§ 971a — Commissioners

(1) The United States shall be represented by not more than three Commissioners who shall serve as delegates of the United States on the Commission, and who may serve on the Council and Panels of the Commission as provided for in the Convention. Such Commissioners shall be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the President. Not more than one such Commissioner shall be a salaried employee of any State or political subdivision thereof, or the Federal Government. Individuals serving as such Commissioners shall not be considered to be Federal employees while performing such service, except for purposes of injury compensation or tort claims liability as provided in chapter 81 of title 5 and chapter 171 of title 28. The Commissioners shall be entitled to select a Chairman and to adopt such rules of procedure as they find necessary. (2) Of the Commissioners appointed under paragraph (1) who are not governmental employees— (A) one shall be appointed from among individuals with knowledge and experience regarding commercial fishing in the Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, or Caribbean Sea; and (B) one shall be appointed from among individuals with knowledge and experience regarding recreational fishing in the Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, or Caribbean Sea. (A) The term of a Commissioner shall be three years. (B) An individual appointed in accordance with paragraph (2) shall not be eligible to serve more than two consecutive terms as a Commissioner. (b) The Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary, may designate from time to time and for periods of time deemed appropriate Alternate United States Commissioners to the Commission. Any Alternate United States Commissioner may exercise at any meeting of the Commission, Council, any Panel, or the advisory committee established pursuant to section 971b of this title, all powers and duties of a United States Commissioner in the absence of any Commissioner appointed pursuant to subsection (a) of this section for whatever reason. The number of such Alternate United States Commissioners that may be designated for any such meeting shall be limited to the number of United States Commissioners appointed pursuant to subsection (a) of this section who will not be present at such meeting. (c) The United States Commissioners or Alternate Commissioners, although officers of the United States while so serving, shall receive no compensation for their services as such Commissioners or Alternate Commissioners. (1) The Secretary of State shall pay the necessary travel expenses of United States Commissioners, Alternate United States Commissioners, and authorized advisors in accordance with the Federal Travel Regulations and sections 5701, 5702, 5704 through 5708, and 5731 of title 5. (2) The Secretary may reimburse the Secretary of State for amounts expended by the Secretary of State under this subsection. (e) It is the sense of the Congress that the United States Commissioners should seek to include ecosystem considerations in fisheries management, including the conservation of fish habitat.