United States-United Kingdom Reciprocal Fisheries Agreement Message to the Senate Transmitting the Agreement.

To the Senate of the United States:

I am pleased to transmit for the advice and consent of the Senate to ratification the Reciprocal Fisheries Agreement between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The Agreement was signed, and an accompanying Agreed Minute initialed, in Washington, D.C. on June 24, 1977.

The Agreement provides United States commercial fishermen access to the new 200 mile fishery zone of the British Virgin Islands and commercial fishermen of the British Virgin Islands access to the 200 mile United States fishery conservation zone. It secures the United States objective of providing for U.S. commercial fishermen the opportunity to continue fishing at traditional levels in areas which have recently become subject to the fishery jurisdiction of the British Virgin Islands. The Agreement reflects the close ties which exist in the Caribbean area between the United States and the British Virgin Islands.

I also transmit for the information of the Senate the report of the Department of State with respect to the Agreement.

I urge the Senate to consider the Agreement at an early date and to give its advice and consent to ratification.

JIMMY CARTER

The White House,

October 7, 1977.