The Magnuson Act requires fishing managers to consider preserving "a way of life" as they try to conserve fish.
A third task will be to redraw the Magnuson Act, the basic law governing federal fisheries policy.
The law was not repealed until 1943 with the Magnuson Act.
The fishery's current woes can be traced to the Magnuson Act of 1976, which drove foreign trawlers from a 200-mile zone along the coast.
Should Congress fail to amend the Magnuson Act, members would probably pass a resolution continuing the current law.
A bill to extend and revise the Magnuson Act, the nation's main statute on fishery conservation, was approved 388 to 37.
Each subsequent reauthorization of the Magnuson Act has exempted the tunas.
It was finally repealed by the Magnuson Act on December 17, 1943.
The Magnuson Act is up for reauthorization in Congress.
Maritime laws also known as "Magnuson Act"