I
106TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 4612
To provide for the conservation and rebuilding of overfished stocks of Atlantic
highly migratory species of fish, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JUNE 8, 2000
Mr. SAXTON introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Resources
A BILL
To provide for the conservation and rebuilding of overfished
stocks of Atlantic highly migratory species of fish, and
for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Atlantic Highly Migra-
tory Species Conservation Act of 2000’’.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress makes the following findings:
(1) Highly migratory species of fish, including
North Atlantic swordfish, species of Atlantic billfish,
and Atlantic large coastal sharks, are overfished and
require greater conservation as confirmed by recent
scientific assessments. In its most recent analysis,
the Standing Committee on Research and Statistics
of the International Commission for the Conserva-
tion of Atlantic Tunas estimated that a number of
key stocks of highly migratory species have less than
the biomass needed to produce their respective max-
imum sustainable yields. The 1999 SCRS stock as-
sessment estimated that the North Atlantic sword-
fish stock was at 65 percent of the necessary bio-
mass to produce maximum sustainable yield. The
1997 SCRS stock assessment estimated that the At-
lantic blue marlin stock was at 24 percent, and the
Atlantic white marlin stock was at 23 percent, of the
necessary biomass to produce MSY. In its most re-
cent stock assessment for Atlantic sailfish/spearfish,
the SCRS estimated these stocks were at 62 percent
of the necessary biomass to produce MSY. Also, the
National Marine Fisheries Service has identified
North Atlantic swordfish, Atlantic blue marlin, At-
lantic white marlin, Atlantic sailfish/spearfish, and
other highly migratory species of fish as overfished.
(2) A reduction in the mortality of undersized
swordfish will contribute substantially to the rebuild-
ing of North Atlantic swordfish as confirmed by a
1998 SCRS report that expressed ‘‘concern about
the high catches (landings plus discards) of small
swordfish’’ and ‘‘emphasized that gains in the yield
could accrue if fishing mortality on small fish could
be further reduced.’’
(3) In 1998, ICCAT adopted a resolution di-
recting the SCRS to develop options for rebuilding
North Atlantic swordfish to levels that would
produce the maximum sustainable yield, including
alternative methods for reducing small fish mor-
tality, for consideration at the ICCAT meeting in
1999.
(4) Reducing the mortality of species of Atlan-
tic billfish, including Atlantic blue marlin, Atlantic
white marlin, and Atlantic sailfish/spearfish, will
contribute substantially to the rebuilding of these
stocks.
(5) In 1990, ICCAT encouraged its member
states to take appropriate measures within their na-
tional jurisdictions to protect small swordfish, in-
cluding the establishment of time and area closures.
(6) Significant reductions in the mortality of ju-
venile swordfish, Atlantic white marlin, Atlantic blue
marlin, Atlantic sailfish/spearfish, species of Atlantic
large coastal sharks, and other highly migratory spe-