Within accepted territorial seas, there is little question of 

 the right of exclusive control of fisheries by the coastal State. 

 Our tuna fishermen recognize this law, and have paid license fees 

 and observed regulations of the foreign coimtries in whose waters 

 they have had to operate o Incidents charging violations have 

 usually arisen following drastic changes in regulations or closure 

 of certain waters o Although the United States, along with Gi'eal 

 Britain and many other major maritima nations steadfastly refuses 

 to recogniEe claims of territorial seas in excess of 3-'iniles wide, 

 in actual practice some countries are occasionally enforcing su'ih 

 claims (Mexico -=■ 9 miles, Ecuador — 12 miles )o American fishermen 

 have observed such claims as a matter of expediency, not because 

 they recognize them as valid. For practical purposes, exaggerated 

 claims to teiTitorial seas, such as 200 miles, have not been 

 established at the present time. They have met with widespread 

 opposition from many sources, for they are entirely out of reason 

 and have no precedent. The difficulties involved in attempting 

 to properly control such a vast expanse of water are recognized 

 even cy those countries involved. There has not been a great 

 operational problem for the tuna fleet where such claims are not 

 enforced. 



As has been pointed out previously, the primary reason for 

 American tuna fishermen to enter territorial seas of foreign 

 countries is to obtain bait. The bait is found within the 3"ii)ile 

 liinit, which is the minimum distance claimed by ary country, and 

 which is recognized by the United States. Therefore, as far as 

 bait fishing is concerned, it makes little difference whether the 

 claim to territorial seas is 3 miles or 12 miles. Any general 

 extension of jurisdictional control beyond 3 miles could create 

 serious difficulties in actual tuna fishing. Though most tuna 

 are caught many miles off-shore, a significant amount is taken 

 fairly close to the 3-mile liinit in certain areas. Ecuador's 

 enforcement of her 12-mile claim has caused inconvenience and added 

 to the cost of tuna production in that area. Two recent sej.zures 

 of American tuna boats ^^/ in controversial waters have resulted in 

 the United States Government protesting to Ecuador this inter= 

 ference with the rights of American vessels on the high seas. 



iOj' Sun Pacific seized July 29, 1952. Equator seized July 31s 

 1952c Both vessels were detained and fined. 



269 



