 percent greater than is needed to catch what the 
     ocean can sustainably produce;
       Whereas the Congress recognized the threat of overfishing 
     to our oceans and economy and therefore included the 
     requirement to end overfishing in the United States by 2011 
     in the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management 
     Reauthorization Act of 2006 (Public Law 109-479);
       Whereas the United States Commission on Ocean Policy and 
     the Pew Oceans Commission identified overcapitalization of 
     the global fishing fleets as a major contributor to the 
     decline of economically important fish populations;
       Whereas harmful fishing subsidies encourage 
     overcapitalization and overfishing; support destructive 
     fishing practices such as high seas trawling that would not 
     otherwise be economically viable; and amount to billions of 
     dollars annually;
       Whereas such subsidies have also been documented to support 
     illegal, unregulated, and unreported fishing, which impacts 
     commercial fisheries in the United States and around the 
     world both economically and ecologically;
       Whereas harmful fishing subsidies are concentrated in 
     relatively few countries, putting other fishing countries, 
     including the United States, at an economic disadvantage;
       Whereas the United States is a world leader in advancing 
     policies to eliminate harmful fishing subsidies that support 
     overcapacity and promote overfishing; and
       Whereas a wide range of countries are currently engaged in 
     historic negotiations to end harmful fishing subsidies that 
     contribute to overcapacity and overfishing: Now, therefore, 
     be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring),  That the United States

[[Page H5935]]

     should continue to promote the elimination of harmful fishing 
     subsidies that lead to--
       (1) overcapitalization;
       (2) overfishing; and
       (3) illegal, unregulated, and unreported fishing.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
the Virgin Islands (Mrs. Christensen) and the gentleman from Utah (Mr. 
Cannon) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands.


