§1381 Commercial Fisheries Gear Development

Summary

The Secretary of the department that runs NOAA must start a research and development program right away to create better fishing methods and gear. The goal is to reduce the accidental catching or killing of marine mammals in commercial fishing. After the full 24 calendar months following October 21, 1972, the Secretary must send a written report to Congress about the results. Congress authorized $1,000,000 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1973, and $1,000,000 for the next fiscal year. The money remains available until spent. After talking with the Marine Mammal Commission, the Secretary must quickly make rules for that 24-month period to cut accidental takes to the lowest practical level, using the federal rulemaking process (section 553 of title 5). People affected must get up to four months to comply. The Secretary and the Secretary of State must begin talks in the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission to get member nations to follow these measures and ask the Commission’s Director of Investigations to recommend the new methods and gear. During the research period, authorized agents may board U.S. commercial fishing vessels (if space is available) on regular trips to study or observe. Agents must avoid interfering with fishing. The Secretary pays their boarding and upkeep, and vessel masters must not stop the research.