Date: Mon, 7 Apr 1997 09:20:25 -0400
From: Kate Wing <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: CRS Summary - 4/4/97 - Part 1
Fisheries and Marine Mammals: Most Recent Developments -- 4/4/97
(available via e-mail; updated daily)
Eugene H. Buck, Senior Analyst
Environment and Natural Resources Policy Division
Congressional Research Service
New info and changes since 3/28/97 are bracketed {...}.
New info and changes since 4/3/97 are in CAPITAL LETTERS.
Marine Fisheries
{ICCAT ADVISORY MEETING. ON APR. 22-24, 1997, THE ADVISORY
COMMITTEE TO THE U.S. SECTION TO THE INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION
FOR THE CONSERVATION OF ATLANTIC TUNAS (ICCAT) WILL MEET IN
SILVER SPRING, MD, TO DISCUSS 1996 ICCAT ACCOMPLISHMENTS, 1997
MANAGEMENT AND RESEARCH ACTIVITIES, TRADE AND COMPLIANCE ISSUES,
IMPLEMENTATION OF SUSTAINABLE FISHERIES ACT PROVISIONS, AND
RESULTS OF SPECIES WORKING GROUP MEETINGS.} [FEDERAL REGISTER]
NCRI Research Proposals. Apr. 7, 1997 is the deadline for
preliminary proposals for new project funding by the National
Coastal Resources Research and Development Institute (NCRI) in
Portland, OR, in 4 program areas: aquaculture and fisheries,
coastal business and community economic development,
environmental and marine technology, and seafood technology and
production. Projects can be anywhere in the coastal U.S.,
including the Great Lakes and U.S. Territories. [NCRI program
announcement]
{Seagrass Restoration Agreement. On Apr. 4, 1997, city
officials of Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Clearwater, FL, will
join officials from Hillsborough, Pinellas, and Manatee counties
in a ceremony at the Florida Aquarium to announce an agreement to
restore 12,000 acres of seagrass and to protect 25,000 additional
acres of seagrass habitat. This agreement is part of the Tampa
Bay National Estuary Program.} [Assoc Press]
{Shrimp Embargo. On Apr. 3, 1997, the Office of the U.S. Trade
Representative will hold a briefing at its Washington, DC office
on the status of World Trade Organization dispute settlement
proceedings regarding U.S. sanctions on shrimp for the purposes
of sea turtle protection.} [personal communication]
{Gloucester Herring Plant? During April 1997, state and local
officials will review a proposal by the Dutch fishing
conglomerate Parevliet & Van Der Plas to construct and operate a
50,000 sq. foot processing plant for herring and some mackerel
at a state-managed pier in Gloucester, MA. Approx. 20,000 tons
of herring would be packed, frozen, and shipped to European
markets annually, providing an estimated $10 million in economic
benefits to the community. The Dutch company is offering to fund
the conversion of Gloucester fishermen for herring fishing.}
[Assoc Press]
{Japan-PRC Fishery Treaty. On Mar. 29, 1997, Japanese and
Chinese officials agreed to sign a new fisheries treaty without
defining their respective 200-mile economic zones, due to
territorial disputes. Talks on remaining issues will be held in
late April 1997.} [Tokyo Kyodo via Foreign Broadcast Information
Service]
{IFQ Advisory Panel. On Mar. 28, 1997, NMFS announced that it
was extending the deadline for nominations for two 15-member
advisory panels on individual fishing quotas (IFQs) until Apr.
