S. 850 (111th): Shark Conservation Act of 2009

Introduced:
Apr 22, 2009 (111th Congress, 2009–2010)
Sponsor:
Sen. John Kerry [D-MA]
Status:
Died (Reported by Committee)

The bill’s title was written by the bill’s sponsor. S. stands for Senate bill.

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Status

This bill was introduced on November 19, 2009, in a previous session of Congress, but was not enacted.

Progress
Introduced Apr 22, 2009
Referred to Committee Apr 22, 2009
Reported by Committee Nov 19, 2009
Cosponsors
33 cosponsors (27D, 4R, 2I) (show)
Committees

Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation

The committee chair determines whether a bill will move past the committee stage.

Full Title

A bill to amend the High Seas Driftnet Fishing Moratorium Protection Act and the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act to improve the conservation of sharks.

Summary

No summaries available.

Text

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Last updated Feb 04, 2010.
10 pages

Primary Source

View on THOMAS (The Library of Congress)

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GovTrack’s Bill Summary

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Library of Congress Summary

The summary below was written by the Congressional Research Service, which is a nonpartisan division of the Library of Congress.

2/4/2010--Reported to Senate amended.
Shark Conservation Act of 2009 - Amends the High Seas Driftnet Fishing Moratorium Protection Act to direct the Secretary of Commerce to urge international fishery management organizations to which the United States is a member to adopt shark conservation measures, including measures to prohibit removal any of the fins of a shark (including the tail) and discarding the shark carcass at sea.
Requires the Secretary to seek to enter into international shark conservation agreements, including measures prohibiting fin removal and carcass disposal, that are comparable to those of the United States, taking into account different conditions.
Directs the Secretary to include shark conservation measures when defining fishing activities that violate international fishery conservation and management agreements.
Requires the Secretary to list a nation in the biennial report on international compliance if the nation's fishing vessels are or have been engaged in fishing activities that target or incidentally catch sharks in waters beyond their jurisdiction, and such nation has not adopted a regulatory program providing for shark conservation, including the fin removal and carcass disposal prohibitions.
Requires such listing within one year after the enactment of this Act. Amends the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act to revise provisions prohibiting the removal of shark fins to make it a prohibited act to:
(1) remove any shark fin (including the tail) at sea;
(2) have a fin aboard a fishing vessel unless the fin is naturally attached to the carcass;
(3) transfer a fin from one vessel to another or receive a fin unless it is naturally attached; or
(4) land a fin that is not naturally attached to a carcass or land a carcass without fins naturally attached.
Revises the current rebuttable presumption provision concerning shark fins on fishing vessels to create a rebuttable presumption that, if any shark fin (including the tail) is aboard a non-fishing vessel without being naturally attached, the fin was transferred from a fishing vessel in violation.

House Republican Conference Summary

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No summary available.

House Democratic Caucus Summary

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The bill contains the following citations to other parts of U.S. law:

United States Code

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