Memorandum Of Understanding On Salmon Research
Source: Unofficial
The Delegations of the Governments of Japan, Canada and the United States of America have agreed to record the following in connection with the International Convention for the High Seas Fisheries of the North Pacific Ocean, as amended by the Protocol Amending the International Convention for the High Seas Fisheries of the North Pacific Ocean signed at Tokyo on April 25, 1978 (hereinafter referred to as "the Convention"), in order to further research studies on anadromous Salmonidae in the Convention area:
1. The Governments of Japan, Canada and the United States of America will ensure that coordinated scientific studies will be conducted under the framework of the Convention to determine accurately the continent of origin of salmonids migrating in the Convention area of the landbased driftnet fishery south of 46° North Latitude so that the movement of the eastern limit of that fishery shall be negotiated no later than the beginning of the 1991 season. These studies are to be initiated with the beginning of the 1986 season and are to be completed within a period of three to five years. These studies should include at least the following methods and features:
(1) a. The Governments of Japan, Canada and the United States of America will increase efforts for tagging and biological sampling.
b. The Government of Japan will arrange five Japanese salmon research vessel cruises in the area 38° to 46° North latitude, between 160° East and 175° West Longitude during May, June, and July of each year assigned to conduct research with regard to increased tagging effort and biological sampling.
c. The Government of Japan will allow each year no more than two scientists of the Government of Canada and/or the Government of the United States of America, upon the request of the Government of Canada and/or the Government of the United States of America, to board one or two cruises of salmon research vessels arranged by the Government of Japan pursuant to paragraph 1(1)b.
d. The Government of Canada and the Government of the United States of America undertake to bear expenses incurred in such boardings of their respective scientists.
(2) The Government of Japan will increase efforts through guidance and education of fishermen to recover tagged salmonids, to return recovered tags and to report associated data.
(3) Other studies will be designed to determine the proportions and distributions of Asian and North American origin salmonids in the area south of 46° North Latitude and between 160° East and 175° West Longitude. These studies will be based as far as possible on methodologies jointly agreed upon a priori. These studies will include, but are not limited to:
a. Scale pattern analyses of sockeye, chum, coho, and chinook salmon and steelhead trout;
b. Improved collection of adequate (in number and quality) Asian and North American standard scale samples; and
c. Application of other methods and techniques (such as parasitological and genetic studies, etc.) as jointly deemed appropriate and useful in continent of origin studies.
(4) Annual evaluations and assessments will be conducted to ensure coordination of the studies and to ensure that they are proceeding in a manner which will meet the schedule of the three to five year studies on the continent of origin of salmonids mentioned in this paragraph. The three Governments will adjust their research programs as necessary to meet the schedule.
(5) Accurate catch and fishing effort statistics by species, time and area are essential to the evaluation of studies on continent of origin of salmonids. The Government of Japan will establish an appropriate method to validate the time and location of catch and fishing effort data including the use of location records from the Naval Navigation Satellite System onboard the landbased salmon driftnet fishing vessels and report it to the International North Pacific Fisheries Commission (hereinafter referred to as "the INPFC"). The content and success of this program will be reviewed and adjusted, if required, to support the three to five year studies on the continent of origin of salmonids mentioned in this paragraph.
(6) In lieu of paragraph 1(A) of the Memorandum of Understanding, signed at Tokyo on April 25, 1978, the Government of Japan will provide to the INPFC, catch statistics for the landbased driftnet fishery on a ten-day basis by 1° x 1° statistical area by species in numbers and tonnage, with corresponding effort in effective standardized tans fished (330 tans/15km), with summary information on mesh sizes used, within six months of annual termination of the fishery in 1987 and thereafter (as for the catch statistics for 1986, as soon as possible during the three to five year studies on the continent of origin of salmonids mentioned in this paragraph).
2. The Governments of Japan, Canada and the United States of America will ensure that beginning with the 1986 season:
(1) Research on continent of origin of salmonids in the operating area of the mothership fishery will be continued under the framework of the INPFC with emphasis on the identification of areas of abundance of North American chinook, coho, and chum salmon and steelhead trout; and
(2) Validation of catch and fishing effort data for the mothership fishery will be done under a joint research program of the INPFC utilizing methods mutually agreed upon each year.
Vancouver, April 9, 1986
FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF JAPAN:
Tatsuo Saito
FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA:
Aimée Lefebvre-Anglin
FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA:
George W. Ogg
