I 
107TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 5597
To amend the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 to repeal the long-
term goal for reducing to zero the incidental mortality and serious 
injury of marine mammals in commercial fishing operations, and to 
modify the goal of take reduction plans for reducing such takings. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
OCTOBER 10, 2002
Mr. YOUNG of Alaska (for himself and Mr. JONES of North Carolina) intro-
duced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Re-
sources 
A BILL 
To amend the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 to 
repeal the long-term goal for reducing to zero the inci-
dental mortality and serious injury of marine mammals 
in commercial fishing operations, and to modify the goal 
of take reduction plans for reducing such takings.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. MODIFICATION OF GOALS FOR REDUCING INCI-
DENTAL TAKE OF MARINE MAMMALS IN COM-
MERCIAL FISHING. 
(a) REPEAL OF ZERO MORTALITY GOAL.—Section 
118 of the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 (16
U.S.C. 1387) is amended by striking subsection (b), and 
by redesignating subsections (c) through (l) in order as 
subsections (b) through (k). 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—Such Act is fur-
ther amended as follows: 
(1) In section 101(a)(2) (16 U.S.C. 1371(a)(2)) 
by striking the third sentence. 
(2) In section 101(a)(5)(E)(i)(III) (16 U.S.C. 
1371(a)(5)(E)(i)(III) by striking ‘‘subsection (d)’’ 
and inserting ‘‘subsection (c)’’. 
(3) In section 115(b)(4) (16 U.S.C. 1384(b)(4)) 
by striking ‘‘section 118(f)(1)’’ and inserting ‘‘sec-
tion 118(e)(1)’’. 
(4) In section 117(a)(4) (16 U.S.C. 1386(a)(4)) 
in subparagraph (D) by striking ‘‘, and an analysis’’ 
and all that follows through the end of the subpara-
graph and inserting a semicolon. 
(5) In section 118 (16 U.S.C. 1387) by striking 
‘‘subsection (c)(1)(A) (i)’’ each place it appears and 
inserting ‘‘subsection (b)(1)(A) (i)’’. 
(6) In section 118 (16 U.S.C. 1387) by striking 
‘‘subsection (c)(1)(A)(i)’’ each place it appears and 
inserting ‘‘subsection (b)(1)(A)(i)’’. 
(7) In section 118(a)(1) (16 U.S.C. 1387(a)(1)) 
by striking the last sentence.
(8) In section 118(b), as redesignated by this 
subsection (16 U.S.C. 1387(c)(1)(B)), by striking 
‘‘subsection (e)’’ each place it appears and inserting 
‘‘subsection (d)’’. 
(9) In section 118(c)(1)(B), as redesignated by 
this subsection (16 U.S.C. 1387(d)(1)(B)), by strik-
ing ‘‘subsection (e)’’ and inserting ‘‘subsection (d)’’. 
(10) In section 118(e)(9)(D), as redesignated 
by this subsection (16 U.S.C. 1387(f)(9)(D)), by 
striking ‘‘subsection (d)’’ and inserting ‘‘subsection 
(c)’’. 
(11) In section 118(f)(1), as redesignated by 
this subsection (16 U.S.C. 1387(g)(1)), by striking 
‘‘subsection (c)(1)(A)(iii)’’ each place it appears and 
inserting ‘‘subsection (b)(1)(A)(iii)’’. 
(12) In section 118(g), as redesignated by this 
subsection (16 U.S.C. 1387(h)), by striking ‘‘sub-
section (c)’’ and inserting ‘‘subsection (b)’’. 
(13) 
In 
section 
120(j)(2) 
(16 
U.S.C. 
1389(j)(2)) by striking ‘‘118(f)(5)(A)’’ and inserting 
‘‘118(e)(5)(A)’’. 
(c) MODIFICATION OF GOAL OF TAKE REDUCTION 
PLANS.—Section 118(e)(2) of such Act, as redesignated 
by subsection (a) of this section (16 U.S.C. 1387(f)(2)), 
is amended by striking the last sentence and inserting the
following: ‘‘The long-term goal of the plan shall be to re-
duce, within 5 years of its implementation, the incidental 
mortality or serious injury of marine mammals inciden-
tally taken in the course of fishing operations taking into 
account the economics of the fishery, the availability of 
existing technology, and existing State and regional fish-
ery management plans.’’.
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