XI 



Summary 



This statement analyzes the environmental impact of 

 ratifying and implementing the Agreement between the Govern- 

 ment of the United States of America and the Government of 

 Canada on East Coast Fishery Resources, signed March 29, 

 1979. This bilateral fisheries agreement creates a frame- 

 work that would enable the countries to coordinate fishery 

 management decisions for stocks of mutual interest. The 

 Agreement itself makes few management decisions regarding 

 these resources. It requires that total allowable catches 

 (TAC's) be established annually based on the best scienti- 

 fic information available. It vests the United States, 

 Canada, or both countries with exclusive or primary 

 management responsibility for each stock covered. It also 

 establishes the shares of the TAC's to be caught by each 

 country and provides for access by fishermen of each 

 country to the fishery zone of the other, enabling 

 fishermen of both to continue traditional fisheries. 



Beyond these basic provisions, the Agreement leaves 

 the development of specific management programs to the 

 country with exclusive or primary management responsibility 

 or to both countries in the case of four stocks. These 

 programs would be developed in accordance with the Agree- 

 ment's management principles which are patterned on the 



