16 U.S.C. § 8034: Gulf of Mexico IUU Fishing…

Summary

The NOAA administrator must, within 90 days after December 20, 2019, create a small working group with the Commandant of the Coast Guard and the Secretary of State to deal with illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing in the U.S. exclusive economic zone in the Gulf of Mexico. The group must list federal steps and policies from the five years before December 20, 2019, including how the government watched for, stopped, and prosecuted foreign fishers and how the High Seas Driftnet Fishing Moratorium Protection Act applies to other nations. It must also say what each agency can do now with current resources and what extra legal powers might help. Within one year after the group is set up, it must send a report with those findings and a timeline for each agency to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and to the House Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure and on Natural Resources.

Title 16, §8034

Conservation, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)In general

Not later than 90 days after December 20, 2019, the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, in coordination with the Commandant of the Coast Guard and the Secretary of State, shall establish a subworking group to address IUU fishing in the exclusive economic zone of the United States in the Gulf of Mexico.

(b)Functions

The subworking group established under subsection (a) shall identify—

(1)Federal actions taken and policies established during the 5-year period immediately preceding December 20, 2019, with respect to IUU fishing in the exclusive economic zone of the United States in the Gulf of Mexico, including such actions and policies related to—

(A)the surveillance, interdiction, and prosecution of any foreign nationals engaged in such fishing; and

(B)the application of the provisions of the High Seas Driftnet Fishing Moratorium Protection Act (16 U.S.C. 1826d et seq.) to any relevant nation, including the status of any past or ongoing consultations and certification procedures;

(2)actions and policies, in addition to the actions and policies described in paragraph (1), each of the Federal agencies described in subsection (a) can take, using existing resources, to combat IUU fishing in the exclusive economic zone of the United States in the Gulf of Mexico; and

(3)any additional authorities that could assist each such agency in more effectively addressing such IUU fishing.

(c)Report

Not later than 1 year after the IUU Fishing Subworking Group is established under subsection (a), the group shall submit a report to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate, the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives, and the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives that contains—

(1)the findings identified pursuant to subsection (b); and

(2)a timeline for each of the Federal agencies described in subsection (a) to implement each action or policy identified pursuant to subsection (b)(2).

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The High Seas Driftnet Fishing Moratorium Protection Act, referred to in subsec. (b)(1)(B), is Pub. L. 104–43, title VI, Nov. 3, 1995, 109 Stat. 391, which enacted sections 1826d to 1826g of this title and provisions set out as a note under section 1826d of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

of 1995 Amendment note set out under section 1801 of this title and Tables.

§8034 Gulf of Mexico Iuu Fishing Subworking Group