HOUSE BILL REPORT

HJM 4033

BYRepresentatives Basich, R. King, Morris, Cole, Smith, Haugen, Brooks, S. Wilson, Spanel, Bowman, Vekich, Brumsickle, Pruitt, Phillips, Braddock, Jones, Sayan, Raiter, Nutley, Kremen, Rasmussen, Anderson, R. Meyers, Jacobsen, Winsley and Nelson

Requesting that Congress and the President work to ban driftnets.

House Committe on Fisheries & Wildlife

Majority Report:  Do pass.  (10)

      Signed by Representatives R. King, Chair; Morris, Vice Chair; S. Wilson, Ranking Republican Member; Basich, Bowman, Cole, Haugen, Smith, Spanel and Vekich.

House Staff:Robert Butts (786-7841)

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON FISHERIES & WILDLIFE

FEBRUARY 2, 1990

BACKGROUND:

Japanese, Taiwanese, and Korean squid fishing fleets operate in the north and south Pacific Ocean.  The fleets consist of approximately 1,200 vessels, and it is estimated that approximately 30,000 miles of driftnets are used each fishing day.

Evidence indicates that the driftnets also catch large numbers of salmon, seabirds, and marine mammals.  Over 40,000 metric tons of illegally harvested salmon have been recovered through various enforcement actions.

In an effort to address concerns raised about high sea driftnets, Congress passed the 1987 Driftnet Monitoring and Control Act.  This act requires that monitoring and enforcement agreements be reached with nations operating high sea driftnet fleets. If agreements cannot be reached with a country, the act allows trade sanctions to be imposed against the country.

In October 1989, the states of Washington, Oregon, Alaska, Idaho, California, and Hawaii, and the Province of British Columbia went one step further and signed a proclamation urging an international ban on driftnet fishing on the high seas.

Two months later, the United Nations adopted a resolution that imposed an immediate cessation of the further expansion of the north Pacific driftnet fleet.  The resolution also called for a moratorium on high sea driftnet fishing by June 30, 1992, unless effective conservation and management measures can be taken to prevent unacceptable impacts to fishing practices in the region, and to ensure the conservation of living resources in the region.

SUMMARY:

The U.S. Congress and President Bush are urged to seek, through diplomatic efforts in all available international forums, an international ban on driftnet fishing on the high seas.

Fiscal Note:      Not Requested.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    No one.

House Committee - Testified Against:      No one.

House Committee - Testimony For:    None.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      None.