Fishery Conservation Amendments of 1990
Key claim: This Senate bill would put highly migratory fish such as tuna under U.S. fishery management, limit foreign catch in U.S. waters to what American boats do not take, and press other countries to restrict large-scale driftnet fishing.
Abstract
(S1025 · 101th Congress) Fishery Conservation Amendments of 1990 - Title I: Amendments to Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act - Amends the Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act to replace provisions excluding highly migratory species (HMSs) from U.S. sovereign rights and exclusive fishery management authority with provisions mandating that the United States cooperate with nations involved in fisheries for HMSs to ensure conservation and promote optimum utilization of HMSs throughout their range. Sets the total allowable level of fishing by a foreign fishery subject to U.S. exclusive fishery management authority at the portion of the optimum yield of such fishery which will not be harvested by vessels of the United States. Directs the Secretary of State to evaluate the effectiveness of each existing international fishery agreement which pertains to HMSs and to negotiate on such agreements as necessary to correct identified inadequacies. Directs the Secretary of Commerce to establish reasonable foreign fishing permit fees that apply nondiscriminatorily to each foreign nation. Repeals provisions setting forth sanctions for violations of the Act. Driftnet Act Amendments of 1990 - Incorporates and expands upon provisions of the Driftnet Impact Monitoring, Assessment, and Control Act of 1987. Directs the Secretary of Commerce (the Secretary), through the Secretary of State and the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating, to seek to secure international agreements to implement enumerated findings, policy statements, and other provisions of this Act regarding driftnet fishing. Directs the Secretary, through the Secretary of State, to include specified matters in any agreement which addresses the taking of living marine resources of the United States, especially with regard to driftnet fishing. Directs the Secretary, if the Secretary identifies any nation that conducts, or authorizes its nationals to conduct, driftnet fishing meeting certain requirem Latest action (1990-11-27): See also H.R. 2061.
Why this matters
The 1990 amendments mark an early Congressional move to close a longstanding gap in U.S. ocean fisheries law by asserting federal management over tuna and other highly migratory species, while also using access to U.S. waters as leverage against foreign fleets and large-scale driftnet fishing. The practical effect would be to reallocate foreign catch to American vessels and to align U.S. policy with emerging international norms against driftnets, shaping both domestic fishing economics and ocean ecosystem protection.