Joint resolution to give congressional approval to certain governing international fishery agreements negotiated in accordance with the Fishery Conservation and Management Act of 1976, and for other purposes.
PL 95-6 (H.J.Res.240), enacted 02/21/1977

91 STAT. 14 
PUBLIC LAW 95-6—FEB. 21, 1977 
Feb. 21, 1977 
[H.J. Res. 240] 
16 use 1801 
note. 
16 use 1821. 
Fishery 
Conservation 
Zone Transition 
Act. 
16 use 1801 
note. 
Public Law 95-6 
95th Congress 
Joint Resolution 
To give congressional approval to certain governing international fishery agree-
ments negotiated in accordance with the Fishery Conservation and Management 
Act of 1976, and for other purposes. 
Whereas the Government of the United States of America and the 
Governments of the People's Republic of Bulg^aria, the Socialist 
Republic of Romania, the Republic of China, the German Demo-
cratic Republic, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, and the 
Polish People's Republic have signed governing 
international 
fishery agreements for the conservation, ,optimum utilization, and 
rational management of fisheries subject to the exclusive fishery 
management jurisdiction of the United States under the Fishery 
Conservation and Management Act of 1976 (Public Law 94-265) 
(hereinafter referred to as the "Act"); and 
Whereas the Act provides that after February 28, 1977, no foreign 
fishing is authorized within the fishery conservation zone, or for 
anadromous species or Continental Shelf fishery resources beyond 
the fishery conservation zone, unless (among other exceptions and 
requirements) such foreign fishing is authorized and conducted 
pursuant to a governing international fishery agreement; and 
Whereas the Act also provides that no governing international fishery 
agreement shall become effective with respect to the United States 
before the close of the first 60 calendar days of continuous session 
of the Congress after the date on which the President transmits to 
the House of Representatives and to the Senate a document setting 
forth the text of such governing international agreement; and 
Whereas the Act further provides that Congress may prohibit the 
entering into force and eifect of any governing international fishery 
agreement by enactment of a joint resolution originating in either 
House of Congress during such 60-day period; and 
Whereas, the sixty-day period will not elapse with respect to any 
governing international fishery agreement, referred to in the first 
clause of this preamble, before March 1, 1977, the date on which the 
fishery conservation zone of the United States takes effect; and 
Whereas early congressional action on these governing international 
fishery agreements is necessary in order that fishing vessels of the 
foreign nations concerned may be permitted to fish in the fishery 
conservation zone after February 28, 1977, in compliance with such 
Act; and 
Whereas these governing international fishery agreements substan-
tially comply with the requirements relating to such agreements con-
tained in section 201(c) of the Act: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
United 
States of Amei'ica in Congress assembled, 
That this joint resolution 
may be cited as the "Fishery Conservation Zone Transition Act". 
PUBLIC LAW 95-6—FEB. 21, 1977 
91 STAT. 15 
SEC. 2. CONGRESSIONAL APPROVAL OF CERTAIN GOVERNING INTER- 16 USC 1823 
NATIONAL FISHERY AGREEMENTS. 
note. 
Notwitlistanding section 203 of the Fishery Conservation and Man-
agement Act of 1976, the governing international fishery agreement 16 USC 1823. 
between the Government of the United States of America and— 
(1) the Government of the People's Republic of Bulgaria Con-
cerning Fisheries Off the Coasts of the United States, as contained 
in the message to Congress from the President of the United States 
dated January 14,1974; 
(2) the Government of the Socialist Republic of Romania Con-
cerning Fisheries Off the Coasts of the United States, as contained 
in the message to Congress from the President of the United States 
dated January 10,1977; 
(3) the Government of the Republic of China Concerning Fish-
eries Off the Coasts of the United States, as contained in the mes-
sage to Congress from the President of the United States dated 
January 10,1977; 
(4) the Government of the German Democratic Republic Con-
cerning Fisheries Off the Coasts of the United States, as contained 
in the message to Congress from the President of the United States 
dated January 10,1977; 
(5) the Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics 
Concerning Fisheries Off the Coasts of the United States, as con-
tained in the message to Congress from the President of the United 
States dated January 10,1977; and 
(6) the Government of the Polish People's Republic Concern-
ing Fisheries Off the Coasts of the United States, as contained in 
the message to Congress from the President of the United States 
dated September 16,1976, 
.1 .". 
is hereby approved by the Congress as a governing international 
fishery agreement for purposes of the Fishery Conservation and Man-
agement Act of 1976. Each such agreement shall enter into force and 
effect with respect to the United States on the date of the enactment 
of this joint resolution. 
