South Korea. On 7 November 1989, the Department of State 

 responded to the Commission. It agreed that there was a pressing 

 need for data on the impact of driftnet fisheries on marine 

 resources, and noted that it intended to work closely with 

 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Organization scientists and 

 others during negotiations on the levels of observer coverage, 

 tracking vessels, and the types of data to be collected in the 

 1990 driftnet programs. 



By letter of 20 November 1989, the National Oceanic and 

 Atmospheric Administration's Assistant Administrator for 

 Fisheries also concurred with the Commission's views and 

 indicated that the Service had attached priority to ongoing 

 efforts to secure statistically reliable information on the 

 impacts of pelagic driftnet fisheries. No new information on the 

 development of the three agreements had, however, been received 

 by the Commission by the end of 1989. 



Other U.S. Domestic Actions To Control Driftnet Fishing 



In July 1989, a bill (H.R. 2958) directing the Department of 

 State to negotiate agreements banning the use of gillnets on the 

 high seas was introduced and referred to the House Committee on 

 Merchant Marine and Fisheries for consideration. The essence of 

 the bill, called the "Driftnet Use Cessation Act of 1989," was 

 appended to proposed amendments to the Magnuson Fishery 

 Conservation and Management Act in October and was approved by 

 the Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries and sent to the 

 full House of Representatives. At the end of the 1989 

 Congressional session, the amendments to the Magnuson Fishery 

 Conservation and Management Act had not been approved by the 

 Senate. After conclusion of the 1989 Congressional session, 

 three other pieces of driftnet legislation were introduced: 

 H.R. 3373, which calls for negotiating a regional convention to 

 establish a driftnet-free zone in the South Pacific in support of 

 the Tarawa Declaration (see below) ; H.R. 3496, which calls for 

 prohibiting the importation of fish or marine animal products 

 from Japan, Taiwan, or South Korea into the United States until 

 those countries cease driftnet fishing; and House Congressional 

 Resolution 214, which expresses support for regional efforts to 

 protect marine resources from driftnet fisheries in the South 

 Pacific Ocean. 



Other International Action on Driftnets 



Other countries also have undertaken efforts to address 

 marine conservation problems caused by driftnet fisheries. The 

 Federated States of Micronesia banned driftnet fisheries in their 

 waters because of an "alarming" incidental catch of marine 

 mammals, marine turtles, seabirds, and other non-target species 

 in a trial joint venture fishery during February and March 1989. 

 In May 1989, the New Zealand Government banned driftnet fishing 



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