Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 107 Part 3.djvu/612

 107 STAT. 2550 CONCURRENT RESOLUTIONS—NOV. 16, 1993 Nov-16, 1993 ATLANTIC BLUEFIN TUNA—CONSERVATION [H. Con. Res. 169] AND MANAGEMENT Whereas Atlantic bluefin tuna are a valuable commercial and recreational fishery of the United States; Whereas many countries, including the United States, fish for Atlantic bluefin tuna and other highly migratory species in the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea; Whereas the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (hereinafter referred to as the "Commission"), is the international entity established to adopt recommendations and develop international agreements for the conservation and management of Atlantic bluefin tuna and other highly migratory species in the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea; Whereas in the last 25 years Atlantic bluefin tima stocks have declined from historic levels; Whereas, for management purposes, the Commission has adopted a working hypothesis of 2 stocks of Atlantic bluefin tuna: a western stock found in the Atlantic Ocean west of 45 degrees west longitude (hereinafter referred to as the "45 degree line"), and an eastern stock found in the Atlantic Ocean east of the 45 degree line and in the Mediterranean Sea; Whereas the existing scientific evidence is inconclusive with respect to the working hypothesis of 2 stocks, the extent to which each of the hypothesized stocks migrates across the 45 degree line is unknown, and the 45 degree line is considered to be arbitrary; Whereas the Commission adopted conservation and management recommendations in 1974 to ensure the recovery and sustainability of all Atlantic bluefin tuna throughout the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea; Whereas, in recent years, the Commission has adopted additional, more restrictive conservation and management recommendations for Atlantic bluefin tuna, for countries that fish for Atlantic bluefin tuna west of the 45 degree line; Whereas the United States and other countries that are members of the Commission and that fish west of the 45 degree line have implemented all conservation and management recommendations for Atlantic bluefin tuna adopted by the Commission that apply west of the 45 degree line; Whereas many other countries that are members of the Commission do not comply with conservation and management recommendations for Atlantic bluefin tuna adopted by the Commission that apply east of the 45 degree line and in the Mediterranean Sea; Whereas this continuing failure to comply east of the 45 degree line and in the Mediterranean Sea by countries that are members of the Commission will undermine the recovery of Atlantic bluefin tuna stocks; Whereas recent large increases in the catch of Atlantic bluefin tuna within 100 miles east of the 45 degree line by countries that are members of the Commission could be having a negative impact on the recovery of Atlantic bluefin tuna and probably do not comply with recommendations of the Commission; and Whereas countries that are not members of the Commission are having a negative impact on the recovery of Atlantic bluefin tuna stocks by fishing throughout the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea without regard for conservation and manage-

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