§971a Commissioners

Summary

The United States must have no more than three Commissioners who act as U.S. delegates to the Commission and may serve on its Council and Panels. The President appoints them and can remove them. No more than one can be a paid employee of a State, local government, or the Federal Government. While serving they are not treated as federal employees except for injury compensation or tort claims under chapter 81 of title 5 and chapter 171 of title 28. The Commissioners pick a Chairman and make their own rules. Of the non-governmental appointees, one must have commercial fishing experience in the Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, or Caribbean Sea, and one must have recreational fishing experience there. A Commissioner’s term is three years, and those appointed for the fishing roles may not serve more than two consecutive terms. The Secretary of State, with the Secretary’s agreement, may name Alternate United States Commissioners for times needed. An Alternate can do everything a Commissioner would if a Commissioner is absent. The number of Alternates at a meeting cannot be more than the number of appointed Commissioners who will be missing. Commissioners and Alternates get no pay for their service. The Secretary of State will pay necessary travel costs under the Federal Travel Regulations and sections 5701, 5702, 5704 through 5708, and 5731 of title 5, and the Secretary may reimburse the Secretary of State for those costs. Congress urges Commissioners to include ecosystem and fish habitat conservation in fisheries management.