,,ii  #aaith ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,s4 #dgbj  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,june #i1      
#bjbf,mr4 ,merkley 7for himself and ,mr4
 ,wicker7 introduced the following bill2
 which was read twice and referred to   
the ,committee on ,commerce1 ,science1  
and ,transportation  ,a ,,bill  ,to     
amend the ,high ,seas ,driftnet ,fishing
 ,moratorium ,protection ,act to        
authorize the ,secretary of ,commerce to
 consider nations with open registries  
in the ,secretary's identification of   
nations engaging in or endorsing        
illegal1 unreported1 or unregulated     
fishing4  #a4 ,short title ,this ,act   
may be cited as the ,protecting ,u4,s4  
,fishers from ,illegal ,foreign ,flags  
,act of #bjbf4  #b4 ,amendments to the  
,high ,seas ,driftnet ,fishing          
,moratorium ,protection ,act ,section   
#fji of the ,high ,seas ,driftnet       
,fishing ,moratorium ,protection ,act   
7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #ahbf;j7 is amended--    
7#a7 in subsection 7a77#b71 by adding at

 the end the following3  7,e7 ,any      
nation that allows vessels to be        
operated under the laws of the nation   
without confirming a genuine link 7as   
described in ,article #e7a7 of the      
,united ,nations ,convention on the     
,high ,seas1 done at ,geneva on ,april  
#bi1 #aieh and entered into force       
,september #cj1 #aifb7 between the      
nation and the persons or entities with 
beneficial ownership and control of the 
vessel1 and that1 as a result1 fails to 
effectively exercise flag state         
responsibilities as described in        
subparagraphs 7,a7 through 7,c74  2 and 
7#b7 in subsection 7e71 by striking     
paragraph 7#b7 and inserting the        
following3  7#b7 ,secretary to amend    
term within legislative guidelines ,not 
later than #ij days after the date of   
enactment of the ,protecting ,u4,s4     
,fishers from ,illegal ,foreign ,flags  
,act of #bjbf1 the ,secretary shall     
amend the definition of the term        
illegal1 unreported1 or unregulated     

fishing published at part #cjj4bja of   
title #ej1 ,code of ,federal            
,regulations 7as in effect on the date  
of enactment of such ,act71 to be       
consistent with section #cecb7f7 of the 
,maritime ,,safe ,act 7#af ,u4,s4,c4    
#hjja7f774  4