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It is essential to understand that the Agreement gives 

 Canada and the United States equal power to object regarding 

 annual management measures for Annex A and B stocks. The 

 nature of the power depends on whether the stock concerned 

 is under joint management responsibility pursuant to Annex 

 A procedures, under the primary responsibility of the 

 United States pursuant to Annex B procedures, or under 

 the primary responsibility of Canada pursuant to Annex B 

 procedures. 



In the case of Annex A stocks, both Canada and the 

 United States have the right to object to annual measures 

 agreed upon by the Commission. Whenever such an objection 

 is made, the Co-Chairmen or the Arbitrator will make the 

 final decision on the management measures to be applied, 

 after considering the viewpoints of each side. It can be 

 anticipated that the governments will be reluctant to 

 object to measures worked out in the Commission by their 

 respective fishery experts (the majority of whom on the 

 U.S. side will be Regional Fishery Management Council 

 members), because the outcome of dispute settlement is 

 beyond their own control. 



