A bill to grant the consent of the Congress to an interstate agreement or compact relating to the restoration of Atlantic Salmon in the Connecticut River Basin, and to allow the Secretary of Commerce and the Secretary of the Interior to participate as members in a Connecticut River Atlantic Salmon Commission.
PL 98-138 (H.R.3044), enacted 10/28/1983

97 STAT. 866 
PUBLIC LAW 98-138—OCT. 28, 1983 
Public Law 98-138 
98th Congress 
Oct. 28, 1983 
[H.R. 3044] 
Connecticut 
River Basin 
Atlantic salmon 
compact, 
congressional 
consent. 
Connecticut 
River Atlantic 
Salmon 
Commission. 
Effective date. 
Representatives 
and members. 
A n Act 
To grant the consent of the Congress to an interstate agreement or compact relating 
to the restoration of Atlantic Salmon in the Connecticut River Basin, and to allow 
the Secretary of Commerce and the Secretary of the Interior to participate as 
members in a Connecticut River Atlantic Salmon Commission. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Congress 
consents to the interstate compact relating to the restoration of 
Atlantic salmon to the Connecticut River Basin and creating the 
Connecticut River Atlantic Salmon Commission, which compact was 
entered into by the States of Connecticut, Massachusetts, New 
Hampshire, and Vermont pursuant to the laws of those respective 
States and is set forth in the statutes of the States of Connecticut 
(P.A. 79-528), Massachusetts (Chap. 716, 1981), New Hampshire 
(108:1, 1979), and Vermont (1979, No. 89; Amended in 1981, No. 85:9) 
and reads substantially as follows: 
"ARTICLE I 
"The purpose of this compact is to promote the restoration of 
anadromous Atlantic salmon, hereinafter referred to as Atlantic 
salmon, in the Connecticut River Basin by the development of a 
joint interstate program for stocking, protection, management, re-
search, and regulation. It is the purpose of this compact to restore 
Atlantic salmon to the Connecticut River in numbers as near as 
possible to their historical abundance. 
"ARTICLE II 
"This agreement shall become operative immediately whenever 
all of the States of Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and 
Vermont have executed it in a form that is in accordance with the 
laws of the executing State and the Congress has given its consent. 
"ARTICLE III 
"Each State joining herein shall appoint two representatives to a 
commission hereby constituted and designated as the Connecticut 
River Atlantic Salmon Commission. One shall be the executive 
officer of the administrative agency of such State charged with the 
management of the fisheries resources to which this compact per-
tains or his designee. The second shall be a citizen who shall have a 
knowledge and interest in Atlantic salmon to be appointed by the 
Governor for a term of three years. The Director of the northeast 
region of the Fish and Wildlife Service, United States Department of 
the Interior or his designee and the Director of the northeast region 
of the National Marine Fisheries Service, United States Department 
of Commerce, or his designee shall be members of said commission. 
PUBLIC LAW 98-138—OCT. 28, 1983 
97 STAT. 867 
The commission shall be a body corporate with the powers and 
duties set forth herein. 
"ARTICLE IV 
"The duty of said commission shall be to make inquiry and 
Duties. 
ascertain from time to time such methods, practices, circumstances, 
and conditions as may be disclosed for bringing about the restora-
tion of Atlantic salmon in the Connecticut River and its tributaries. 
"To promote restoration, preservation, and protection of Atlantic 
salmon in the Connecticut River Basin, the commission may draft 
and recommend to the Governors of the various signatory States 
legislation to accomplish this end. The commission shall, more than 
60 days prior to any regular meeting of the legislature of any 
signatory State, present to the Governor of the States its recommen-
dations relating to proposed enactments to be made by the legisla-
ture of the State in furthering the intents and purposes of this 
compact. 
"The commission shall have the power to recommend to the 
States party hereto stocking programs, management procedures, 
and research projects and when two or more States party hereto 
shall jointly stock waters or undertake cooperative management or 
research, the commission shall act as the coordinating agency. The 
commission, using all available means, shall encourage acquisition 
by the signatory States of river bank, river bed, and access thereto. 
