The Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of Commerce and acting through the United States Commissioners, shall seek, in cooperation with other nations whose vessels fish for tuna in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean, to establish standards and measures for a bycatch reduction program for vessels fishing for yellowfin tuna in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean. The bycatch reduction program shall include measures—

1. (1) to require, to the maximum extent practicable, that sea turtles and other threatened species and endangered species are released alive;
2. (2) to reduce, to the maximum extent practicable, the harvest of nontarget species;
3. (3) to reduce, to the maximum extent practicable, the mortality of nontarget species; and
4. (4) to reduce, to the maximum extent practicable, the mortality of juveniles of the target species.

(Sept. 7, 1950, ch. 907, § 15, as added Pub. L. 105–42, § 7(c), Aug. 15, 1997, 111 Stat. 1138; amended Pub. L. 114–81, title II, § 209, Nov. 5, 2015, 129 Stat. 664.)

Editorial Notes

Codification

Section 7(c) of Pub. L. 105–42, which directed the addition of this section at the end of the Tuna Conventions Act, was executed by adding this section at the end of the Tuna Conventions Act of 1950, to reflect the probable intent of Congress.

Amendments

2015—Pub. L. 114–81 substituted “vessels” for “vessel” in introductory provisions.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Section effective upon certification by Secretary of Commerce that sufficient funding is available to complete first year of study required by section 1414a(a) of this title and that study has commenced, and certification by Secretary of State to Congress that binding resolution of Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission or other legally binding instrument establishing International Dolphin Conservation Program has been adopted and is in force, see section 8 of Pub. L. 105–42, set out as an Effective Date of 1997 Amendment note under section 1362 of this title.