                             General Leave

  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members may have 5 days to revise and extend their remarks and include 
extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands?
  There was no objection.
  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  I commend the chairwoman of the Committee on Natural Resources, 
Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife and Oceans, Congresswoman Madeleine 
Bordallo, for introducing House Concurrent Resolution 94. This 
resolution will encourage the United States to support the elimination 
of foreign fishing subsidies that lead to overcapacity and overfishing 
in global fisheries.
  House Concurrent Resolution 94, as amended, resolves that the United 
States will continue to support efforts to eliminate harmful subsidies 
issued by foreign governments to their fishing fleets. These subsidies 
reduce the cost of fishing to foreign fishermen, making fishing a 
profitable enterprise where it otherwise would not be, and leading to 
overcapitalization, overfishing and illegal, unregulated and unreported 
fishing. The end result is that foreign fishing subsidies hurt American 
fishermen who have to compete against subsidized foreign fishing.
  We support this noncontroversial resolution, as amended, and commend 
Ms. Bordallo for her leadership on this issue.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CANNON. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of House Concurrent 
Resolution 94, and yield myself such time as I may consume.
  House Concurrent Resolution 94 has been adequately explained by the 
majority, and I urge adoption of the resolution.
  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, House Concurrent Resolution 94 expresses 
our support for ending the fishing subsidies given to foreign 
fishermen. I appreciate the chairman of the House Natural Resources 
Committee, Nick Rahall, and the Ranking Republican, Don Young, for 
their assistance in moving this legislation.
  Foreign governments' subsidies to fishermen are common in many 
countries around the world. Too little of these subsidies go toward 
beneficial purposes, such as improving fisheries management and 
science. Instead, they typically are used to offset fishing costs, for 
example, by providing support for fuel consumption and vessel 
construction.
  The subsidies artificially decrease the cost of fishing for foreign 
fishermen, making fishing a profitable trade when it would not be 
otherwise. The subsidies increase the rate of overfishing worldwide. 
Current estimates reveal that the sheer number of vessels actively 
fishing around the world today is up to 250 percent greater than is 
sustainable, according to the World Wildlife Fund.
  The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations has found 
that 75 percent of the world's fisheries are fully exploited, over 
exploited, depleted, or recovering from depletion. There is clearly no 
need to expand the world's fishing fleets beyond their current 
capacity. Quite the contrary. By eliminating the subsidies that lead to 
fleet expansion, we can reduce some of this pressure.
  The United States--like other countries--reserves to American 
fishermen and women the exclusive right to fish within 200 nautical 
mile of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Hundreds of foreign vessels 
each year, however, are intercepted while fishing illegally in U.S. 
waters. This rise in illegal fishing, most certainly contributed to by 
the overcapacity in the world's fleets, is placing additional pressure 
on our already exploited resources, damaging our marine ecosystems, and 
taking away potential revenue from our domestic fishing industry. In 
2006 alone, the United States Coast Guard intercepted 164 vessels 
fishing in our EEZ.
  In my home district of Guam the problem of illegal fishing is 
significant. The Western Central Pacific area is considered one of the 
Coast Guard's three highest threat areas for illegal foreign fishing. 
In 2006, the Coast Guard recorded 11 incidents of illegal foreign 
fishing in the Western Central Pacific area. Since 2000, the Coast 
Guard has intercepted an average of 34 vessels per year. And this only 
represents the vessels that are being caught.
  The countries whose vessels are the most likely to be found illegally 
fishing in the U.S. EEZ are also countries that provide large capacity-
increasing subsidies to their fishing fleets. Because enforcement is so 
difficult, it is even more important that we attack the issue at its 
root by encouraging worldwide capacity reduction and by discouraging 
other countries from making it economically feasible for their vessels 
to travel into our waters to fish.
  While we have no direct control over the actions of foreign 
governments, the Doha Round of the current World Trade Organization 
(WTO) negotiations have placed the United States in a unique position 
to influence the future use of harmful fisheries subsidies by other 
countries. Through these negotiations the United States has an 
opportunity to exercise its leadership internationally in encouraging 
the elimination of subsidies that increase fishing capacity and that 
promote overfishing. By passing this concurrent resolution, Congress 
can demonstrate to the world its support for our government as they 
move forward with these negotiations.
  I strongly urge my colleagues to take a strong stance against harmful 
foreign fishing subsidies by supporting this House Concurrent 
Resolution 94.
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Con. 
Res. 94, encouraging the elimination of harmful fishing subsidies that 
contribute to overcapacity in commercial fishing fleets worldwide and 
that lead to the over-fishing of global fish stocks.
  I commend my esteemed colleague from Guam, the Chairwoman of the 
Natural Resources Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife and Oceans for 
submitting this concurrent resolution. She understands the severe 
impact that over-fishing has on our world's oceans and this resolution 
is an important step in gaining the cooperation of other nations in 
managing our shared ocean resources responsibly.
  According to a 2006 scientific study, there may be no more commercial 
fish stocks left in the sea by 2050. As the report states, since 1950 
29% of the world's commercial fish species have already collapsed. If 
we do not change our course and stop over-fishing, our children could 
be the first generation to face entirely empty oceans.
  One major contributor to this precipitous decline in global fish 
stocks is the huge overcapacity of our global fishing fleets. By some 
accounts, the current fishing fleet capacity is 250% of what is needed 
to catch the maximum sustainable yield from the oceans. In many 
instances, this overcapacity is fueled by harmful subsidies provided by 
a limited number of foreign governments to their fishing fleets, 
leading to over-fishing, and ecologically unsound bottom-trawling in 
international waters.
  Through our nation's laws, such as the Magnuson-Stevens Act, we have 
established a strong federal policy supporting sustainable fishing 
practices here in the United States. In order to successfully manage 
the world's limited ocean resources, however, we need to promote the 
elimination of these fishing subsidies with the cooperation of our 
neighbors in the world community. This Resolution is an important first 
step in developing a global plan to manage our oceans responsibly. 
Again, I thank my friend from Guam and I urge my colleagues to support 
H. Con. Res. 94, encouraging the elimination of these harmful fishing 
subsidies.
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Con. Res. 
94. I want to thank Chairwoman Bordallo and Chairman Rahall for their 
efforts on this resolution.
  I know the issue of harmful foreign fishing subsidies is one of the 
key concerns of the West Virginia fishing fleet and I congratulate Mr. 
Rahall on his interest in this resolution.
  All kidding aside, this issue is a global concern. Harmful foreign 
fishing subsidies that threaten the sustainability of legitimate 
fisheries and threaten the economic viability and international 
competitiveness of the U.S. fishing industry must be identified and 
eliminated.
  Some foreign fishing fleets have been heavily subsidized by their 
governments and this has led to over exploitation of some important 
fish species.
  Harmful subsidies not only put legitimately prosecuted fisheries in 
jeopardy of overfishing, but also put U.S. fishermen at an economic 
disadvantage in the global fish market.
  However, we need to be careful when discussing subsidies because some 
subsidies are actually beneficial. Government programs which help 
fishermen reduce unnecessary bycatch, which aid efforts to develop 
``clean'' fishing gear, which aid governments in monitoring or 
enforcing the fisheries, or which

[[Page H5936]]

make the fishery safer for fishermen are all legitimate and beneficial 
governmental programs.
  Harmful subsidies that increase the size and harvesting capabilities 
of fishing fleets beyond the capacity needed to sustainably harvest the 
quotas in a fishery can be harmful environmentally and economically.
  While I support the main concept of this resolution--to place the 
House of Representatives on the record opposing harmful fishing 
subsidies by foreign governments--one statistic used in this resolution 
is misleading even though it is often quoted. The resolution uses the 
statistic that ``75 percent of the world's fish populations are 
currently fully exploited, over exploited, significantly depleted or 
recovering from overexploitation.'' Full exploitation of fisheries is 
not necessarily a bad thing. In fact, the full utilization of our 
Nation's fisheries is a key purpose of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 
Conservation and Management Act. Admitedly, fully exploited fisheries 
need to be carefully managed, monitored, and enforced to keep them from 
becoming over exploited.
  If you remove ``fully exploited'' from this statistic, the figure 
drops to approximately 25 percent. This figure, while much less 
dramatic, is still a concern that we need to address. Foreign subsidies 
that contribute to this figure need to be addressed.
  The United States has already taken a leading role in addressing IUU 
fisheries and in addressing harmful foreign subsidies. I support these 
efforts and urge support of efforts to continue to reduce harmful 
foreign fishing subsidies.
  Mr. CANNON. Mr. Speaker, I have no additional speakers, and 
therefore, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I also yield back the balance of my 
time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands (Mrs. Christensen) that the House 
suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res. 
94, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the concurrent resolution, as amended, was 
agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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