```

[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 8 Reported in Senate (RS)]

                                                       Calendar No. 186

105th CONGRESS

  1st Session

                             H. CON. RES. 8

                          [Report No. 105-94]

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Recognizing the significance of maintaining the health and stability of 
                         coral reef ecosystems.

_______________________________________________________________________

                           September 30, 1997

      Reported with an amendment and an amendment to the preamble
                                                       Calendar No. 186
105th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 8

                          [Report No. 105-94]

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             April 24, 1997

                                Received

                              May 13, 1997

   Referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

                           September 30, 1997

   Reported by Mr. McCain, with an amendment and an amendment to the 
                                preamble
  [Omit the part struck through and insert the part printed in italic]

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

 
Recognizing the significance of maintaining the health and stability of 
                         coral reef ecosystems.

<DELETED>Whereas coral reefs are among the world's most biologically diverse and 
        productive marine habitats, and are often described as the tropical rain 
        forests of the oceans;
Whereas healthy coral reefs provide the basis for subsistence, commercial 
        fisheries, and coastal and marine tourism and are of vital economic 
        importance to coastal States and territories of the United States 
        including Florida, Hawaii, Georgia, Texas, Puerto Rico, the Virgin 
        Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern 
        Mariana Islands;
Whereas healthy coral reefs function as natural, regenerating coastal barriers, 
        protecting shorelines and coastal areas from high waves, storm surges, 
        and accompanying losses of human life and property;
Whereas the scientific community has long established that coral reefs are 
        subject to a wide range of natural and anthropogenic threats;
Whereas the United States has taken measures to protect national coral reef 
        resources through the designation and management of several marine 
        protected areas, containing reefs of the Flower Garden Banks in the Gulf 
        of Mexico, the Florida Keys in south Florida, and offshore Hawaii, 
        Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and American Samoa;
Whereas the United States, acting through its agencies, has established itself 
        as a global leader in coral reef stewardship by launching the 
        International Coral Reef Initiative and by maintaining professional 
        networks for the purposes of sharing knowledge and information on coral 
        reefs, furnishing near real-time data collected at coral reef sites, 
        providing a repository for historical data relating to coral reefs, and 
        making substantial contributions to the general fund of coral reef 
        knowledge; and
Whereas 1997 has been declared the ``International Year of the Reef'' by the 
        coral reef research community and over 40 national and international 
        scientific, conservation, and academic organizations: Now, therefore, be 
        it
    </DELETED>Whereas coral reefs are among the world's most 
            biologically diverse and productive marine habitats, and 
            are often described as the tropical rain forest of the 
            oceans;
    Whereas healthy coral reefs provide the basis for subsistence, 
            commercial fisheries, and coastal and marine tourism and 
            are of vital economic importance to coastal States and 
            territories of the United States including Florida, Hawaii, 
            Georgia, Texas, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, 
            American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern 
            Mariana Islands;
    Whereas healthy coral reefs function as natural, regenerating 
            coastal barriers, protecting shorelines and coastal areas 
            from high waves, storm surges, and accompanying losses of 
            human life and property;
    Whereas the scientific community has long established that coral 
            reefs are subject to a wide range of natural and 
            anthropogenic threats;
    Whereas a wide variety of destructive fishing practices, including 
            the use of cyanide, other poisons, surfactants, and 
            explosives, are contributing to the global decline of coral 
            reef ecosystems;
    Whereas the United States has taken measures to protect national 
            coral reef resources through the designation and management 
            of several marine protected areas, containing reefs of the 
            Flower Garden Banks in the Gulf of Mexico, the Florida Keys 
            in south Florida, and offshore Hawaii, Puerto Rico, the 
            Virgin Islands, and American Samoa;
    Whereas the United States, acting through its agencies, has 
            established itself as a global leader in coral reef 
            stewardship by launching the International Coral Reef 
            Initiative and by maintaining professional networks for the 
            purposes of sharing knowledge and information on coral 
            reefs, furnishing near real-time data collected at coral 
            reef sites, providing a repository for historical data 
            relating to coral reefs, and making substantial 
            contributions to the general fund of coral reef knowledge; 
            and
    Whereas 1997 has been declared the ``International Year of the 
            Reef'' by the coral reef research community and over 40 
            national and international scientific, conservation, and 
            academic organizations: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring),
<DELETED>    That the Congress recognizes the significance of 
maintaining the health and stability of coral reef ecosystems, by--
</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) promoting comprehensive stewardship for coral 
        reef ecosystems;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) encouraging research, monitoring, and 
        assessment of and education on coral reef ecosystems; 
        and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) improving the coordination of coral reef 
        efforts and activities of Federal agencies, academic 
        institutions, nongovernmental organizations, and 
        industry.</DELETED>
That the Congress recognizes the significance of maintaining the health 
and stability of coral reef ecosystems, by--
            (1) promoting comprehensive stewardship for coral reef 
        ecosystems;
            (2) discouraging unsustainable fisheries or other practices 
        that are harmful to coral reefs and human health;
            (3) encouraging research, monitoring, and assessment of and 
        education on coral reef ecosystems;
            (4) improving the coordination of coral reef efforts and 
        activities of Federal agencies, academic institutions, 
        nongovernmental organizations, and industry; and
            (5) promoting preservation and sustainable use of coral 
        reef resources worldwide.
```