Message to the Senate Transmitting the Protocol to the International Convention on Atlantic Tunas

To the Senate of the United States:

I transmit herewith, for the advice and consent of the Senate to ratification, the Protocol adopted June 5, 1992, by the Conference of Plenipotentiaries of the Contracting Parties to the International Convention for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) to amend paragraph 2 of Article X of ICCAT. The Protocol was signed by the United States on October 22, 1992. Also transmitted for the information of the Senate is the report of the Department of State with respect to the Protocol.

The Protocol would amend the subject Convention to modify the formula used to calculate the budgetary obligations of the parties to the Convention. The ICCAT, which establishes a Commission to address the conservation and management of highly migratory fisheries stocks in the Atlantic Ocean, has an accumulated debt of over $700,000 due to the inability of some of its very poor member states to meet their obligations to contribute to the annual budget of the Commission. At a Conference of Plenipotentiaries of the States Party to the Convention, held in Madrid June 4 through 5, 1992, a Protocol was adopted which, along with a new financial contribution scheme to be set forth in the ICCAT Financial Regulations, amends the Convention in such a way as to reduce the contributions of the developing countries to make it easier for them to meet their assessments. The Protocol and the new financial contribution scheme will base assessments on the GNP per capita and on tuna production.

The Protocol amending the budget scheme is necessary to ensure the continued viability of ICCAT, which is responsible for the conservation of highly migratory fisheries stocks of great value to the United States. Ratification by the United States will be necessary before the Protocol can enter into force. I recommend that the Senate give early consideration to the Protocol and give its advice and consent to ratification.

WILLIAM J. CLINTON

The White House,

April 20, 1993.