UNIQUE CHARACTER 27 



of areas, and was able to manipulate the seasons and ([uotas in such 

 a manner that the fleet was able to spread its tatc h over a longer 

 season. This was made effective by a "voluntary lay in" plan ot the 

 United States and Canadian halibut fleets of eight days after each 

 trip. ^Vhile this was enforced by fishermen and boat owners as a rest 

 period, it has aided regulation and has also reduced the storage 

 period for the catch. The season has thus been lengthened as follows 

 (IPHC, 1962): 



Area 2 24 days in 1953 120 days in 1961 



Area 3A 52 days in 1953 105 days in 1961 



Experience ^vith the halibut as well as with the sockeye and pink 

 salmon fisheries of the Fraser River has demonstrated that to regulate 

 a fishery for the purpose of increasing or stabilizing yield it is neces- 

 sary not only to control the total catch, the size of fish, and the 

 manner of taking each species, but it is also necessary to limit the 

 total amount of gear in order to control effectively the rate at which 

 the fish are removed from the stock ^vithin each season. 



UNIQUE CHARACTER OF THE NORTH PACIFIC 

 FISHERY PROBLEMS 



In arriving at a rational set of common objectives for the North 

 Pacific, it is necessary to consider the unique character of the fishery 

 problems of this area. Some of these special problems are mentioned 

 above. Others will be noted here. One of the most important 

 features of this part of the high seas concerns the existence of large 

 stocks of anadromous salmon of the genus Oncorhynchus, which have 

 for years supported the largest fishery along the ^vest coast of North 

 America north of 40° North Latitude. While this fishery has been 

 superseded in total volume by the trawl fishery for demersal forms, 

 including floiniders and rockfishes, the potential productivity of the 

 salmon stocks remains. There is little doubt that the salmon stocks 

 can be rebuilt to yield at a high level. The Pacific salmon are the 

 only major species in the world w^hich are exploited extensively on 

 the high seas, and depend for their existence on the efforts of the 

 nations which o^vn the lakes and streams to Avhich they return to 

 spawn. 



