    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2006, Book II)]
    [October 2, 2006]
    [Pages 1749-1750]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Memorandum on Promoting Sustainable Fisheries and Ending Destructive
    Fishing Practices
    October 2, 2006

    Memorandum for the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Commerce

    Subject: Promoting Sustainable Fisheries and Ending Destructive Fishing
    Practices

        It shall be the policy of the United States, in advancing the
    interests of the American people, to support the maintenance and use of
    sustainable fisheries (1) as a source of nutritious food for the United
    States and the rest of the world, and (2) to meet the needs of
    commercial and recreational fishing. To implement the policy set forth
    above, the Secretary of State, after consultation with the Secretary of
    Commerce, shall:
           (1)   work with other countries and international organizations
                to eliminate fishing practices that (a) jeopardize fish
                stocks or the habitats that support them, or (b) provide a
                commercial advantage to those who engage in such practices
                that is unfair in comparison with their competitors;
           (2)   work within Regional Fishery Management Organizations
                (RFMOs), and through other cooperative arrangements, to
                establish rules based on sound science to enhance
                sustainable fishing practices and to phase out destructive
                fishing practices;
           (3)   work with other countries to establish new RFMOs, or other
                cooperative institutional arrangements, to protect
                ecosystems in high seas areas where no competent RFMO or
                other arrangement exists, including calling on all nations
                to protect vulnerable marine ecosystems by prohibiting their
                vessels from engaging in destructive fishing practices in
                areas of the high seas where there are no applicable
                conservation or management measures or in areas with no
                applicable international fishery management organization or
                agreement, until such time as conservation and management
                measures consistent with the goals of the Magnuson-Stevens
                Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Public Law 94-265,
                as amended), the United Nations Fish Stocks Agreement, and
                other relevant instruments are adopted and implemented to
                regulate such vessels and fisheries;
           (4)   work with other countries to develop and promulgate
                criteria to guide the determination of which marine
                ecosystems are or are not at risk of damage or loss because
                of destructive fishing practices; and

    [[Page 1750]]

           (5)   work with other countries to combat through enhanced
                monitoring and surveillance, including through the use of
                Vessel Monitoring Systems and other technologies, fishing
                that is unlawful, unregulated, and unreported.
        Further, to implement the policy set forth above, the Secretary of
    State, after consultation with the Secretary of Commerce, shall carry
    out diplomatic activities for the purposes of (a) ending destructive
    fishing practices, and (b) promoting rules based on sound science to
    support sustainable fisheries and to end destructive fishing practices.
        As used in this memorandum, the term ``destructive fishing
    practices'' are practices that destroy the long-term natural
    productivity of fish stocks or habitats such as seamounts, corals, and
    sponge fields for short-term gain.
        This memorandum shall be implemented consistent with applicable law
    and subject to the availability of appropriations. It is intended only
    to improve the internal management of the executive branch and is not
    intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or
    procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by a party against the
    United States, its departments, agencies, entities, officers, employees,
    or agents, or any other person.

                                                              George W. Bush

    Note: This memorandum was released by the Office of the Press Secretary
    on October 3. An original was not available for verification of the
    content of this memorandum.