WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congress this week approved the United States-Russia Polar Bear Conservation and Management Act of 2006. The measure was included as part of H.R. 5946, the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Reauthorization Act of 2006.  The original Senate bill, which implements the provisions of bilateral treaty between the United States and Russia on the Conservation and Management of the Alaska-Chukotka Polar Bear Population (“Polar Bear Agreement”), was introduced by Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) and is cosponsored by Committee Co-Chairman Senator Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii) and Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska).

 

“This bill will simultaneously support the conservation of United States and Russian polar bear populations and the subsistence lifestyle of Alaska’s Native people,” said Chairman Stevens. “The shared populations of polar bears that migrate between our two nations deserve the added protections and conservation measures this bill will provide.”

 

This act will amend the Marine Mammal Protection Act by adding provisions to implement and enforce the Polar Bear Agreement.  It prohibits the possession, import, export, transport, sale, receipt, acquisition, or purchase of any polar bear (or any part or product thereof) that is taken in violation of the Treaty, and provides for enforcement of violations.  It also establishes a process by which one representative of the United States government and one representative of the Native people of Alaska will be appointed to serve on the bi-national United States and Russian Polar Bear Commission established by the Polar Bear Agreement.  This Commission will determine annual take limits and the adoption of other measures to restrict the taking of polar bears for subsistence purposes.   The Commission will also identify polar bear habitats and “develop recommendations for habitat conservation measures.”