HOUSE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON FISHERIES February 8, 1993 8:30 a.m. MEMBERS PRESENT Representative Carl E. Moses, Chairman Representative Harley Olberg, Vice Chairman Representative Gail Phillips Representative Irene Nicholia Representative Cliff Davidson MEMBERS ABSENT None OTHER MEMBERS PRESENT Representative Ben Grussendorf Representative Fran Ulmer COMMITTEE CALENDAR Overview: International Fisheries issues WITNESS REGISTER David Benton, Director External and International Fisheries Affairs Alaska Department of Fish & Game 1255 W. 8th St. Juneau, AK 99802-5526 Phone: 465-4100 Position Statement: Commented on and gave a brief overview of high seas salmon interception, high seas driftnetting and the central Bering Sea donut hole. Representative Ben Grussendorf State Capitol, Room 415 Juneau, Alaska 99811-1182 Phone: 465-3824 Position Statement: Commented on the differences in negotiating with the former USSR and the new Russian Republics. ACTION NARRATIVE TAPE 93-4, SIDE A Number 000 CHAIRMAN CARL MOSES called the meeting to order at 8:40 a.m. He noted all members in attendance and asked David Benton to give an overview of international fishing issues that affected Alaska. DAVID BENTON, DIRECTOR, EXTERNAL AND INTERNATIONAL FISHERIES AFFAIRS, ALASKA DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME, began the overview by pointing out the areas of intense high seas driftnet fishing in the North Pacific. This area, known as the Donut Hole area of the Central Bering Sea, is a body of international water outside the jurisdiction of Russia and the United States. He produced a map which showed the areas of salmon and squid fishing by Japanese and Korean vessels in 1991. MR. BENTON showed a short video from 1989, put together by his agency as part of a campaign to deal with high seas fish interception. The video was to go to the United Nations to help put an end to high seas driftnetting, which targeted immature salmon. The video told of foreign driftnet vessels illegally taking U.S. salmon in unauthorized waters. The U.S. has convicted fishermen for illegally fishing for salmon in squid territories. There were few regulatory observers on board these ships, which resulted in a lack of surveillance of their activities, he noted. The video testimony of HAROLD THOMPSON told of reduced catches and salmon marked by the nets of the high seas driftnetting fleets. MR. BENTON resumed after the video and said that in 1988, the relations between the USSR and the U.S. allowed negotiation of a comprehensive fisheries arrangement which provided that each body would cooperate on salmon issues by crafting a new International Salmon Treaty. In 1992, a treaty was signed by Japan, Canada, the United States, and the Russian Federation which resulted in new fishing areas that allowed for no interception of salmon. The United States also negotiated an agreement with the Russians last August, that closed the Bering Sea and waters east of the 170 East Longitude Line. There now were no legal driftnet operations, and Japanese, Taiwanese, and Korean vessels had satellite transmitters on board to allow for tracking, he said. MR. BENTON noted the Central Bering Sea area was important because there was no treaty to regulate fishing there and the pollack stocks were being depleted. He advised that the United States and Russia met to discuss the Donut Hole area, and had decided on a strategy to get representatives from six countries: Japan, Korea, China, Poland, Russia, and the U.S. to secure interim measures to monitor fishing in the area by having observers on the boats. MR. BENTON added the U.S. had gotten the Central Bering Sea Enforcement Act from Congress to use at the negotiation table with the six countries. This Act allowed for transmitters on fishing boats to be used as monitoring devices. The U.S. had to restrict fishing off the eastern shelf and the Russians ceased fishing adjacent to the Donut Hole because of severely depleted stocks of salmon, he added. REPRESENTATIVE BEN GRUSSENDORF stated negotiations had changed since the former USSR was now the Russian Republics and enforcement that used to be handled by the USSR was now impossible, due to disorganization and a lack of fuel for boats. MR. BENTON agreed and noted that Russian observers had been caught under-logging quantities and types of fish taken on Russian trollers, which was just one of many problems. REPRESENTATIVE GAIL PHILLIPS asked if other countries had a different underlying philosophy than that of the U.S. about the detriment involved with high seas driftnetting. MR. BENTON agreed that other countries, especially Japan, saw no problem or implications with driftnetting. Now, the Japanese were investing in hatchery production and were more involved in conservation of the resource, he added. REPRESENTATIVE CLIFF DAVIDSON stated that until Russia could better manage their fleets, the Japanese could leverage them to the detriment of American markets. He then asked if the Japanese intent was to undermine the American salmon market. MR. BENTON saw no other reason for the Japanese to be operating the high seas driftnets. TAPE 93-4 SIDE B Number 000 REPRESENTATIVE GRUSSENDORF asked if the Japanese were getting leases on krill and hatcheries. MR. BENTON advised that the Japanese already had their hatcheries in place. ADJOURNMENT CHAIRMAN MOSES asked members and the public if there were further comments. Hearing none, he adjourned the meeting at 9:35 a.m. Attached: 1991 High Seas Driftnetting map 1993 Salmon Fishing Areas map