14, 1997. The two panels, one for East Coast fisheries and one
for West Coast fisheries, will advise NMFS on the future use of
IFQs as a management tool and provide input for an IFQ study by
the National Research Council as directed by Congress.} [NOAA
press release]
{Saltwater Fish Consumption Advisory. On Mar. 28, 1997, ME
Bureau of Health officials, for the first time, recommended
limits on consumption of bluefish and striped bass due to
concerns about mercury contamination.} [Assoc Press]
Gulf Drug Smuggling. On Mar. 27, 1997, U.S. and Texas state
officials announced a new anti-drug effort, Operation Gulf
Shield, focusing on small, swift fishing vessels (shark boats or
lanchas) smuggling drugs across the Gulf of Mexico to remote
Texas beaches. About 700 federal, state, and local employees are
scheduled to participate in this effort. [Assoc Press]
Coral. On Mar. 26, 1997, the World Wildlife Fund for Nature
(WWF) released a report on coral reefs citing the potential for
coral extinction due to their vulnerability to harmful effects of
global warming. The report indicates 60 major instances of coral
bleaching occurred between 1979 and 1990, compared to only 3
recorded cases in the previous 103 years. {In early April 1997,
a controversial $6.5 million beach restoration project will begin
in Miami Beach, FL, where the Army Corps of Engineers will mine
sand from an offshore area between two coral communities. This
sand will be pumped through an underwater pipeline to replenish
eroded beaches in front of hotels and condos. Opponents of the
project fought it for three years in federal court, fearing
damage to corals.} [Assoc Press, Reuters, Dow Jones News]
Louisiana Gillnets. On Mar. 26, 1997, the LA Seafood Management
Council and LA Chefs for LA Seafood released a survey of LA
resident attitudes on gillnet use by commercial fishermen. Sport
fishing groups attacked the validity of the survey, charging that
biased wording of questions influenced the survey outcome.
[Assoc Press]
{Roe Herring Controversy. In late March 1997, controversy arose
over management of a British Columbia commercial roe herring
seine fishery by the Canadian Dept. of Fisheries and Oceans
(DFO) after harvest in aboriginal Heiltsuk Nation territory was
permitted to exceed an agreed-upon quota by more than 100%.
Heiltsuk Nation officials charged that DFO management was
unacceptable in condoning excessive catches by the seine fleet.}
[Dow Jones News]
EU Fleet Restructuring. In late March 1997, the EU's Committee
of Permanent Representatives discussed a new draft compromise on
restructuring EU fishing fleets. The compromise proposes that
catches of endangered fish stocks be reduced by 30% while catches
of overfished stocks be reduced by 20% during the period
1997-1999. Member states could choose to achieve this reduction
through fishing vessel capacity reduction, reduced fishing
activity, or a combination of both. The Council of Fisheries
Ministers will discuss this compromise on Apr. 14, 1997.
[Agence Europe via Reuters]
Southern Hemisphere Bluefin Tuna. In late March 1997, Greenpeace
activists announced the launching of a campaign to suspend
fishing for southern hemisphere bluefin tuna, claiming the stock
is only about 2% of its former abundance in the 1960s. Although
a Commission for the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna sets
annual catch quotas, non-member nations do not abide by the
quotas. [Reuters]
New England Groundfish. In late March 1997, NMFS identified 3 ME
and 5 MA fishing vessels that will be purchased as part of NMFS's
$23 million buyback of New England fishing vessels. As many as
70 other vessels will be identified for purchase in the next few
weeks. {ON APR. 3, 1997, U.S. ADMINISTRATIVE LAW JUDGE PETER
A. FITZPATRICK FINED TWO CAPE COD, MA, FISHERMEN AND CORPORATIONS
OWNED BY THEM A RECORD $4.33 MILLION FOR MORE THAN 300 VIOLATIONS
OF FEDERAL FISHERY LAWS AND REGULATIONS FOR NEW ENGLAND SCALLOP
AND GROUNDFISH FISHERIES BETWEEN MARCH 1994 AND FEBRUARY 1995.
IN ADDITION, THE TWO INDIVIDUALS WERE BANNED FROM FISHING IN
FEDERAL WATERS AND HAD THEIR 5 FISHING-VESSEL AND ONE FISH-DEALER
PERMITS PERMANENTLY REVOKED. VIOLATIONS INCLUDED CATCHING MORE
FISH THAN ALLOWED, SPENDING MORE DAYS AT SEA THAN ALLOWED, USING
TOO MANY CREW ON VESSELS, BUYING OR SELLING ILLEGAL FISH, USING
ILLEGAL GEAR, AND MAKING FALSE STATEMENTS TO FEDERAL AGENTS.