SEC. 3. AMENDMENTS TO FISHERY CONSERVATION AND MANAGE-
MENT ACT OF 1976. 
The Fishery Conservation and Management Act of 1976 (16 U.S.C. 
1801etseq.) is amended— 
(1) by adding immediately after section 205 the following new 
section: 
16 USC 1801 
note. 
"SEC. 206. TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS. 
" (a) DEFINITION.—For purposes of this section, the term 'governing 
international fishery agreement' does not include any governing inter-
national fishery agreement other than a governing international fishery 
agreement approved by the Congress pursuant to section 2 of the 
Fishery Conservation Zone Transition Act, or pursuant to any amend-
ment to such section 2 if the effective date of such amendment is not 
later than February 28,1977. 
"(b) ACTION BY COUNCILS.—Section 204(b) (5) shall not apply to 
any application submitted by a foreign nation pureuant to a govern-
ing international fishery agreement for permits authorizing 
fishing 
during 1977 by vessels of that nation within the fishery conservation 
zone or for anadromous species or Continental Shelf fishery resources 
beyond such zone, but each appropriate Council may prepare and 
submit comments to the Secretary on such application— 
"(1) if the application has been received by the Council on or 
before the date of the enactment of this section, within 7 days 
after such date; or 
16 USC 1826. 
"Governing 
international 
fishery 
agreement." 
Supra. 
16 USC 1824. 
91 STAT. 16 
PUBLIC LAW 95-6—FEB. 21, 1977 
SSftt ^
^
U
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"(2) if the application is received by the Council from the Sec-
•si 
retary of State after such date of enactment, within 7 days 
after the date on which the Council receives the application. 
5 use app. I. 
The provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act shall not 
apply to the actions of any Council in preparing such comments. 
16 use 1824. 
" (c) PERMITS.—Until May 1,1977, the requirement in section 204 (a) 
that foreign fishing vessels have on board a valid permit issued under 
section 204 shall not apply in the case of any foreign fishing vessel for 
which a permit is issued under an application to which subsection (b) 
applies. The failure of any such vessel to comply with such requirement 
before such date shall not be deemed to be a violation of section 307(1) 
16 use 1857. 
(A). 
"(d) PERMIT FEES.—Until May 1, 1977, the requirement in section 
204(b) (11), regarding the payment of applicable fees before foreign 
fishing permits are issued, may be waived b^ the Secretary with respect 
to permits to be issued under any application to which subsection (b) 
applies if the Secretary is satisfied that the foreign nation which made 
the application will pay the applicable fees before such date. Any 
permit issued under the waiver provided by this subsection shall expire 
on INIay 1,1977, if the Secretary does not receive on or before such date 
the applicable fees for the permit."; and 
(2) by amending the table of contents by inserting immediately 
after 
"Sec. 205. Import prohibitions." 
the following: 
"Sec. 206. Transitional provisions." 
SEC. 4. REPEAL OF NORTHWEST ATLANTIC FISHERIES ACT OF 1950. 
Repeal. 
The N^orthwest Atlantic Fisheries Act of 1950 (16 U.S.C. 981-991) 
is repealed as of March 1,1977. 
i r 
Approved February 21, 1977. 
f'A 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY: 
i 
« 
-
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 123 (1977): 
Feb. 8, considered and passed House. 
Feb. 10, considered and passed Senate. 
WEEKLY COMPILATION OF PRESIDENTIAL DOCUMENTS, Vol. 13, No. 9: 
Feb. 21, Presidential statement. 
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