"The commission shall consult with and advise the pertinent 
administrative agencies in the signatory States with regard to other 
anadromous species and their potential impact or the potential 
impact of sport fisheries and commercial fisheries for other anadro-
mous species on the restoration of Atlantic salmon to the Connecti-
cut River Basin. 
"In the interest of developing a sound program of Atlantic salmon Regulations, 
management, the commission shall promulgate regulations govern-
ing Atlantic salmon fishing in the mainstem of the Connecticut 
River in all four signatory States as hereinafter provided. Such 
regulations may: (1) establish the open and closed seasons for Atlan-
tic salmon which may vary by river section, (2) establish hours, days, 
or periods during the open season when fishing for Atlantic salmon 
shall not be permitted in designated areas, (3) prescribe the legal 
methods of taking Atlantic salmon including the type of gear such 
as gaffs, landing nets, or tailers which may be used to assist in 
landing fish, (4) establish a minimum legal length for Atlantic 
salmon, (5) establish a daily creel limit, the season creel limit, and 
the possession limit for Atlantic salmon. 
"The commission shall recommend, review, and issue comments 
on such regulations as may be promulgated by the signatory States 
governing Atlantic salmon fishing in tributary streams. The States 
of Connecticut and Massachusetts agree to make available for brood-
stock, from fish taken in the fish passage facilities at the Rainbow 
Reservoir Dam and the Holyoke Power Company Dam, such num-
bers of adult Atlantic salmon as the commission deems necessary to 
carry out the Atlantic salmon restoration program. 
"The commission shall have the power to issue a Connecticut 
Licenses and 
River Basin Atlantic salmon license and the sale of such licenses ^^^^ 
shall be handled by the individual signatory States or their author-
ized agents. The individual signatory States shall be accountable to 
the commission for all such licenses and the moneys received there-
from. The initial fee for such licenses shall be determined by 
Recommendations, 
review, and 
comments. 
97 STAT. 868 
PUBLIC LAW 98-138—OCT. 28, 1983 
Enforcement. 
Funds. 
majority vote of the commission but shall not exceed the maximum 
resident angling license fee of the signatory States except that the 
commission may upon determination of need and with the unani-
mous approval of its membership increase such license and issuing 
fee. The individual signatory States or their issuing agents may 
retain a recording fee up to 50 cents for each license issued. Forms 
for such license shall be provided to the signatory States by the 
commission. Such license shall be a legal prerequisite for any person 
including minors fishing for or possessing Atlantic salmon in the 
waters or on the shores of the Connecticut River and all of its 
tributaries. In addition to said Connecticut River Basin Atlantic 
salmon license, all persons, except those specifically exempted be-
cause of age, disability, or other limitations as determined by statute 
or regulations of the individual signatory States shall be required to 
possess a valid resident or nonresident sport fishing license issued 
by the State in which the person is fishing. The commission shall 
recognize that in certain waters or sections of waters a daily rod 
permit may also be required, such daily rod permit to be issued by 
the State in which such waters or sections of waters are located; 
however, the signatory States shall not, by fee, distinguish between 
residents and nonresidents. The authority to limit the numbers of 
persons fishing for Atlantic salmon in certain tributaries or sections 
of certain tributaries shall remain the prerogative of the individual 
signatory States. 
"The respective police agencies of the signatory States shall have 
the authority to enforce all of the regulations and license require-
ments of the commission any place in the Connecticut River Basin. 
"The commission shall have the authority to accept gifts. State 
grants, and Federal funds. The commission shall have the authority 
to expend money from fees collected for Connecticut River Basin 
Atlantic salmon licenses or from such other funds available to the 
commission to finance the cost of stocking, management, or research 
carried on by signatory States to further the purposes of this 
compact. Such funds shall be in the form of direct grants to the 
agency of such State charged with the management of the fisheries 
resources and may be up to 100 percent of the cost of projects 
approved by a majority vote of the commission. 
"ARTICLE V 
Officers. 
