PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Congressional Research Service
Version 49 · Public Law · Oct 5, 2012
(This measure has not been amended since it was passed by the House on September 10, 2012. The summary of that version is repeated here.)
Billfish Conservation Act of 2012 - Prohibits any person from offering billfish or billfish products for sale, selling them, or having custody, control, or possession of them for purposes of offering them for sale or selling them.
Treats a violation of this Act as an act prohibited by the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. Subjects a person to a maximum civil penalty of $100,000 for each violation, with each day of a continuing violation constituting a separate offense. Exempts billfish: (1) caught by U.S. fishing vessels and landed in the state of Hawaii or the Pacific Insular Areas (PIAs); or (2) landed by foreign fishing vessels in the PIAs when the foreign caught billfish is exported to non-U.S. markets or retained within Hawaii and the PIAs for local consumption.
Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.
Defines "billfish" as any of the following: (1) blue marlin, (2) striped marlin, (3) black marlin, (4) sailfish, (5) shortbill spearfish, (6) white marlin, (7) roundscale spearfish, (8) Mediterranean spearfish, or (9) longbill spearfish. Excludes swordfish from such definition.
People & committees
Rep. Miller, Jeff [R-FL-1] · R–FL
Legislative record
A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.
Became Public Law No: 112-183.
Became Public Law No: 112-183.
Signed by President.
Signed by President.
Presented to President.
Presented to President.
Message on Senate action sent to the House.
Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote. (consideration: CR 9/21/2012 S6665)
Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote.(consideration: CR 9/21/2012 S6665)
Received in the Senate, read twice.
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H5732)
Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H5732)
DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 2706.
Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H5732-5733)
Mr. Hastings (WA) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 474.
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 112-656.
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 112-656.
Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Unanimous Consent.
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, Oceans, and Insular Affairs Discharged.
Subcommittee Hearings Held.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, Oceans, and Insular Affairs.
Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.
Source last updated: Dec 5, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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