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

To the Senate of the United States:

I transmit herewith, 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, 1979, with its Agreed Minute, done at London, March 27, 1979. The report of the Department of State is enclosed for the information of the Senate in connection with its consideration of the Agreement.

The Reciprocal Fisheries Agreement, which pertains to reciprocal fishing activities in the waters off the United Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands, was concluded in order to replace 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, 1977, which expired on December 31, 1978. The purpose of the Agreement, like that of its predecessor, is to permit traditional, small-scale operations in the Virgin Islands area continue undisturbed. The United will retain exclusive authority to the provisions of the Agreement and applicable national fisheries regulations within the Fishery Conservation one, and the United Kingdom will retain singular authority within the exclusive fisheries zone of the British Virgin Islands. Without this Agreement, and as a consequence of the entry into force of the Fishery Conservation and Management Act of 1976 and of similar British legislation, such traditional fishing activity would have to cease. I therefore recommend that the Senate give early consideration to the Reciprocal Fisheries Agreement and its advice and consent to ratification.

JIMMY CARTER

The White House,

June 2, 1980.