North Pacific Fur Seal Protection Act of 1980 - Title I: Termination of Convention - Expresses the sense of Congress that the Interim Convention on the Conservation of North Pacific Fur Seals should not be continued. Declares that the President should terminate such Convention and enter into negotiations for an international agreement banning all killing of such seals.
Title II: Protection of Seals - Directs the Secretary of the Interior to establish the Pribilof Wildlife Refuge. Prohibits the taking of seals within such Refuge and that part of the fishery conservation zone extending seaward of the Pribilof Islands, Alaska. Prohibits the use of gill nets within such part of the fishery conservation zone from June through September. Permits Pribilof Islands natives to take seals for subsistence purposes.
Sets forth sanctions for violations of these provisions. Directs the Secretary to employ, to the greatest extent possible, Pribilof Islands natives as rangers and guides.
Directs the Marine Mammal Commission to monitor annually the fur seal population within the Refuge and report the results and any recommendations for fur seal conservation.
Title III: Advisory Council; Social Services Programs - Provides for the establishment of an advisory committee to study and recommend to Congress alternative means of developing a livelihood for Pribilof Islands natives in lieu of the taking of seals, upon the termination of the Convention, including the making available of funds which would have been appropriated if the taking of seals had not been prohibited.
Requires the Secretary of the Interior to assure that the income of Pribilof Islands natives engaged in the taking of seals be maintained, after the prohibition on the taking of seals takes effect.
Title IV: Other Provisions of Law - Repeals title I (Conservation and Protection of North Pacific Fur Seals) of the Fur Seal Act of 1966.
Stipulates that the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 shall not apply if the taking of seals is prohibited under this Act.
Introduced in Senate
Referred to Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.
Referred to Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Referred to Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works.
Referred to Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
Llama 3.2 · runs locally in your browser
Ask anything about this bill. The AI reads the full text to answer.
Enter to send · Shift+Enter for new line