International Fisheries Bill Passes Through the Senate

United States Senator Brian Schatz. United State Senate photo.

Legislation introduced by United States Senators Brian Schatz, Dan Sullivan, and Edward J. Markey was unanimously passed by the Senate on Wednesday.

The Ensuring Access to Fisheries Act is bipartisan legislation that would implement treaties ratified by the Senate last year to better manage certain fisheries in the North and South Pacific, as well as the North Atlantic.

“I thank Senator Sullivan and Senator Markey for their work to bring our oceans into international conservation and management,” said Senator Schatz. “With the parts of this legislation that Senator Sullivan and I drafted, we have brought the remaining Pacific fisheries under international management. Our legislation gives the U.S. an opportunity to ensure that our oceans are managed sustainably now and for the future.”

S.1335, along with existing treaties, would bring all high seas fisheries in the Pacific Ocean under international management bodies to ensure access for U.S. fishermen and responsible management of ocean resources, according to the Office of Senator Schatz.

In addition, the bill would implement updates to the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Convention to better manage international North Atlantic fisheries.

To streamline consideration, Senators Markey and Schatz combined their fisheries legislation—S. 1251, the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Convention Amendments Act, and S. S. 1336, the South Pacific Fisheries Convention Implementation Act.