TWELVE CAPTAINS WHO WORKED FOR THE TWO FISHERMEN ALSO PAID FINES
OR WERE GROUNDED FOR SIGNIFICANT TIME PERIODS. THE 2 FISHERMEN
INDICATE THEY WILL APPEAL THE FINE.} [Assoc Press, NOAA press
release]
Seafood Industry's Principles for Responsible Fisheries. On Mar.
20, 1997, a coalition of U.S. seafood associations and companies
announced the development of a voluntary set of "principles for
responsible fisheries" to guide the U.S. seafood industry in
responsible resource use. The principles seek to improve the way
seafood is caught, processed, and distributed; to ensure
environmentally sound use of seafood resources; and to offer
guidance from the fishing industry to government managers.
Elements of the fishing industry adopting these principles are
anticipated to enter cooperative efforts with government managers
to improve resource use and management. [National Fisheries
Institute press release]
Early Swordfish Closure. On Mar. 20, 1997, NMFS published
notice in the Federal Register that the semiannual Atlantic
swordfish fishery would close six weeks early at noon on Apr.
12, 1997, due to recalculated, and larger, estimates for discards
of incidentally caught swordfish during the 1995 and 1996
seasons. In addition, the swordfish bycatch allowance for
longline vessels fishing for other species was reduced to no more
than 5 swordfish per vessel per trip. [Federal Register]
EU Fisheries Promotion. On Mar. 18, 1997, the European
Commission announced the launching of a year-long $2 million
information campaign to promote fish consumption, especially
non-traditional species. Emphasis will be place on nutritional
values as well as the necessity to wisely manage fish resources.
[Agence Europe via Reuters]
Record World Fish Production. On Mar. 17, 1997, officials of
the UN Food and Agriculture Organization announced that 1995
world fish production reached a record 112.3 million metric tons.
Fish farming contributed to most of the recent growth, but also
was seen responsible for environmental damage. An additional 20
million metric tons of annual fish production was deemed feasible
if underdeveloped resources were exploited, bycatch and waste
were reduced, and measures were taken to reduce overfishing.
However, bycatch in some groundfish fisheries is reported to be
as much as half the groundfish harvest. [Reuters]
Japanese Oil Spill. On Mar. 17, 1997, the National Federation
of Fisheries Cooperative Associations filed claims for 2.3
billion Yen with the International Oil Pollution Compensation
Fund (London) for compensation for oil spill cleanup costs. A
second filing is planned to cover compensation for actual damages
to the fishing industry. [Tokyo Kyodo via Foreign Broadcast
Information Service, Dow Jones News]
UN Code of Conduct Implementation Plan. On Mar. 17, 1997, NMFS
announced that a new draft U.S. implementation plan for the UN's
Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries was available for
public comment through Apr. 28, 1997. [NOAA press release]
Sea Turtle Land Purchase. In mid-March 1997, U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service officials announced the award of a $500,000
grant to Volusia County, FL, for purchasing land for off-beach
parking. Off-beach parking is intended to reduce the number of
vehicles driving in sea turtle habitat on beaches. The pilot
grant program aims to assist states in buying land to support
habitat conservation. [Assoc Press]
North Sea Ecosystem Meeting. On Mar. 13-14, 1997, Norwegian and
EU commissioners and ministers for fishing and the environment
met in Bergen, Norway, to discuss fishing and its impact on the
North Sea ecosystem. The meeting sought to strike a balance
between meeting environmental objectives and safeguarding the
interests of the fishing industry. On Mar. 14, 1997, the
assembled parties agreed to a non-binding "Statement of
Conclusions" inviting competent authorities in respective nations
to take recommended steps to better protect North Sea fish stocks
from collapse due to overfishing. [Reuters, Agence Europe via
Reuters]
Pacific Tuna Meeting. On Mar. 13, 1997, the South Pacific's
Forum Fisheries Agency announced that the United States, Japan,
Taiwan, South Korea, China, and other tuna fishing nations had
been invited to a June 10-13, 1997 conference at Majuro, Marshall
Islands, to discuss management of South and Central Pacific tuna
stocks. The Agency is concerned with better regulation and
control of overharvesting in international waters and is seeking
ways to increase the revenue for Island nations from foreign tuna
harvesters. [Assoc Press]
Mississippi Floodwaters. On Mar. 12, 1997, the U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers announced that it would begin opening the Bonnet
Carre spillway, north of New Orleans, on Mar. 17 to divert
rising Mississippi River waters into Lake Pontchartrain. This is
the first large-scale opening of the Spillway since 1983. The MS
Dept. of Marine Resources will monitor the impact of lower
salinity waters on oyster reefs and shrimp in Mississippi Sound.
