IV
107TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. CON. RES. 427
Expressing the sense of the Congress regarding the imposition of trade
sanctions on nations that are undermining the effectiveness of conserva-
tion and management measures for Atlantic marlin adopted by the Inter-
national Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas and that
are threatening the continued viability of United States commercial and
recreational fisheries.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JUNE 26, 2002
Mr. GILCHREST (for himself, Mr. JONES of North Carolina, and Mr. SAXTON)
submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the
Committee on Resources
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Expressing the sense of the Congress regarding the imposi-
tion of trade sanctions on nations that are undermining
the effectiveness of conservation and management meas-
ures for Atlantic marlin adopted by the International
Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas and
that are threatening the continued viability of United
States commercial and recreational fisheries.
Whereas some fishing vessels of member and nonmember na-
tions of the International Commission for the Conserva-
tion of Atlantic Tunas (hereinafter referred to as the
‘‘Commission’’) fishing in the Commission regulatory
area have not complied with Commission resolutions pro-
•HCON 427 IH
moting the live release of Atlantic marlin and the rebuild-
ing of Atlantic blue marlin and white marlin populations;
Whereas repeated violations of Commission recommendations
by fishing vessels of Commission member and non-
member nations undermine the effectiveness of the Com-
mission to establish, maintain, and enforce conservation
and rebuilding plans for overfished species of fish that
are under the Commission’s management authority;
Whereas failure of Commission member nations to enforce re-
ductions in Atlantic marlin landings and other conserva-
tion measures threatens the continued viability of United
States commercial and recreational fishing industries;
Whereas the continued importation into the United States of
fish and fish products from nations that are not in com-
pliance with Commission resolutions to protect Atlantic
white marlin and other fish species indicates United
States complicity in continued overfishing;
Whereas the Commission has adopted a resolution that fur-
ther defines the scope of illegal, unregulated, and unre-
ported fishing activities by large-scale longline vessels in
the Commission regulatory area; and
Whereas such resolution includes provisions directing Com-
mission member and nonmember nations to take every
possible action, consistent with relevant laws, to instruct
their importers, transporters, and other concerned busi-
ness people to refrain from engaging in transaction and
transshipment of tunas and tuna-like species from vessels
that engage in illegal, unregulated, and unreported fish-
ing activities, including vessels that engage in any fishing
that is not in compliance with relevant Commission con-
•HCON 427 IH
servation and management measures: Now, therefore, be
it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring), That it is the sense of Congress that the
President should—
(1) direct the United States Commissioners to
the International Commission for the Conservation
of Atlantic Tunas (in this resolution referred to as
the ‘‘Commission’’) to make Atlantic marlin con-
servation their highest priority;
(2) encourage countries that fish in the Com-
mission regulatory area to make every effort to end
illegal, unregulated, and unreported fishing, includ-
ing any fishing that is not in compliance with rel-
evant conservation recommendations adopted by the
Commission especially with regard to Atlantic marlin
mortality;
(3) make full use of all appropriate diplomatic
mechanisms, relevant international laws and agree-
ments, and other appropriate mechanisms to ensure
Commission member compliance with conservation
recommendations for all species under the Commis-
sion’s management authority, including Atlantic
marlin;
(4) encourage the Commission to adopt con-
servation recommendations authorizing the use of
•HCON 427 IH
enforceable measures, including World Trade Orga-
nization-consistent trade measures, to prevent such
nations that fish in the Commission regulatory area
from taking actions that would undermine the effec-
tiveness of conservation recommendations of the
Commission; and
(5) if any vessel of a nation fishes in the Atlan-
tic Ocean without complying with the conservation
recommendations adopted by the Commission, such
fishing should be considered to diminish the effec-
tiveness of international fishery conservation rec-
ommendations and, therefore, such nation should be
considered to be subject to the import embargo pro-
visions in section 6(c)(4) and (5) of the Atlantic
Tunas 
Convention 
Act 
of 
1975 
(16 
U.S.C.
971d(c)(4) and (5)) and certifiable under section
8(a)(1) of the Fishermen’s Protective Act of 1967
(22 U.S.C. 1978 (a)(1)).
Æ