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 discussions 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 allocations, 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
expansion of commercial fishing activities in the high seas of the Arctic Ocean.
Approved 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.
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