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Creates a U.S. authority and legal framework to protect, recover, and manage specified albatross and petrel species by authorizing conservation actions, forbidding take except under permit, enabling enforcement and penalties, and directing interagency and international cooperation. It requires designated offices in the Fish and Wildlife Service and NOAA to implement the Agreement, mandates periodic reporting to Congress, allows shared fisheries data and technical/financial assistance to other countries, and takes effect 180 days after enactment.
"Advisory Committee" means the Advisory Committee established by Article IX of the Agreement.
"Agreement" means the Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels, done at Cape Town, South Africa, on February 2, 2001.
"Antarctica" means the area south of 60 degrees south latitude.
"Breeding site" means (A) a location in the wild where any covered albatross or petrel eggs, tended by the parent birds, have successfully hatched at any time in the previous 5 years; or (B) a location where reestablishment of breeding covered albatrosses and petrels is underway.
"Conservation measure" means any action taken for the purpose of achieving or maintaining the favorable conservation status of covered albatrosses and petrels.
Primary impacts:
Commercial and recreational fishers: Increased monitoring and mitigation requirements to reduce seabird bycatch; potential restrictions or gear modifications; possible access limits in certain areas to protect colonies or foraging habitat. Some fisheries may need new reporting practices or coordination with U.S. and international authorities.
Federal agencies (Interior/FWS, Commerce/NOAA, Department housing the Coast Guard, others): Must designate Offices/U.S. Authorities, develop and implement conservation programs, manage permitting systems, coordinate enforcement, and produce periodic reports to Congress. Agencies will have new administrative duties and interagency consultation obligations.
Coast Guard and enforcement personnel: Expanded enforcement roles and potential operational involvement in inspections, at-sea monitoring, and use of vessel/equipment for conservation enforcement; some operational activities are explicitly exempted when necessary for national defense or Coast Guard missions.
Coastal, island, and marine communities: May benefit from habitat restoration, debris cleanup, and local conservation funding or technical support; communities hosting nesting colonies could see increased conservation activity and potential restrictions on nearby activities.
International partners and regional fisheries management organizations: Will receive increased U.S. engagement, data-sharing, training, and possible financial or technical assistance to reduce seabird bycatch and implement Agreement measures.
Conservation, research, and academic communities: Expanded opportunities for funded research, monitoring, training, and international collaboration related to seabird conservation and marine debris/pollution research.
Administrative and legal impacts:
Overall, the Act increases federal and international efforts to conserve specific seabird species, places new monitoring, permitting, and enforcement obligations on federal agencies and fisheries, and promotes habitat and bycatch mitigation actions while retaining exemptions for certain national defense and Coast Guard activities.
Expand sections to see detailed analysis
Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Introduced May 5, 2025 by Jared Huffman · Last progress May 5, 2025
Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Introduced in House