[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 33, Number 33 (Monday, August 18, 1997)]
[Pages 1251-1252]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Statement on Signing the International Dolphin Conservation Program Act

August 15, 1997

    I am pleased today to sign into law H.R. 408, the ``International 
Dolphin Conservation Program Act''. This Act is the product of a 
bipartisan effort by the Congress, my Administration, and a number of 
major environmental groups and U.S. fishermen. The Act will ensure that 
one of the best international programs to conserve marine resources will 
be strengthened and continued.

    The protection of dolphins in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean, 
where these marine mammals swim together with schools of yellowfin tuna, 
has long been a high priority for the United States. Strengthening the 
International Dolphin Conservation Program through this legislation is a 
major victory for strong international efforts to protect dolphins 
caught during tuna fishing in this region.

    The Act recognizes that ongoing international efforts have been a 
tremendous success--dolphin mortalities have been reduced by more than 
98 percent from previous levels. Foreign nations, whose fishing fleets 
have contributed to this success, will no longer face U.S. embargoes on 
their tuna

[[Page 1252]]

products if they continue to participate effectively in this 
international program.
    One of the major provisions of this Act is the change in the 
definition of the standard for the ``dolphin-safe'' label affixed to 
canned tuna sold in the United States. The definition of dolphin-safe 
will be changed to mean that no dolphins were killed or seriously 
injured during harvesting of the tuna. The label change will take effect 
in March 1999 unless the Secretary of Commerce determines that tuna 
fishing by encircling dolphins has a significant adverse impact on 
dolphin stocks. United States policy on this question has been and will 
continue to be based on the best available scientific information.
    Unfortunately, H.R. 408 also contains provisions that could be 
construed to direct how the Nation's foreign affairs should be 
conducted. The Constitution vests the President with special authority 
to conduct the Nation's foreign affairs, and this authority necessarily 
entails the exercise of discretion. Thus, section 4(e), that portion of 
section 6(c) that amends section 302 of the Marine Mammal Protection 
Act, and section 7(c) will be construed to be advisory within the 
executive branch.
    In approving H.R. 408, I would like to recognize Congressmen 
Gilchrest, Cunningham, Saxton, Cardin, and Green and Senators Breaux, 
Stevens, McCain, Kerry, Snowe, and Hollings for their efforts in the 
passage of this legislation.
    The strictly enforced dolphin protection regime that this Act 
endorses is a model of effective international cooperation on an 
important environmental matter, and I am pleased to sign it.
                                            William J. Clinton
The White House,
August 15, 1997.

Note: H.R. 408, approved August 15, was assigned Public Law No. 105-42.