A joint resolution directing the United States to initiate international discussions and take necessary steps with other Nations to negotiate an agreement for managing migratory and transboundary fish stocks in the Arctic Ocean.
PL 110-243 (S.J.Res.17), enacted 06/03/2008

122 STAT. 1569 
PUBLIC LAW 110–243—JUNE 3, 2008 
Public Law 110–243 
110th Congress 
Joint Resolution 
Directing the United States to initiate international discussions and take necessary 
steps with other Nations to negotiate an agreement for managing migratory 
and transboundary fish stocks in the Arctic Ocean. 
Whereas the decline of several commercially valuable fish stocks 
throughout the world’s oceans highlights the need for fishing 
nations to conserve fish stocks and develop management systems 
that promote fisheries sustainability; 
Whereas fish stocks are migratory throughout their habitats, and 
changing ocean conditions can restructure marine habitats and 
redistribute the species dependent on those habitats; 
Whereas changing global climate regimes may increase ocean water 
temperature, creating suitable new habitats in areas previously 
too cold to support certain fish stocks, such as the Arctic Ocean; 
Whereas habitat expansion and migration of fish stocks into the 
Arctic Ocean and the potential for vessel docking and navigation 
in the Arctic Ocean could create conditions favorable for estab-
lishing and expanding commercial fisheries in the future; 
Whereas commercial fishing has occurred in several regions of 
the Arctic Ocean, including the Barents Sea, Kara Sea, Beaufort 
Sea, Chukchi Sea, and Greenland Sea, although fisheries sci-
entists have only limited data on current and projected future 
fish stock abundance and distribution patterns throughout the 
Arctic Ocean; 
Whereas remote indigenous communities in all nations that border 
the Arctic Ocean engage in limited, small scale subsistence fishing 
and must maintain access to and sustainability of this fishing 
in order to survive; 
Whereas many of these communities depend on a variety of other 
marine life for social, cultural and subsistence purposes, including 
marine mammals and seabirds that may be adversely affected 
by climate change, and emerging fisheries in the Arctic should 
take into account the social, economic, cultural and subsistence 
needs of these small coastal communities; 
Whereas managing for fisheries sustainability requires that all 
commercial fishing be conducted in accordance with science-based 
limits on harvest, timely and accurate reporting of catch data, 
equitable allocation and access systems, and effective monitoring 
and enforcement systems; 
Whereas migratory fish stocks traverse international boundaries 
between the exclusive economic zones of fishing nations and the 
high seas, and ensuring sustainability of fisheries targeting these 
stocks requires management systems based on international 
coordination and cooperation; 
June 3, 2008 
[S.J. Res. 17] 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
13:21 Dec 07, 2009
Jkt 069194
PO 00002
Frm 00017
Fmt 6580
Sfmt 6581
M:\STATUTES\2008\PT2\69194PT2.001
APPS10
PsN: 69194PT2
dkrause on DSK1YNZS61 with PUBLAW
122 STAT. 1570 
PUBLIC LAW 110–243—JUNE 3, 2008 
Whereas international fishing treaties and agreements provide a 
framework for establishing rules to guide sustainable fishing 
activities among those nations that are parties to the agreement, 
and regional fisheries management organizations provide inter-
national fora for implementing these agreements and facilitating 
international cooperation and collaboration; 
Whereas under its authorities in the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 
Conservation and Management Act, the North Pacific Fishery 
Management Council has proposed that the United States close 
all Federal waters in the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas to commer-
cial fishing until a fisheries management plan is fully developed; 
and 
Whereas future commercial fishing and fisheries management 
activities in the Arctic Ocean should be developed through a 
coordinated international framework, as provided by international 
treaties or regional fisheries management organizations, and this 
framework should be implemented before significant commercial 
fishing activity expands to the high seas: Now, therefore, be 
it 
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, That 
(1) the United States should initiate international discus-
sions and take necessary steps with other Arctic nations to 
negotiate an agreement or agreements for managing migratory, 
transboundary, and straddling fish stocks in the Arctic Ocean 
and establishing a new international fisheries management 
organization or organizations for the region; 
(2) the agreement or agreements negotiated pursuant to 
paragraph (1) should conform to the requirements of the United 
Nations Fish Stocks Agreement and contain mechanisms, inter 
alia, for establishing catch and bycatch limits, harvest alloca-
tions, observers, monitoring, data collection and reporting, 
enforcement, and other elements necessary for sustaining 
future Arctic fish stocks; 
(3) as international fisheries agreements are negotiated 
and implemented, the United States should consult with the 
North Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council and 
Alaska Native subsistence communities of the Arctic; and 
(4) until the agreement or agreements negotiated pursuant 
to paragraph (1) come into force and measures consistent with 
the United Nations Fish Stocks Agreement are in effect, the 
United States should support international efforts to halt the 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
13:21 Dec 07, 2009
Jkt 069194
PO 00002
Frm 00018
Fmt 6580
Sfmt 6581
M:\STATUTES\2008\PT2\69194PT2.001
APPS10
PsN: 69194PT2
dkrause on DSK1YNZS61 with PUBLAW
122 STAT. 1571 
PUBLIC LAW 110–243—JUNE 3, 2008 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—S.J. Res. 17: 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD: 
Vol. 153 (2007): Oct. 4, considered and passed Senate. 
Vol. 154 (2008): May 19, 21, considered and passed House. 
expansion of commercial fishing activities in the high seas 
of the Arctic Ocean. 
Approved June 3, 2008. 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
08:04 Sep 20, 2010
Jkt 069194
PO 00002
Frm 00019
Fmt 6580
Sfmt 6580
M:\STATUTES\2008\PT2\69194PT2.001
APPS10
PsN: 69194PT2
dkrause on DSK1YNZS61 with PUBLAW