"The commission shall elect from its number a chairman and a 
vice chairman and at its pleasure may remove such officers. Said 
commission shall adopt rules and regulations for the conduct of its 
business. At such time as funds are available to the commission, the 
commission may establish and maintain an office for the transaction 
of its business. The commission may meet at any time or place but 
must meet at least semiannually. 
Travel expenses. 
"The Commission shall have the authority to expend money from 
available commission funds to reimburse its membership for neces-
sary travel expenses. 
"ARTICLE VI 
"At such time as funds are available, the commission may employ 
and discharge at its pleasure such personnel as may be required to 
carry out the provisions of the compact and shall fix and determine 
their duties, qualifications, and compensation. 
PUBLIC LAW 98-138—OCT. 28, 1983 
97 STAT. 869 
"ARTICLE VII 
"There shall be established a technical committee to consist of one 
fishery biologist from each of the signatory States, the United States 
Fish and Wildlife Service, and the National Marine Fisheries Serv-
ice to act in an advisory capacity to the commission. The technical 
committee shall have the authority to request employees of the 
signatory States, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, and 
the National Marine Fisheries Service or others who have special 
fields of expertise to act as special advisers to the committee. At 
such time as funds are available, the commission may reimburse 
technical committee members and special advisers for necessary 
travel expenses. 
"ARTICLE VIII 
"No action shall be taken by the commission in regard to its 
general affairs except by affirmative vote of a majority of members 
present at any meeting, provided there is a quorum. A quorum shall 
consist of a simple majority of all members of the commission: 
Provided further, That no action shall be taken by the commission 
unless each signatory State is represented at any such meeting. No 
recommendation or allotment of grant funds shall be made by the 
commission except by the affirmative vote of a majority of the 
members. 
"ARTICLE IX 
"Continued absence of representation or of any representative on 
the commission from any party hereto shall be brought to the 
attention of the Governor thereof. 
Technical 
committee. 
"ARTICLE X 
"The States signatory hereto agree to make an annual appropri-
ation to the initial support of the commission in the amount of 
$1,000 for each of the first three years that this compact is in effect. 
Appropriation 
agreement. 
"ARTICLE XI 
"The commission shall keep accurate accounts of all receipts and 
disbursements and shall report to the Governor and the legislature 
of each State party to this compact on or before the tenth day of 
January of each year setting forth in detail the transactions con-
ducted by it during the 12 months preceding January first of that 
year. The comptrollers of the States are hereby authorized and 
empowered from time to time to examine the accounts and books of 
the commission, including its receipts, disbursements, grants, and 
such other items referring to its financial standing as such comptrol-
ler may deem proper and to report the results of such examination 
to the Governor of said State.". 
SEC. 2. The Congress authorizes the Secretary of Commerce and 
the Secretary of the Interior to participate as members of the 
Connecticut River Atlantic Salmon Commission in the manner spec-
ified by the compact approved by the first section of this Act. 
SEC. 3. The consent of the Congress granted by the first section of 
this Act to the compact referred to in that section— 
(1) shall become effective only if none of the States that are 
members of the compact has in effect a statute providing for 
Reports to 
Governors and 
legislatures. 
Members. 
Effective date. 
97 STAT. 870 
PUBLIC LAW 98-138—OCT. 28, 1983 
withdrawal from the compact or if all such States have agreed 
by statute to the same provisions for withdrawal from the 
compact; and 
(2) shall be effective for a period of twenty years beginning on 
the date the consent of the Congress becomes effective under 
paragraph (1). 
SEC. 4. Nothing contained in the compact approved by the first 
section of this Act shall be construed as impairing or in any manner 
affecting any right or jurisdiction of the United States in and over 
the region which forms the subject of that compact. 
SEC. 5. The right to alter, amend, or repeal this Act is expressly 
reserved. 
Approved October 28, 1983. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 3044 (S. 1327): 
HOUSE REPORT No. 98-892 (Comm. on Merchant Marine and Fisheries). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 129 (1983): 
Oct. 4, considered and passed House. 
Oct. 19, considered and passed Senate.