Agreement Between The Government Of Canada And The Government Of The Union Of Soviet Socialist Republics On Co-Operation In Fisheries In The Northeastern Pacific Ocean Off The Coast Of Canada
Source: Ruster and Simma Vol. VII, p. 3327.
The Government of Canada and the Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics,
Being mutually interested in providing for the conduct of fishing operations in the northeastern Pacific Ocean off the coast of Canada with due respect to their interests,
Considering it desirable to create favourable conditions and proper order for conducting fishing operations by citizens and fishing vessels of the two countries in the above area,
Recognizing the need to conduct fishing operations in the above area on a scientific basis with due regard to conservation of fish stocks, and
Taking into consideration the desirability of developing and co-ordinating fisheries investigations and of exchanging scientific and fisheries data between the two countries,
Have agreed as follows:
Article I. Fisheries research in the northeastern part of the Pacific Ocean on species of fish and invertebrates of common interest may be conducted both on a national basis and in the form of co-operative investigations.
The competent agencies of the two Governments will arrange for the exchange of scientific data, fisheries data and results of research on the fisheries, for meetings of scientists and, when appropriate, for participation by scientists of each Government in investigations carried out on board research vessels of the other Government.
Co-operative fisheries investigations off the Pacific coast of Canada will be carried out in accordance with co-ordinated plans. Cruise plans of research vessels engaging in such investigations will be exchanged and confirmed in advance of actual operations, by correspondence between appropriate officials.
Article II. The Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics shall take the necessary steps to ensure that its citizens and vessels abstain from fishing with trawls in the area adjacent to the territorial sea of Canada and bounded by straight lines connecting the following co-ordinates in the order as given below:
North Latitude [TAB] West Longitude
48 degrees 54 minutes [TAB] 126 degrees 00 minutes
48 degrees 41 minutes [TAB] 126 degrees 00 minutes
48 degrees 27 minutes [TAB] 125 degrees 40 minutes
48 degrees 27 minutes [TAB] 125 degrees 25 minutes
48 degrees 34 minutes [TAB] 125 degrees 17 minutes
Article III. The Government of Canada will permit fishing vessels of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics to conduct fishing with trawls in the territorial sea of Canada between 3 and 12 miles from the baseline from which the Canadian territorial sea is measured in the area off the west coast of Moresby Island between 52 degrees 23 minutes north latitude and 52 degrees 56 minutes north latitude.
Each fishing vessel of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics must notify in advance the Canadian Director of Fisheries, Pacific Region, or the Captain of a Canadian fisheries vessel designated by the Director, of the name of the vessel and date of arrival in the area.
Article IV. The two Governments shall take the necessary steps to ensure that fishing operations by citizens and vessels of the two Parties are conducted in compliance with the Agreement between the Government of Canada and the Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on provisional rules for navigation and fisheries safety in the northeastern Pacific Ocean off the coast of Canada, signed on January 22, 1971.
Article V. The two Governments shall take appropriate steps to ensure, so far as may be practicable, that wastes resulting from fishing operations are not discarded at sea in depths of less than 1000 meters and that no fishing gear or parts thereof are discarded at sea.
Article VI. The Government of Canada will permit supply vessels (tankers, refrigerated and common transports) of the fishing fleet of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics to call at the ports of Prince Rupert and Vancouver, British Columbia, for the purpose of obtaining water, provisions and other supplies, in accordance with the customs and immigration laws of Canada.
Article VII. The Government of Canada will permit fishing vessels of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and their service vessels to conduct loading and unloading operations in Tasu Sound and in the territorial sea of Canada off the west coast of Moresby Island between 52 degrees 23 minutes north latitude and 52 degrees 56 minutes north latitude.
Such vessels will be permitted to enter Tasu Sound through an entrance corridor of Canadian internal waters extending 2 miles to the south and 2 miles to the north of the centre line of the entrance to Tasu Sound.
To ensure safe navigation each fishing or service vessel of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics must notify the Canadian Director of Fisheries, Pacific Region, through the radio stations at Victoria, Tofino or Bull Harbour, preferably twelve hours but in no case less than two hours in advance of its expected time of arrival at the entrance to Tasu Sound.
Article VIII. Nothing in this Agreement shall be deemed to affect the rights, claims or views of either Party in regard to the limits of territorial waters or national fisheries limits, jurisdiction over fisheries, or the conduct of fishing on the high seas.
Article IX. The present Agreement shall enter into force on February 19, 1971, and remain in force for two years.
Representatives of the two Governments shall meet at a mutually acceptable time before the expiration of the present Agreement in order to review the effectiveness of the Agreement and to consider further measures.
DONE at Moscow, on January 22, 1971, in two copies, each in the English, French and Russian languages, each text being equally authentic.
A. W. H. NEEDLER
For the Government of Canada
V. M. KAMENTSEV
For the Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
