[Senate Report 105-94]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]




105th Congress                                                   Report
                                  SENATE                          
1st Session                                                      105-94
_______________________________________________________________________

                                     

                                                       Calendar No. 186



 
                         CORAL REEF ECOSYSTEMS

                               __________

                              R E P O R T

                                 OF THE

           COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION

                                   on

                             H. CON. RES. 8




               September 30, 1997.--Ordered to be printed

                              _________

                     U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
                              WASHINGTON : 1997


       SENATE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION
                       one hundred fifth congress
                             first session

                     JOHN McCAIN, Arizona, Chairman
TED STEVENS, Alaska                  ERNEST F. HOLLINGS, South Carolina
CONRAD BURNS, Montana                DANIEL K. INOUYE, Hawaii
SLADE GORTON, Washington             WENDELL H. FORD, Kentucky
TRENT LOTT, Mississippi              JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER IV, West 
KAY BAILEY HUTCHISON, Texas              Virginia
OLYMPIA SNOWE, Maine                 JOHN F. KERRY, Massachusetts
JOHN ASHCROFT, Missouri              JOHN B. BREAUX, Louisiana
BILL FRIST, Tennessee                RICHARD H. BRYAN, Nevada
SPENCER ABRAHAM, Michigan            BYRON L. DORGAN, North Dakota
SAM BROWNBACK, Kansas                RON WYDEN, Oregon
                       John Raidt, Staff Director
     Ivan A. Schlager, Democratic Chief Counsel and Staff Director



                                                       Calendar No. 186

105th Congress                                                   Report
                                 SENATE

 1st Session                                                     105-94
_______________________________________________________________________



                         CORAL REEF ECOSYSTEMS

                                _______
                                

               September 30, 1997.--Ordered to be printed

_______________________________________________________________________


       Mr. McCain, from the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
                Transportation, submitted the following

                              R E P O R T

                     [To accompany H. Con. Res. 8]

    The Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, to 
which was referred the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 8) 
``A Concurrent Resolution recognizing the significance of 
maintaining the health and stability of coral reef 
ecosystems'', having considered the same, reports favorably 
thereon with amendments and recommends that the concurrent 
resolution (as amended) do pass.

                       Purpose of the Resolution

    The purpose of H. Con. Res. 8 is to express Congressional 
commitment to improve stewardship, research, and sustainable 
use of coral reefs. The resolution also acknowledges United 
States participation in the International Coral Reef Initiative 
and recognizes that 1997 has been declared the ``International 
Year of the Reef.''

                  Background and Need for Legislation

    Coral reefs are recognized as being among the world's most 
productive and biologically diverse habitats. Restricted to 
areas with clean, warm water free of excessive sediments, coral 
reefs thrive only in limited areas of the oceans. In the United 
States, only Florida and Hawaii have well developed coral reefs 
in their coastal waters, although coral reefs are associated 
with many of the United States territories in the Caribbean and 
the Pacific Oceans. Coral communities are found at Gray's Reef 
off the Georgia coast and The Flower Garden Banks off of Texas.
    Despite their limited distribution, coral reefs provide 
substantial economic and environmental benefits. Annually, the 
reefs of the Florida Keys attract over 2.5 million visitors and 
generate over, $2.9 billion in revenue from recreational 
activities like fishing, diving,and boating. This reef-based 
tourism generates thousands of job opportunities in Florida alone. 
Healthy coral reefs also support a variety of commercial fisheries. 
According to figures from the National Marine Fisheries Service, reef-
related commercial fisheries landings in the United States Gulf of 
Mexico were valued at $79.5 million in 1995. But tourism and fisheries 
are not the only benefits provided by coral reefs. Organisms associated 
with reefs are valued by the pharmaceutical and biotechnology 
industries for providing compounds with anti-viral and anti-bacterial 
properties. Coral reefs can reduce incoming wave energy by up to 97 
percent, minimizing the impact of storm surges and protecting shoreline 
property and infrastructure.
    However, there is growing concern over the worldwide 
degradation of coral reefs. While coral reefs can be thousands 
of years old, corals grow slowly and are easily damaged. 
Threats to coral reefs arise from destructive fishing practices 
(including the use of cyanide, other poisons, surfactants, and 
explosives), dredging, damage from boat anchors and ship 
groundings, and coastal pollution. Scientists estimate that 10 
percent of the world's reefs have been degraded beyond 
recovery, a number which is expected to rise to 30 percent 
within the next 10 to 20 years if present trends continue.
    In 1994, representatives from the governments of the United 
States, Japan, Australia, France, Jamaica, the Philippines, the 
United Kingdom, and Sweden, along with several non-governmental 
organizations, multilateral development banks, and U.N. 
organizations, formed a partnership known as the International 
Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI). There are now more than 75 
participating governments. This voluntary partnership does not 
seek to create any new agencies or funding authorities, rather, 
it is working to build cooperation among existing coral reef 
research and management programs. Among other initiatives, the 
ICRI seeks to encourage the development of national, regional, 
and local coral reef initiatives, establish a Global Coral Reef 
Monitoring Network through the International Oceanographic 
Commission, expand international coral reef research by 
building partnerships among nations conducting such research, 
and promote coral reef conservation through public education 
and outreach. The United States is a leader in ICRI activities, 
which are coordinated by the State Department and the National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
    Along with the ongoing efforts under ICRI, a group of 
scientists and others decided to highlight awareness of the 
status of coral reefs by declaring 1997 the ``International 
Year of the Reef'' (IYOR), This year-long, world-wide campaign 
has hundreds of participants including, in the United States, 
the American Zoological Association, American Oceans Campaign, 
Center for Marine Conservation, Smithsonian Institution, World 
Wildlife Fund, and many other zoos and aquaria, conservation 
societies, trade organizations, and academic institutions. H. 
Con. Res. 8 reflects the Congress's support for the 
conservation of coral reefs, and is intended to coincide with 
the IYOR.

