[Senate Treaty Document 108-24]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
108th Congress Treaty Doc.
SENATE
2d Session 108-24
_______________________________________________________________________
AGREEMENT WITH CANADA ON PACIFIC HAKE/WHITING
__________
MESSAGE
from
THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
transmitting
AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND
THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA ON PACIFIC HAKE/WHITING (THE ``AGREEMENT''),
DONE AT SEATTLE, NOVEMBER 21, 2003
June 16, 2004.--The treaty was read the first time, and together with
the accompanying papers, referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations
and ordered to be printed for the use of the Senate
LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL
----------
The White House, June 16, 2004.
To the Senate of the United States:
With a view to receiving the advice and consent of the
Senate to ratification, I transmit herewith the Agreement
between the Government of the United States of America and the
Government of Canada on Pacific Hake/Whiting (the
``Agreement''), done at Seattle, November 21, 2003. I am also
enclosing, for the information of the Senate, the report of the
Secretary of State on the Agreement.
The Agreement establishes, for the first time, agreed
percentage shares of the transboundary stock of Pacific hake,
also known as Pacific whiting. It also creates a process
through which U.S. and Canadian scientists and fisheries
managers will recommend the total catch of Pacific hake each
year, to be divided by a set percentage formula. Stakeholders
from both countries will have significant input into this
process.
The Agreement not only allows the Parties to redress the
overfishing that had led to a recent decline in stock levels,
but also provides long-term stability for U.S. fishers and
processors and a structure for future scientific collaboration.
The recommended legislation necessary to implement the
Agreement will be submitted separately to the Congress.
I recommend that the Senate give favorable consideration to
this Agreement and give its advice and consent to ratification
at an early date.
George W. Bush.
LETTER OF SUBMITTAL
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Department of State,
Washington, April 19, 2004.
The President,
The White House.
The President: I have the honor to submit to you, with a
view to its transmission to the Senate for advice and consent
to ratification, the Agreement between the Government of the
United States of America and the Government of Canada on
Pacific Hake/Whiting done at Seattle November 21, 2003 (the
``Agreement'').
The Agreement establishes, for the first time, agreed
percentage shares of the transboundary stock of Pacific
whiting, also known as Pacific hake. It also creates a process
through which U.S. and Canadian scientists and fisheries
managers will determine the total catch of hake each year, to
be divided by the percentage formula. Stakeholders from both
countries will have significant input into this process.
Since the late 1970s, scientists from the United States and
Canada have generally reached informal agreement on an annual
overall total allowable catch (TAC) for the transboundary stock
of Pacific hake. The two countries have conducted joint stock
assessments every three years, and have agreed informally on
certain stock management measures, but not the most important
one: how to divide the TAC between U.S. and Canadian fisheries.
The United States has generally claimed 80% of the allowable
catch, while Canada has taken 30%. This situation, coupled with
other factors, led to a decline in the stock. In 2002, for the
first time, the Department of Commerce declared the stock to be
``overfished.''
U.S. and Canadian officials have been attempting since the
early 1990s to reach agreement on a percentage share. Following
resumed talks in 2002, both sides agreed in principle in April
2003 to the text of a new long-term management and sharing
arrangement.
The new agreement formalizes past scientific and stock
assessment collaboration through the creation of two new
science bodies: a Joint Technical Committee, charged with
producing an annual stock assessment, and a Scientific Review
Group to provide peer review of the technical committee's work.
These groups will include scientists appointed by each Party,
as well as independent members referred by a panel of private
sector advisors. A third body, the Joint Management Committee,
will consider the scientific advice and recommend to the
Parties each year an overall total allowable catch.
Most importantly, the agreement establishes a default
harvest policy and assigns 73.88% of the TAC to the United
States and 26.12% to Canada for an initial period of nine
years, and thereafter unless the Parties agree to change it.
The U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. fishing
industry strongly support the Agreement. The Agreement not only
allows the Parties to redress the overfishing that had led to
the recent decline in stock levels, but also provides for long-
term stability to U.S. fishers and processors and a structure
for future scientific collaboration.
The recommended legislation necessary to implement the
Agreement will be submitted separately to the Congress.
I therefore recommend that you submit the Agreement to the
Senate for its advice and consent to ratification at the
earliest possible date.
Respectfully submitted.
Colin L. Powell.
Enclosure: As stated.