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[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 124 Engrossed in House (EH)]

  1st Session

                            H. CON. RES. 124

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

    Expressing the sense of the Congress regarding acts of illegal 
  aggression by Canadian fishermen with respect to the Pacific salmon 
                    fishery, and for other purposes.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
105th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 124

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Whereas Pacific salmon migrate across international boundaries, allowing United 
        States salmon stocks and Canadian salmon stocks to intermingle as they 
        travel through the waters of the North Pacific Ocean;
Whereas after many years of negotiations, in 1985 the United States and Canada 
        signed the Pacific Salmon Treaty based on a primary principle of 
        conservation and a secondary principle of equity;
Whereas the United States and Canada formed the Pacific Salmon Commission to 
        implement the Pacific Salmon Treaty;
Whereas the Pacific Salmon Commission does not regulate the Pacific salmon 
        fishery, but provides regulatory advice and recommendations to the 
        United States and Canada;
Whereas since the signing of the Pacific Salmon Treaty, the United States and 
        Canada have not agreed on the definition of ``equity'' for purposes of 
        the principle of equity underlying the Treaty, and this disagreement has 
        created a rift between the 2 governments and the regional stakeholders 
        in the Pacific salmon fishery;
Whereas Pacific salmon fishery regulatory regimes have not been in place since 
        1994 because of a lack of agreement;
Whereas an illegal fee in violation of international agreements was assessed on 
        United States fishermen traveling to Alaska, and neither the United 
        States Government nor United States fishermen have been reimbursed for 
        that fee;
Whereas since 1994, the United States and Canada have used special negotiators, 
        a mediation process, and the current stakeholders process to attempt to 
        resolve past disputes and negotiate annual and long-term Pacific salmon 
        fishery regimes;
Whereas the good faith efforts of the United States in attempting to resolve 
        differences under the Pacific Salmon Treaty have not been matched, as 
        demonstrated in particular by the rejection of continued attempts by the 
        United States to reach agreement and the withdrawal from negotiations in 
        June 1997 when an agreement seemed imminent;
Whereas Canadian fishermen have been frustrated with their own government's 
        effort to resolve the Pacific Salmon Treaty disputes and have used the 
        harassment of United States citizens as a way to get attention;
Whereas Canadian fishermen, in protest over the lack of an agreement regarding 
        various issues under the Pacific Salmon Treaty, recently undertook acts 
        of illegal aggression against United States citizens by blocking the 
        passage of a United States vessel, and there was a failure to act 
        quickly to end those acts; and
Whereas those acts and that failure should be condemned: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That it is the sense of the Congress that--
            (1) the recent acts of illegal aggression by Canadian 
        fishermen with respect to the Pacific salmon fishery and the 
        slow response to those acts should be condemned;
            (2) the President should immediately take steps to protect 
        the interests of the United States with respect to the Pacific 
        salmon fishery and should not tolerate threats to those 
        interests;
            (3) the President should use all necessary and appropriate 
        means to prevent any further illegal or harassing actions 
        against the United States or its fishermen with respect to the 
        Pacific salmon fishery; and
            (4) negotiations with the stakeholders' with respect to the 
        Pacific salmon fishery should resume in good faith in the fall 
        following the 1997 fishing season.

            Passed the House of Representatives July 28, 1997.

            Attest:

                                                                 Clerk.
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