SENATE RESOLUTION No. 105
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
INTRODUCED DECEMBER 1, 1997
By Senators CONNORS and BASSANO
A Senate Resolution memorializing the Congress of the United States to enact as soon as possible H.R. 1855, which would impose a moratorium on the use of large fishing vessels to fish for Atlantic herring or Atlantic mackerel within the United States' exclusive economic zone.
Whereas, Atlantic herring and Atlantic mackerel are key links in the marine food chain, preyed upon by many other fish that are important for both the commercial and recreational fisheries along the Nation's coastline; and
Whereas, Large factory trawlers and their associated fishing fleets tend to overharvest fish, thus threatening the continued viability of the resource and severely impacting the economic well-being of the remainder of the commercial fishing industry as well as the recreational fishing industry; and
Whereas, Reportedly, a U.S.-built, 340-foot ship is being refitted in Norway so that it will have the capacity to harvest and process about 50,000 metric tons per year of Atlantic herring and Atlantic mackerel; and the harvest of such quantities of those species of fish could be devastating to owners of small and medium commercial fishing boats as well as the recreational fishing industry along the Nation's coastline; and
Whereas, H.R. 1855, introduced June 10, 1997 by Congressmen Saxton, Pallone and others, would provide that no large fishing vessel (equal to or greater than 165 feet in length overall, with an engine of more than 3,000 horsepower, that does not have a documented landing in any East Coast port as of May 1, 1997, of one pound or more of any species of fish caught pursuant to a federal or state fishing or landing permit or license) may engage in fishing for Atlantic herring or Atlantic mackerel within the exclusive economic zone of the United States until (1) the National Marine Fisheries Service has completed a new population survey into the abundance of the discrete spawning stocks of Atlantic herring and Atlantic mackerel, and (2) the Secretary of the United States Department of Commerce has approved and implemented fishery management plans developed by the appropriate regional fishery management council for Atlantic herring and Atlantic mackerel, which specifically allow large fishing vessels to participate in those fisheries; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of New Jersey:
1. The Congress of the United States is memorialized to enact as soon as possible H.R. 1855, which would impose a moratorium on the use of large fishing vessels to fish for Atlantic herring or Atlantic mackerel within the United States' exclusive economic zone.
2. Duly authenticated copies of this resolution, signed by the President of the Senate and attested to by the Secretary thereof, shall be transmitted to the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the respective majority and minority leaders of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives, every member of Congress elected from this State, the Secretary of the United States Department of Commerce, the Assistant Administrator for the National Marine Fisheries Service in the United States Department of Commerce, and the Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.
STATEMENT
This resolution would memorialize the Congress of the United States to enact as soon as possible H.R. 1855, which would impose a moratorium on the use of large fishing vessels to fish for Atlantic herring or Atlantic mackerel within the United States' exclusive economic zone (from three miles to 200 miles off shore). Atlantic herring and Atlantic mackerel are key links in the marine food chain, preyed upon by many other fish that are important for both the commercial and recreational fisheries along the Nation's coastline. Large factory trawlers and their associated fishing fleets tend to overharvest fish, including perhaps in the near future Atlantic herring and Atlantic mackerel, thus threatening the remainder of the commercial fishing industry as well as the recreational fishing industry along the Nation's coastline.
Memorializes Congress to enact H.R. 1855, which would establish a moratorium on use of large fishing vessels in Atlantic herring and mackerel fisheries.