A bill to regulate the operation of foreign fish processing vessels within State waters.
Public Law 97-191 · S. 2535 · 97th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on Jun 1, 1982 · Public Lands and Natural Resources
Sponsor: Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK)
Cosponsors: None
Passage votes
- HouseVoice vote
- SenateUnanimous consent
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.
Amends the Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act to permit a foreign ship to process fish within the internal waters of a State only if: (1) such ship is under the flag of a country with which the United States has a fishing treaty; and (2) the ship's owner or operator has applied for and received the Governor's permission to engage in such activities.
Prohibits a Governor from granting such permission if he or she determines that State fish processors possess and will utilize the capacity to process all of the U.S. fish harvested from the concerned fishery.
Requires such ships to comply with all applicable State and Federal laws.
Defines "fish processing" as processing and other related fishing activities, including, but not limited to, preparation, supply, storage, refrigeration, or transportation.
Defines "internal waters of a State" to include all waters within a State's boundaries except those seaward of the baseline from which the territorial sea is measured.
Makes it illegal for a foreign ship to engage in fish processing in U.S. waters except as authorized by this Act.
Makes this Act effective as of June 1, 1982.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee · House · discharged from, referred to
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. 10 actions.
- Jun 1, 1982Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 97-191.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- May 28, 1982PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- May 27, 1982Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to House amendment. By Unanimous Consent.
- May 25, 1982FloorFloor · Passed House (Amended) by Voice Vote.
- FloorFloor · Called up by House by Unanimous Consent.
- CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
- May 18, 1982CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
- May 17, 1982FloorFloor · Introduced in the Senate, read twice, considered, read the third time, and passed without amendment by Voice Vote.
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the Senate
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.