To implement the Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels, and for other purposes.
Analysis under review: This bill has generated analysis that may be too generic or incomplete. Clause-level evidence remains available below.
Summary
What This Bill Does
This bill implements the international Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels, establishing legal protections for these endangered seabirds in U.S. waters and lands. It creates a comprehensive framework for species conservation, habitat protection, and regulation of activities that could harm these birds, including fishing operations.
Who Benefits and How
Albatrosses, petrels, and seabird conservation organizations benefit through new legal protections and dedicated conservation programs. The Department of Defense and Coast Guard receive exemptions for incidental take during military and emergency operations, avoiding compliance burdens. Commercial fishing operations gain clarity through explicit bycatch exemptions when following prescribed mitigation measures.
Who Bears the Burden and How
The commercial fishing industry faces new compliance requirements including mandatory bycatch mitigation measures and potential observer programs. Federal agencies (Fish and Wildlife Service, NOAA Fisheries, Coast Guard) bear new enforcement responsibilities and reporting requirements. Persons who take or disturb covered seabirds face civil and criminal penalties under both the Magnuson-Stevens Act and Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
Key Provisions
- Makes it unlawful to take, harm, or disturb albatrosses and petrels without authorization, with penalties under existing fisheries and migratory bird laws
- Authorizes habitat conservation, invasive species control, and species reestablishment programs
- Requires implementation of bycatch mitigation measures for commercial fisheries
- Exempts military operations, emergency response, and lawful fishing with proper mitigation from liability
Evidence Chain:
This summary is generated from the full bill text using AI analysis. Expand "Detailed Analysis" below for identified beneficiaries/burden bearers with clause-level evidence links.
At a Glance
What This Bill Does
Implements the Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels by establishing a comprehensive framework for protecting these seabirds through habitat conservation, regulation of take, enforcement mechanisms, and international cooperation.
Key Policy Areas
Wildlife Conservation, Fisheries Management, Environmental Protection, International Agreements
Primary Purpose
Implements the Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels by establishing a comprehensive framework for protecting these seabirds through habitat conservation, regulation of take, enforcement mechanisms, and international cooperation.
Policy Domains
Title I - Conservation Measures
Identified Gains
- Albatrosses and petrels
- Seabird conservation organizations
- Environmental researchers
Identified Costs
- Fish and Wildlife Service
- NOAA Fisheries
- Commercial fishing industry
Title V - International Cooperation
Identified Gains
- Global seabird populations
- International conservation organizations
- Foreign governments
Identified Costs
- U.S. State Department
- Fish and Wildlife Service
- NOAA Fisheries
Title II - Prohibited Acts and Authorizations
Identified Gains
- Albatrosses and petrels
- Department of Defense
- Coast Guard
- Commercial fishing operators (with mitigation)
Identified Costs
- Persons who take or disturb seabirds
- Vessel operators
Title IV - Agreement Implementation
Identified Gains
- International conservation community
- Agreement Parties
Identified Costs
- Fish and Wildlife Service
- NOAA Fisheries
Title VI - Conforming Amendments
Identified Gains
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation- Albatrosses and petrels
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
Identified Costs
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation- Foreign fishing vessels subject to U.S. certification
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
Title III - Enforcement
Identified Gains
- Albatrosses and petrels
- Enforcement agencies
Identified Costs
- Violators of the Act
- Vessel operators subject to inspection
Title VII - General Provisions
Identified Costs
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation- Secretary of Interior
- Secretary of Commerce
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
Sponsors
Legislative Progress
IntroducedMr. Huffman (for himself and Mr. Fitzpatrick) introduced the following …
Stakeholder Effects
cui bono?How this legislation distributes effects. Mention counts reflect frequency, not effect magnitude.
Coast Guard, Congress, Department of Defense
Coast Guard faces effects in multiple directions
Positive-direction: Congress, Department of Defense, Federal and state enforcement officers
Negative-direction: Department of the Interior, Federal wildlife agencies, Fish and Wildlife Service, NOAA Fisheries, NOAA enforcement, State Department
Commercial fishers releasing entangled birds, Commercial fishing operations, Commercial fishing vessel operators
Positive-direction: Commercial fishers releasing entangled birds, Commercial fishing vessels with bycatch mitigation
Negative-direction: Commercial fishing operations, Commercial fishing vessel operators, Commercial fishing vessels, Longline fishing vessels
Fisheries observer programs, International conservation organizations, Seabird conservation organizations
Persons who take or harm seabirds, U.S. nationals abroad, Violators of the Act
Agreement Secretariat, International Agreement Secretariat
Foreign governments with albatross populations
Bill Structure & Actor Mappings
Who is "The Secretary" in each section?
- "the_secretary"
- → Secretary of the Interior
- "secretary_of_commerce"
- → Secretary of Commerce (NOAA)
- "the_secretary"
- → Secretary of the Interior
- "secretary_of_commerce"
- → Secretary of Commerce (NOAA)
- "the_secretary"
- → Secretary of the Interior
- "coast_guard_secretary"
- → Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating
- "secretary_of_commerce"
- → Secretary of Commerce (NOAA)
- "the_secretary"
- → Secretary of the Interior
- "secretary_of_commerce"
- → Secretary of Commerce (NOAA)
- "the_secretary"
- → Secretary of the Interior
- "secretary_of_state"
- → Secretary of State
- "secretary_of_commerce"
- → Secretary of Commerce (NOAA)
- "the_secretary"
- → Secretary of the Interior
- "secretary_of_commerce"
- → Secretary of Commerce (NOAA)
Key Definitions
Terms defined in this bill
Any species, subspecies, population, or individual within the taxonomic order Procellariiformes that is listed under Annex I of the Agreement, whether dead or alive, including any part, egg, derivative nest, or product.
To harmfully interfere with, harass, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture, destroy, possess, or collect.
All land or water that any covered albatrosses and petrels inhabit, stay in temporarily, cross, or over-fly, at any time during migration, breeding, feeding, or aggregating; and any other areas determined by the Secretary or Secretary of Commerce.
Any act that interferes with the natural behavioral patterns of covered albatrosses and petrels (migration, brooding, nesting, breeding, feeding, sheltering) to a point at which such patterns are abandoned or significantly altered.
The Secretary of the Interior.
We use a combination of our own taxonomy and classification in addition to large language models to assess meaning and potential beneficiaries. High confidence means strong textual evidence. Always verify with the original bill text.
Learn more about our methodology