                          Legislative History

    H. Con. Res. 8 was received by the Senate from the House of 
Representatives on April 24, 1997 and was referred to the 
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation on May 13, 
1997. On June 19, 1997, H. Con. Res. 8 was taken up by the 
Committee during an open executive session. Senators Inouye, 
Snowe, Kerry, Akaka, and Breaux offered amendments to the 
preamble and to the resolving clause, and the resolution as 
amended was unanimously adopted by voice vote.

                            Estimated Costs

                                     U.S. Congress,
                               Congressional Budget Office,
                                     Washington, DC, June 26, 1997.
Hon. John McCain,
Chairman, Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation,
U.S. Senate, Washington, DC.
    Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has 
reviewed H. Con. Res. 8, as ordered reported by the Senate 
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation on June 19, 
1997.
    CBO estimates that adopting this resolution would have no 
effect on the federal budget. The resolution would express 
Congressional commitment to promoting stewardship of coral reef 
habitats; discouraging practices that are harmful to coral 
reefs; encouraging research, monitoring, assessment, and 
education about reef ecosystems; improving the coordination of 
coral reef activities among public and private institutions; 
and promoting preservation and sustainable use of coral reef 
resources worldwide. Coral reefs serve as habitats for many 
species of marine life and are located in coastal waters off 
several states and U.S. territories.
    If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be 
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Gary Brown. 
This estimate was approved by Paul N. Van de Water, Assistant 
Director for Budget Analysis.
            Sincerely,
                                              James L. Blum
                                   (For June E. O'Neill, Director).

                      Regulatory Impact Statement

    H. Con. Res. 8 will have no regulatory impact.

                      Section-by-Section Analysis

                                preamble

    The preamble addresses the benefits provided by coral 
reefs, the management actions taken to protect coral reefs, the 
International Coral Reef Initiative, and the designation of 
1997 as the ``International Year of the Reef.'' Language added 
by the Inouye amendment mentions the destructive impacts of 
many coral reef fishing practices, including the use of poison 
and explosives in fishing operations.


                            resolving clause

    In the resolution, Congress recognizes the significance of 
coral reefs and agrees to: (1) promote stewardship of coral 
reef ecosystems; (2) discourage practices harmful to coral 
reefs; (3) encourage research, monitoring, and education; (4) 
improve coordination within and among Federal, academic, non-
governmental, and industrial institutions; and (5) promote 
preservation and sustainable use of coral reef resources.

                        Changes in Existing Law

    In compliance with paragraph 12 of rule XXVI of the 
Standing Rules of the Senate, the Committee states that the 
resolution as reported would make no change to existing law.

                                
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