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[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 30 Introduced in House (IH)]

108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 30

 Concerning the San Diego long-range sportfishing fleet and rights to 
       fish the waters near the Revillagigedo Islands of Mexico.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 27, 2003

 Mr. Cunningham submitted the following resolution; which was referred 
                     to the Committee on Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
 Concerning the San Diego long-range sportfishing fleet and rights to 
       fish the waters near the Revillagigedo Islands of Mexico.

Whereas the long-range sportfishing fleet of San Diego has fished the waters off 
        Mexico's Revillagigedo Islands since the early 1970's under agreements 
        with various agencies of the Mexican Government including the Mexican 
        Navy, the National Ecology Institute, and the Department of the 
        Environment, Natural Resources, and Fisheries;
Whereas, in June 1994, the President of Mexico declared the islands would become 
        part of a biosphere reserve and ordered an overall management plan, to 
        include fishing regulations, to be completed within 1 year;
Whereas, in late 1994, the Mexican Navy closed the islands to fishing until the 
        management plan was complete;
Whereas, on January 21, 1995, the Mexican Government agreed to issue provisional 
        permits allowing the San Diego sportfishing fleet to fish the waters 
        more than 500 meters from the islands and announced that it would 
        continue to do so until such time as a management plan was completed;
Whereas the Mexican Government has not completed a management plan for the 
        islands;
Whereas, on March 26, 2002, without warning, the Mexican Government revoked all 
        permits to fish within 6 nautical miles of the islands;
Whereas this action is having a devastating impact on the San Diego long-range 
        sportfishing fleet, its employees, and tourism associated with the 
        fleet;
Whereas Mexico's continued refusal to allow the sportfishing fleet access to the 
        islands' waters will cause serious economic harm to the San Diego long-
        range sportfishing industry including layoffs, loss of boat sales, 
        bankruptcies, and a negative annual economic impact of $5,500,000;
Whereas, since March 26, 2002, the San Diego long-range sportfishing fleet has 
        been working with the Mexican Government and the United States 
        Departments of State and Commerce to restore their right to fish these 
        waters off the islands, as outlined by previous agreements made with 
        agencies of the Mexican Government;
Whereas the Mexican Government's inaction in addressing this dilemma is 
        impacting the economic well being of numerous United States and Mexican 
        businesses and the San Diego region;
Whereas the San Diego region and Mexico have enjoyed a long history of excellent 
        trade relations and working together for mutual benefit; and
Whereas unilateral action such as the closure of the islands to all sportfishing 
        represents a step backward from the free-trade environment and spirit of 
        cooperation that the region and the Nation have tried to build with 
        Mexico: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives urges the Departments 
of State and Commerce to work with their counterparts in the Mexican 
Government to resume issuing permits for the San Diego long-range 
sportfishing fleet to fish the waters more than 500 meters from the 
Revillagigedo Islands, as they have for the past 30 years.
                                 <all>
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