Skip to content
PoliticalRepoPoliticalRepo

United States · Bill · HR

H.R. 537 (100th)

Driftnet Impact Monitoring, Assessment, and Control Act of 1987

openUnited States· United States Congress· EN

Introduced

8 January 1987

Last action

29 July 1987 · Committee

Status

Unfavorable Executive Comment Received From Commerce.

Sponsors

Rep. Bennett, Charles E. [D-FL-3], Rep. Howard, James J. [D-NJ-3], Rep. Lagomarsino, Robert J. [R-CA-19], Rep. Leland, Mickey [D-TX-18], Rep. Dingell, John D. [D-MI-12], Rep. Mrazek, Robert J. [D-NY-3], Rep. Beilenson, Anthony C. [D-CA-24], Rep. Ray, Richard B. [D-GA-3], Rep. McMillen, Thomas [D-MD-4], Rep. Neal, Stephen L. [D-NC-5], Rep. MacKay, Buddy [D-FL-6], Rep. Dwyer, Bernard J. [D-NJ-6], Rep. Kaptur, Marcy [D-OH-9], Rep. Bentley, Helen Delich [R-MD-2], Rep. Miller, John R. [R-WA-1], Rep. DeFazio, Peter A. [D-OR-4], Rep. Bilirakis, Michael [R-FL-9], Rep. Kennelly, Barbara B. [D-CT-1], Rep. Atkins, Chester G. [D-MA-5], Rep. Towns, Edolphus [D-NY-10], Rep. Kolter, Joseph P. [D-PA-4], Rep. Mineta, Norman Y. [D-CA-15], Rep. Johnson, Nancy L. [R-CT-5], Rep. Swift, Al [D-WA-2], Rep. Weiss, Ted [D-NY-17], Sen. Jeffords, James M. [I-VT], Rep. Donnelly, Brian J. [D-MA-11], Rep. Morrison, Bruce A. [D-CT-3], Rep. Solomon, Gerald B. H. [R-NY-22], Rep. Hughes, William J. [D-NJ-2], Sen. Smith, Bob [R-NH], Rep. LaFalce, John J. [D-NY-29], Rep. Lewis, Thomas F. [R-FL-12], Rep. Downey, Thomas J. [D-NY-2], Rep. Stark, Fortney Pete [D-CA-13], Rep. McKinney, Stewart B. [R-CT-4], Rep. Gejdenson, Sam [D-CT-2], Sen. Boxer, Barbara [D-CA], Sen. Cardin, Benjamin L. [D-MD], Rep. Morrison, Sid [R-WA-4], Rep. Slaughter, Louise McIntosh [D-NY-25], Rep. Rowland, John G. [R-CT-5], Rep. Smith, Lawrence [D-FL-16], Rep. Brown, George E., Jr. [D-CA-42], Rep. Wolpe, Howard E. [D-MI-3], Rep. Ravenel, Arthur, Jr. [R-SC-1], Rep. Hutto, Earl [D-FL-1], Rep. Anderson, Glenn M. [D-CA-32]

Subjects

Discovery layer

Source updated

28 August 2025

Official sourceView documentsShare

Summary

Driftnet Impact Monitoring, Assessment, and Control Act of 1987 - Amends the Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act to revise provisions concerning the presence of a U.S. observer aboard foreign fishing vessels fishing in a U.S. fishery conservation zone. Provides for the waiver of such requirement for specified vessels harvesting anadromous species. Provides that the Secretary of Commerce (the Secretary) shall not approve a foreign vessel's fishing permit application where the facilities aboard such vessels are so inadequate that the health, safety, and welfare of an observer on such vessel cannot be assured. Requires the Secretary, through the Secretary of State, to immediately negotiate with foreign governments conducting driftnet fishing operations off the U.S. coast an arrangement for the reliable monitoring and assessment of the number of fish, seabirds, and other marine creatures killed, discarded, or lost by such government's driftnet fishing vessels in waters beyond the jurisdiction of the United States. Prohibits the Secretary from issuing a permit to any foreign vessel whose government does not enter into such a monitoring arrangement within one year after the enactment of this Act. Directs the Secretary, within one year after the enactment of this Act, to report to the Congress on the implementation of such arrangements. Directs the Secretary, within one year after the enactment of this Act and annually thereafter, to report to the Congress on the impact upon living marine resources of all driftnet fishing off the coasts of the United States. Requires enforcement costs to be taken into consideration when determining fishing permit fees to be charged. Directs the Secretary to implement a net bounty system to pay persons recovering and turning over to the Secretary lost, abandoned, or discarded driftnet or other plastic fishing net material. Requires such payments to be made from the Fishery Vessel and Gear Damage Compensation Fund. Directs the Secretary to develop recommendations to establish a driftnet marking, registry, and identification system to determine the vessel origin of lost, discarded, or abandoned driftnets or driftnet fragments. Directs the Secretary, no later than six months after the enactment of this Act, to report to the Congress concerning such recommendations and their implementation. Establishes a seabird protection zone surrounding the Aleutian Islands off Alaska within which no driftnet fishing is permitted. Directs the Secretary, in cooperation with the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating, to enforce such driftnet fishing prohibition.

This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.

Timeline

  1. 8 January 1987

    Introduced

    Referred to House Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries.

    Source: IntroReferral

  2. 8 January 1987

    Introduced

    Introduced in House

    Source: IntroReferral

  3. 8 January 1987

    Introduced

    Introduced in House

    Source: IntroReferral

  4. 2 February 1987

    Referred

    Referred to Subcommittee on Fisheries and Wildlife Conservation and the Environment.

    Source: Committee

  5. 2 February 1987

    Committee

    Executive Comment Requested from Interior, Commerce, State, DOT, Marine Mammal Comm.

    Source: Committee

  6. 11 May 1987

    Committee

    Unfavorable Executive Comment Received From State.

    Source: Committee

  7. 20 July 1987

    Committee

    Unfavorable Executive Comment Received From DOT.

    Source: Committee

  8. 29 July 1987

    Committee

    Unfavorable Executive Comment Received From Commerce.

    Source: Committee

Votes

No vote records are attached yet.

Versions

No version snapshots stored. Document URLs remain at the source.

Documents

1 official file

Leesvertaling

Vertaal dit document naar jouw taal. PoliticalRepo bewaart geen aparte kopie per EU-taal.

Documentvertaling op verzoek met downloadbare PDF (logo + link naar de officiële bron). Het bronbestand blijft leidend.

Sponsors

Showing 48 of 68 sponsors and actors.

Related records

Sources

PoliticalRepo is an index and interpretation layer, not the authoritative legal source.