International Whale Conservation and Protection Act of 2009

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Never voted on. It didn't reach a floor vote before the 111th Congress ended, so it expired. A bill has to be introduced again to be considered in a new Congress.

D FaleomavaegaSponsor

69 cosponsors · 65 D, 4 R

3 signed on when it was introduced; the rest joined later. Cosponsors who withdrew aren't shown.

What it does: CRS summary · Introduced in House · May 18, 2009

Amends the Whale Conservation and Protection Study Act to rename it as the International Whale Conservation and Protection Act of 2009. Requires the Secretary of Commerce (Secretary), in cooperation with the Secretary of State, to: (1) restate strong U.S. opposition to commercial whaling and to refuse to engage in any negotiation or reinterpretation of the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling that would weaken the moratorium on commercial whaling, create new categories of whaling, condone lethal scientific whaling, or weaken whale conservation and protection; and (2) support subsistence whaling and the development of the Aboriginal Whaling Management Scheme. Sets forth provisions concerning the International Whaling Commission.

Requires the Secretary, in cooperation with the United States Coast Guard, to: (1) pursue the establishment of guidelines for minimizing the introduction of incidental noise from commercial shipping operations into marine environments to reduce the potential adverse affects on whales and other marine life; and (2) promote the use of areas to be avoided by commercial vessels and other navigational measures to minimize the threat of injury to whales.

Requires the Secretary, in cooperation with the Secretary of the Interior, to encourage nations that hold any reservations under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora to the great whales listed in Appendix I to withdraw such reservations and terminate commercial trade in whale meat and products.

Provides for international cooperation and compliance with regulations governing trade in or takings of whales.

Requires the Secretary to: (1) negotiate with the government of Canada with the goal of concluding a North Atlantic Whale Conservation Agreement within 18 months; (2) develop international action plans to reduce threats to whales and other cetaceans through the establishment of new International Marine Protected Areas (IMAs) and IMA networks; and (3) establish whale research initiatives to enhance whale conservation efforts. Requires the Secretary and the Secretary of State to support efforts to study and reduce the adverse effects of anthropogenic noise on whales and other marine life.

Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov

About this bill and sources

Official title: International Whale Conservation and Protection Act of 2009

Latest action (May 21, 2009): Referred to the Subcommittee on Insular Affairs, Oceans and Wildlife.

Policy area: International Affairs · Origin: House · Introduced: May 18, 2009

Official page on Congress.gov · Bill text (GovInfo) · Status record (XML)

No recorded floor vote found.