Northern Pacific Halibut Act of 1982
Public Law 97-176 · S. 2244 · 97th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on May 17, 1982 · Public Lands and Natural Resources
Sponsor: Sen. Robert Packwood (R-OR)
Cosponsors: None
Passage votes
- HouseVoice vote
- SenateVoice vote
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Northern Pacific Halibut Act of 1982 - Requires the United States to be represented on the International Pacific Halibut Commission by three presidentially appointed commissioners. Sets forth the qualifications of the commissioners. Authorizes the Secretary of State, with the concurrence of the Secretary of Commerce, to accept or reject on behalf of the United States the recommendations of the Commission.
Grants the Secretary of Commerce the general responsibility to carry out this Act and the Convention between the United States and Canada for the Preservation of the Halibut Fishery of the Northern Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea.
Authorizes the Secretary of Commerce to: (1) adopt regulations necessary to carry out the Convention; and (2) cooperate with Canadian officials. Authorizes the Regional Fishery Management Council to develop regulations governing the U.S. portion of Convention waters. Authorizes the Regional Council to provide an opportunity for rural Alaskan coastal villages to establish a commercial halibut fishery in certain areas of the Bering Sea.
Authorizes Federal agencies to cooperate with the Commission.
Makes unlawful certain actions by persons subject to U.S. jurisdiction and by foreign fishing vessels. Sets forth civil and criminal penalties for such actions.
Makes subject to forfeiture fishing vessels used and fish taken or retained in connection with actions prohibited by this Act. Sets forth the methods of carrying out forfeiture proceedings.
Requires the Secretary of Commerce and the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating to enforce the Convention, this Act, and the regulations adopted under this Act. Specifies the authority of officers undertaking such enforcement, the courts having jurisdiction over such cases, and the methods of investigating such cases.
Authorizes the Secretary of State to provide office space for the Commission.
Repeals the Northern Pacific Halibut Act of 1937.
Authorizes appropriations.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee · House · referred toSubcommittee: Fisheries and Wildlife Conservation and the Environment Subcommittee
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 11 actions.
- May 17, 1982Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 97-176.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- May 6, 1982PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- May 4, 1982FloorFloor · Passed House by Voice Vote.
- FloorFloor · Called up by House by Unanimous Consent.
- Apr 29, 1982CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Fisheries and Wildlife Conservation and the Environment Subcommittee of the House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
- Apr 27, 1982CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
- Apr 22, 1982FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Voice Vote.
- Mar 22, 1982CommitteeCommittee · Reported original measure by Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the Senate
- Feb 11, 1982CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
Data notes
Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.