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exceeded 36,000 tons, whereas the New England Council had 

 set the optimum yield at 26,000 tons. The result, if the 

 optimum yields are used as a yardstick, was overfishing of 

 two important stocks. 



The proposed action would eliminate disagreements 

 over national shares through its entitlement share provi- 

 sions and would require that both countries observe the 

 TACs established for each stock. Moreover, formal proce- 

 dures would exist through which the Parties could discuss 

 and resolve differences in management strategies. For 

 Category A and B stocks, they would have recourse to 

 binding dispute settlement. 



As previously mentioned, since June 1978 U.S. 

 fishermen have been excluded from undisputed Canadian 

 waters. Under the proposed action they would regain access 

 to these waters and be able to resume their traditional 

 fisheries for redfish, cod, and haddock. In the absence of 

 a fishery agreement, such access presumably would continue 

 to be denied them. 



Continued denial of access to the Canadian zone would 

 substantially affect certain U.S. fishing ports, particu- 

 larly in Maine and Massachusetts. For example, the NMFS 

 study on the short term economic impact of the proposed 

 action predicts that vessels over 125 feet in length from 



