This Act is the Maritime Appropriations Act, but it also authorizes 

 the Secretary of Commerce to transfer certain Liberty ships, 

 otherwise scheduled to be scrapped, to States for use as offshore 

 artificial reefs for the conservation of marine life. A State would 

 apply for these surplus Liberty ships in accordance with regulations 

 to be prescribed by the Secretary of Commerce. Information on the 

 locations where the State proposes to sink the ships and the 

 conservation goals sought to be achieved would be required to be 

 included in such application. Prior to taking any action, the 

 Secretary of Commerce would provide copies of the application to 

 the Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of the Army, and any 

 other appropriate Federal officers, and obtain their comments and 

 views. If the Secretary of Commerce finds, after obtaining the views 

 of other appropriate Federal officials, that such use of these Liberty 

 ships does not violate Federal law and is not frivolous, and the State 

 agrees to the required terms and conditions, including the furnishing 

 of assurances that the vessels will be used for the stated purposes, he 

 would be authorized to transfer without consideration to the 

 applicant State all right, title, and interest of the United States in 

 such vessels. 



9. P.L. 92-444 (H.R. 12207) September 29, 1972. The Central, 

 Western, and South Pacific Fisheries Development Act. 



This Act authorizes a program for the development of fishery 

 resources in the Central, Western, and South Pacific Ocean. The 

 legislation authorizes the Secretary of Commerce to undertake, 

 either directly or by contract, a three-year program for the 

 development of the tuna and other latent fisheries resources of the 

 Central, Western, and South Pacific Ocean. Included in the program 

 are exploration for and stock assessment of tuna and other fish, 

 improvement of harvesting techniques, gear development, biological 

 resource monitoring, and an economical evaluation of the potential 

 for tuna and other fisheries in such areas. During the first year, the 

 program will include exploration by large, modern purse seiners and 

 various size bait boats and the use of aircraft to assist in spotting fish 

 schools. The results of these explorations will be reviewed and 

 reported by the Secretary and used to develop the program for the 

 second and third years. The sum of $3 million is authorized to carry 

 out the purposes of the Act and will remain available until expended. 



10. P.L. 92-471 (H.R. 9501) October 9, 1972. An Act to amend the 

 North Pacific Fisheries Act of 1954. 



This Act amends the North Pacific Fisheries Act of 1954, which 

 implements the International Convention for the High Seas Fisheries 

 of the North Pacific Ocean. It provides that the United States shall be 

 represented on the International North Pacific Fisheries 



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