Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 111 Part 3.djvu/584

 Ill STAT. 2672 PUBLIC LAW 105-146—DEC. 16, 1997 Public Law 105-146 105th Congress An Act Dec. 16. 1997 [H.R. 1658] Atlantic Striped Conservation Act Amendments of 1997. Intergovernmental relations. 16 USC 1851 note. 16 USC 668dd note. To reauthorize and amend the Atlantic Striped Bass Conservation Act and related laws. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the "Atlantic Striped Bass Conservation Act Amendments of 1997". SEC. 2. REAUTHORIZATION AND AMENDMENT OF ATLANTIC STRIPED BASS CONSERVATION ACT. The Atlantic Striped Bass Conservation Act (16 U.S.C. 1851 note) is amended to read as follows: "SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. "This Act may be cited as the 'Atlantic Striped Bass Conservation Act'. "SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES. "(a) FINDINGS.— The Congress finds and declares the following: "(1) Atlantic striped bass are of historic commercial and recreational importance and economic benefit to the Atlantic coastal States and to the Nation. "(2) No single government entity has full management authority throughout the range of the Atlantic striped bass. "(3) The population of Atlantic striped bass— "(A) has been subject to large fluctuations due to natural causes, fishing pressure, environmental pollution, loss and alteration of habitat, inadequacy of fisheries conservation and management practices, and other causes; and "(B) risks potential depletion in the future without effective monitoring and conservation and management measures. "(4) It is in the national interest to implement effective procedures and measures to provide for effective interjurisdictional conservation and management of this species. "(b) PURPOSE. —It is therefore declared to be the purpose of the Congress in this Act to support and encourage the development, implementation, and enforcement of effective interstate action regarding the conservation and management of the Atlantic striped bass.

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