[Assoc Press]
Sharks. On Mar. 12, 1997, the Center for Marine Conservation
(CMC) and TRAFFIC International released a study, "Managing Shark
Fisheries: Opportunities for International Conservation,"
outlining a blueprint for action by international and national
fishery managers to promote shark conservation. The study
evaluates the potential for shark conservation under 9 existing
international regimes using the standards of the UN agreement on
highly migratory fish stocks. On Mar. 21-Apr. 28, 1997, NMFS
will conduct a series of 12 public hearings along the Atlantic
and Gulf coasts and in the Caribbean on an NMFS proposal (Dec.
27. 1996, Federal Register, p. 68202) to create a two-tiered
(direct or incidental catch) permit and limited access system for
39 species of sharks in the Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, and
the Caribbean. NMFS determined this fishery to be severely
overcapitalized and proposes to eliminate more than 2,300 of
about 2,700 current permits in this fishery; 134 fishermen
regularly fish for and land sharks. On Mar. 25, 1997, the VA
Marine Resources Commission received proposals to restrict shark
fisheries in Chesapeake Bay waters. A public hearing will be
held on Apr. 22, 1997, on the proposals for a minimum length and
closure of state waters to shark fishing after a harvest quota is
taken. {On Apr. 2, 1997, NMFS filed a final rule, effective
immediately, reducing the annual commercial quota for large
coastal sharks in the Atlantic by 50% (from 2,570 metric tons to
1,285 metric tons), establishing a commercial quota of 1,760
metric tons for small coastal sharks, reducing the recreational
bag limits for all Atlantic sharks to 2 sharks per vessel per
trip, prohibiting all directed fishing for 5 shark species
(whale, basking, white, sand tiger, and bigeye sand tiger),
establishing a catch and release only recreational fishery for
white sharks, prohibiting filleting of sharks at sea, and
requiring species-specific identification of all sharks landed.}
[CMC press release, NOAA press releases, personal communication,
Assoc Press, Federal Register]
Florida Net Ban. On Mar. 12, 1997, the FL Senate Committee on
Natural Resources approved a bill (CS-SB 412) that would make the
Marine Fisheries Commission the final authority on fishing
regulations (no longer would the state governor and cabinet have
to approve any regulations), prohibit substitutes for traditional
nets that have been restricted, and increase penalties for
violations. [Assoc Press]
Contaminated NC Fish and Crabs? On Mar. 11, 1997, NC Dept. of
Environment, Health, and Natural Resources officials announced
that they are investigating preliminary reports of elevated
mercury levels in fish and elevated arsenic and lead levels in
crabs from Brinson Creek, found during a contractor's Superfund
assessment of a waste site on the Camp Lejeune Marine Corps
facility. [Assoc Press]
Clam Contract Award. On Mar. 10, 1997, the Supreme Court of New
Jersey overturned an appeals court decision and reinstated a 1993
lower court jury verdict for $738,000 against Borden Inc.
(Columbus, OH), in a case wherein Borden had been charged with
not acting in good faith under a 1984 contract to buy clams from
a Cape May, NJ fishing operation, by urging the company to assume
debt and then not purchasing clams from it, even though Borden's
contract to buy clams was legally canceled. [Assoc Press, Wall
Street Journal]
....
end of Part 1/3
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