    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1993, Book I)]
    [April 20, 1993]
    [Page 466]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    [[Page 466]]

    Message to the Senate Transmitting the Protocol to the International
    Convention on Atlantic Tunas
    April 20, 1993

    To the Senate of the United States:
        I transmit herewith, for the advice and consent of the Senate to
    ratification, the Protocol adopted June 5, 1992, by the Conference of
    Plenipotentiaries of the Contracting Parties to the International
    Convention for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) to amend
    paragraph 2 of Article X of ICCAT. The Protocol was signed by the United
    States on October 22, 1992. Also transmitted for the information of the
    Senate is the report of the Department of State with respect to the
    Protocol.
        The Protocol would amend the subject Convention to modify the
    formula used to calculate the budgetary obligations of the parties to
    the Convention. The ICCAT, which establishes a Commission to address the
    conservation and management of highly migratory fisheries stocks in the
    Atlantic Ocean, has an accumulated debt of over $700,000 due to the
    inability of some of its very poor member states to meet their
    obligations to contribute to the annual budget of the Commission. At a
    Conference of Plenipotentiaries of the States Party to the Convention,
    held in Madrid June 4 through 5, 1992, a Protocol was adopted which,
    along with a new financial contribution scheme to be set forth in the
    ICCAT Financial Regulations, amends the Convention in such a way as to
    reduce the contributions of the developing countries to make it easier
    for them to meet their assessments. The Protocol and the new financial
    contribution scheme will base assessments on the GNP per capita and on
    tuna production.
        The Protocol amending the budget scheme is necessary to ensure the
    continued viability of ICCAT, which is responsible for the conservation
    of highly migratory fisheries stocks of great value to the United
    States. Ratification by the United States will be necessary before the
    Protocol can enter into force. I recommend that the Senate give early
    consideration to the Protocol and give its advice and consent to
    ratification.

                                                          William J. Clinton

    The White House,
    April 20, 1993.