[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 29, Number 16 (Monday, April 26, 1993)]
[Page 628]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
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.