United States-Canada Convention on Northern Pacific Halibut Fishery Message to the Senate Transmitting a Protocol.

To the Senate of the United States:

I am pleased to transmit the Protocol, with Annex, Amending the 1953 Convention Between the United States of America and Canada for the Preservation of the Halibut Fishery of the Northern Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea for Senate advice and consent to ratification. The Protocol was signed at Washington on March 29, 1979.

I also transmit for the information of the Senate the report of the Secretary of State with respect to this Protocol and an exchange of Notes, done on March 29, 1979, and an Agreed Minute, done on April 6, 1979.

This agreement was negotiated to bring the 1953 Convention Between the United States of America and Canada for the Preservation of the Halibut Fishery of the Northern Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea into conformity with the terms and intent of the Fishery Conservation and Management Act of 1976, which extended U.S. exclusive fisheries jurisdiction to 200 miles off the U.S. coasts. It will allow continuation of the International Pacific Halibut Commission, and of the joint management of the halibut resource in the Pacific. The agreement contains provisions for an interim enforcement regime, to apply, pending final delimitation, to maritime boundary areas in which both Canada and the United States claim fisheries jurisdiction. It allows the uninterrupted continuation of the work of the International Pacific Halibut Commission, and provides for the continuation of recreational fishing by both countries in maritime areas in which each exercises exclusive fisheries jurisdiction. In general, it makes an important contribution to good fisheries relations between our two countries.

I believe that approval of this Protocol is in the best interests of the United States. I recommend that the Senate give early consideration to this Protocol and its advice and consent to its ratification.

JIMMY CARTER

The White House,

August 10, 1979.