Fortunately, in some instance, fishing nations have joined togeth- 

 er to manage and conserve international fish stocks. With regard 

 to tuna and other highly migratory species, the United States and 

 21 other nations have joined the International Convention for the 

 Conservation of Atlantic Tunas, known also as ICCAT. 



Clearly, U.S. efforts to conserve Atlantic tuna would be wasted if 

 other fishing nations continued to harvest these fish without 

 regard to reasonable management measures. Through ICCAT, 22 

 nations come together to develop recommendations to manage tuna 

 fishing activities on both the high seas and within the relevant ex- 

 clusive economic zones. 



There have been and continue to be many complaints about the 

 ICCAT management regime. Immediately following this hearing, 

 the Subcommittee plans to mark up and report a resolution ad- 

 dressing one of the most serious concerns, that U.S. fishermen are 

 restricting catch to conserve the resources while others continue to 

 harvest without regard to conservation needs. 



For the moment, however, our focus is more narrow. We need to 

 hear from our witnesses what changes, if any, are needed to im- 

 prove the Atlantic Tuna Conservation Act, or ATCA. This act, 

 passed in 1975, is the domestic legislation that implements ICCAT. 



The authorization for this act expired at the beginning of this 

 month and the legislation before the Subcommittee will authorize 

 continued funding of ATCA. Accordingly, we are also interested in 

 the views of witnesses on an appropriate level of funding for the 

 implementation of this act. 



I welcome our witnesses and we will recognize our ranking 

 member when he gets here. Mr. Coble, would you care to make an 

 opening statement? 



Mr. Coble. I have no opening statement, Mr. Chairman. I would, 

 without objection, enter the statement of Mr. Fields in the record. 



Mr. Manton. Without objection, so ordered. 



[The statement of Jack Fields follows:] 



Statement of Hon. Jack Fields, a U.S. Representative from Texas, and 

 Ranking Minority Member, Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries 



Mr. Chairman, today the Subcommittee on Fisheries Management meets to hold a 

 hearing on legislation to reauthorize the Atlantic Tunas Convention Act of 1976 

 (ATCA). 



As the members know, the Atlantic Tunas Convention Act of 1976 is the United 

 Staes' implementing legislation for the International Convention for the Conserva- 

 tion of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT). While the Senate ratified the convention in 1967, 

 implementing legislation was not enacted until 1976. 



ATCA includes the mechanisms for selecting commissioners to ICCAT, for allocat- 

 ing resources between commercial and recreational fishermen, and provides for en- 

 forcement of regulations governing fishing of Atlantic tuna. This Act has been peri- 

 odically reauthorized, the most recent being passed in 1990. 



While H.R. 779 is a straight reauthorization of ATCA through 1997, we will hear 

 testimony on a number of issues, including the effectiveness of the 1990 amend- 

 ments to the Act. 



I look forward to hearing troday's testimony since we will be addressing a related 

 issue dealing with the Atlantic bluefin tuna later today and at the Full Committee 

 markup tomorrow. 



Mr. Manton. Are there any other members that desire to make 

 an opening statement? If not, we will proceed with the panel and 



