Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 86.djvu/1081

 86 STAT.]

PUBLIC LAW 92-522-OCT. 21, 1972

1039

eral treaties with such countries to protect marine mammals. The Secretary of State shall prepare a draft agenda relating to this matter for discussion at appropriate international meetings and forums; (3) encourage such other agreements to promote the purposes of this Act with other nations for the protection of specific ocean and land regions which are of special significance to the health and stability of marine mammals; (4) initiate the amendment of any existing international treaty for the protection and conservation of any species of marine mammal to which the United States is a party m order to make such treaty consistent with the purposes and policies of this Act; (5) seek the convening of an international ministerial meeting m international n i s t e r i a l meeton marine mammals before July 1, 1973, for the purposes of (A) ing on marine the negotiation of a binding international convention for the a n i m a l s. protection and conservation of all marine mammals, and (B) the implementation of paragraph (3) of this section; and Report (6) provide to the Congress by not later than one year after the C o n g r e s s.to date of the enactment of this Act a full report on the results of his efforts under this section. North Pacific (b)(1) I n addition to the foregoing, the Secretary shall— fur s e a l s, s t u d y. (A) in consultation with the Marine Mammal Commission established by section 201 of this Act, undertake a study of the North Pacific fur seals to determine whether herds of such seals subject to the jurisdiction of the United States are presently at their optimum sustainable population and what population trends are evident; and (B) in consultation with the Secretary of State, promptly undertake a comprehensive study of the provisions of this Act, as they relate to North Pacific fur seals, and the provisions of the North Pacific F u r Seal Convention signed on February 9, 1957, as extended (hereafter referred to in this subsection as the "Con- 8 UST 2283; 15 vention"), to determine what modifications, if any, should be 20 UST 3 1 6; UST 2992. made to the provisions of the Convention, or of this Act, or both, to make the Convention and this Act consistent with each other. Study copies The Secretary shall complete the studies required under this para- transmittal to graph not later than one year after- the date of enactment of this Act C ongre s s. and shall immediately provide copies thereof to Congress. Convention, (2) If the Secretary finds— modification (A) as a result of the study required under paragraph (1)(A) n e g o t i a t i o n s. of this subsection, that the North Pacific fur seal herds are below their optimum sustainable population and are not trending upward toward such level, or have reached their optimum sustainable population but are commencing a downward trend, and believes the herds to be in danger of depletion; or (B) as a result of the study required under paragraph (1)(B) UST 2283; of this subsection, that modifications of the Convention are desir- 158 UST 316; able to make it and this Act consistent; 20 UST 2292. he shall, through the Secretary of State, immediately initiate negotiations to modify the Convention so as to (i) reduce or halt the taking of seals to the extent required to assure that such herds attain and remain at their optimum sustainable population, or (ii) make the Time Convention and this Act consistent; or both, as the case may be. If s i o n. extennegotiations to so modify the Convention are unsuccessful, the Secretary shall, through the Secretary of State, take such steps as may be necessary to continue the existing Convention beyond its present termination date so as to continue to protect and conserve the North Pacific fur seals and to prevent a return to pelagic sealing.

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