Commercial Fishing Industry Vessel Anti-Reflagging Act of 1987

(House agreed to Senate amendment with an amendment)

Commercial Fishing Industry Vessel Anti-Reflagging Act of 1987 - Amends the Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act to revise the definition of "vessel of the United States" to insert references to specific provisions of existing law and to include any vessel not equipped with propulsion machinery and used exclusively for pleasure.

Amends Federal law to revise the definition of "fisheries" to include processing, storing, and transporting (except in foreign commerce) in the navigable waters of the United States or in the exclusive economic zone, of currently-specified marine life and objects.

Requires a rebuilt vessel, in order to be issued a fishery license or an appropriately endorsed registry, to have been rebuilt in the United States.

Provides for exceptions to the requirement that vessels must be U.S. built or rebuilt in order to be issued a fishery license or registry. Requires any fishery license or registry issued to a foreign-built vessel to be endorsed to restrict the vessel from catching, taking, or harvesting.

Revises requirements regarding: (1) U.S. citizenship or permanent resident alien status for radio officers and other crew members of vessels in certain circumstances; (2) the percentage of the crew which is able to understand any order spoken by the officers; and (3) the percentage of the deck crew having merchant mariner's documents endorsed for a rating of at least able seaman. Allows not more than 25 percent of the unlicensed seamen on a fishing, fish processing, or fish tender vessel to be aliens allowed to be employed under the Immigration and Naturalization Act. Deems aliens employed on certain fishing-related vessels to be employed in the United States for purposes of specified provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act relating to unlawful employment of aliens.

Authorizes vessels for which coastwise, Great Lakes, or fishery licenses, or appropriately endorsed registries, were issued before July 28, 1987, to continue in such trades for one year or until their documentation is renewed, whichever come later.

Declares that a vessel owned by a corporation is not eligible for a fishery license unless the controlling interest in the corporation is owned by individuals who are U.S. citizens. Exempts from such provision certain vessels licensed before July 28, 1987.

Directs the Secretary of Commerce to submit reports to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries of the House of Representatives concerning: (1) the potential impact on the development of the U.S. fishing industry of the transportation of fish products by vessels of the United States from foreign fish processing vessels to points in the United States; and (2) the trends in the development of fishery resources under the exclusive fishery management authority of the United States, including the effect of this Act on the U.S. fishing industry.

Authorizes the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating to issue a certificate of documentation to each of eight named vessels.