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Posted: Wednesday, October 31st, 2007 4:55 AM HST
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Senate committee approves coral reef conservation bill
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HONOLULU (AP) _ U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye says the Senate Commerce Committee approved legislation he sponsored that would strengthen coral reef conservation efforts.
Inouye, the committee chairman and Hawaii Democrat, says the preservation of coral reefs affect the sustainability of the fisheries and tourism industries.
He says the health of the coral reefs also affects the sustainability of coastal communities.
The Coral Reef Conservation Amendments Act of 2007 extends and strengthens civil and criminal penalties for damage to coral reefs resulting from prohibited activities.
It also authorizes the federal government to remove abandoned fishing gear, vessels, and other debris from coral reef ecosystems.
(Copyright 2007 Associated Press. All rights reserved)
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