Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 120.djvu/3680

 PUBLIC LAW 109–479—JAN. 12, 2007

120 STAT. 3649

provisions of that Act were incorporated into and made a part of this title. (d) PENALTIES.—This title shall be enforced by the Secretary as if a violation of this title or of any regulation promulgated by the Secretary under this title were a violation of section 307 of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1857). SEC. 611. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

16 USC 7010.

There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary such sums as may be necessary to carry out the obligations of the United States under the Agreement and this title.

TITLE VII—MISCELLANEOUS SEC. 701. STUDY OF THE ACIDIFICATION OF THE OCEANS AND EFFECT ON FISHERIES.

The Secretary of Commerce shall request the National Research Council to conduct a study of the acidification of the oceans and how this process affects the United States. SEC. 702. PUGET SOUND REGIONAL SHELLFISH SETTLEMENT.

(a) FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.— (1) FINDINGS.—Congress finds that— (A) the Tribes have established treaty rights to take shellfish from public and private tidelands in Washington State, including from some lands owned, leased, or otherwise subject to harvest by commercial shellfish growers; (B) the district court that adjudicated the Tribes’ treaty rights to take shellfish found that the growers are innocent purchasers who had no notice of the Tribes’ fishing right when they acquired their properties; (C) numerous unresolved issues remain outstanding regarding implementation of the Tribes’ treaty right to take shellfish from lands owned, leased, or otherwise subject to harvest by the growers; (D) the Tribes, the growers, the State of Washington, and the United States Department of the Interior have resolved by a settlement agreement many of the disputes between and among them regarding implementation of the Tribes’ treaty right to take shellfish from covered tidelands owned or leased by the growers; (E) the settlement agreement does not provide for resolution of any claims to take shellfish from lands owned or leased by the growers that potentially may be brought in the future by other Tribes; (F) in the absence of congressional actions, the prospect of other Tribes claims to take shellfish from lands owned or leased by the growers could be pursued through the courts, a process which in all likelihood could consume many years and thereby promote uncertainty in the State of Washington and the growers and to the ultimate detriment of both the Tribes and other Tribes and their members; (G) in order to avoid this uncertainty, it is the intent of Congress that other Tribes have the option of resolving their claims, if any, to a treaty right to take shellfish

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