South Pacific Tuna Treaty Act of 2023

Floor Speech

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Mrs. RADEWAGEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1792, the South Pacific Tuna Treaty Act, which I introduced along with my original cosponsor, Ed Case of Hawaii.

As Representatives of the beautiful islands of American Samoa in the South Pacific, a marine economy which depends on a fishing economy like Hawaii, I applaud our Water, Wildlife and Fisheries Subcommittee Chair Cliff Bentz of Oregon and Ranking Member Jared Huffman of California for their bipartisan support implementing this treaty with my friends and neighbors in the South Pacific.

This bill implements into statute the most recent changes to the South Pacific Tuna Treaty that was negotiated between NOAA and other signatory countries to the treaty.

These changes are important to support the American fishing fleet in the South Pacific where many boats call the port in American Samoa home.

These changes improve the operation, condition, and flexibility for the fleet, which is America's last true distant water fishing fleet.

The 1987 treaty enables American tuna purse seine vessels to fish in the exclusive economic zones of 16 Pacific Island nations and is key to the ongoing operations of America's South Pacific tuna fleet, including the 11 purse seiners based in American Samoa.

In 2016, the treaty signatories agreed to several amendments to the treaty; however, those changes have not yet been reflected in U.S. law, leaving South Pacific tuna fishermen in a state of uncertainty for years.

H.R. 1792 will fix these issues.

Mr. Speaker, I also thank U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Fisheries Kelly Kryc and American Tunaboat Association Executive Director William Gibbons-Fly who testified in support of the bill at last July's hearing.

Finally, I thank Chairman Westerman and Ranking Member Grijalva who guided the Natural Resources Committee to unanimously approving H.R. 1792 at last October's markup.

``Live long and prosper.'' ``Soifua ma ia manuia.''

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I am ready to close.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation so that we can continue to protect our fishing fleet, protect the waters, and, importantly, protect the tuna that provides such economic vitality to those fishermen in those countries which rely on their ability to both capture the tuna. All of those restaurants and households really want to make sure that we continue to ensure that tuna is caught in an environmentally and sound way.

Mr. Speaker, I urge support of the legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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