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Canadian authorities frequently throughout the fishing season to 

 foster cooperation and to resolve a number of issues. 



The positive rapport we have established with the Canadians has 

 helped us to obtain periodic information on Canadian fishing pres- 

 sures on the A-B Line, which has helped us to better position our 

 patrol units for maximum effectiveness. In addition, the Canadians 

 have increased their own patrols in Dixon Entrance, both to warn 

 their own vessels not to fish north of the A-B Line and to enforce 

 Canadian interests in the disputed area. 



In fishing seasons past, our patrol vessels used covert enforce- 

 ment activities, which resulted in the seizure of five Canadian ves- 

 sels from 1989 through 1992. The seizures of those vessels appar- 

 ently got the attention of the Canadian fishing fleet. The Canadian 

 fishermen realized that the potential gain from fishing in U.S. wa- 

 ters was not worth the risk of seizure. 



During the past two seasons, we have shifted to a high-visibility 

 patrol program in Dixon Entrance which gives a continuous strong 

 presence there to discourage Canadian fishermen from even consid- 

 ering fishing in Alaskan waters. 



I am very happy to report to you that as a result of our past sei- 

 zures and our present high-visibility patrols, we have gained total 

 Canadian compliance this season with no Canadians illegally fish- 

 ing in our waters. In fact, where the Canadian vessels once pressed 

 up against and sometimes over the A-B Line, they now typically 

 leave a mile or more of buffer between themselves and the line. 



A side benefit of Canadian compliance has been that our cutters 

 now have more time to board U.S. fishing vessels in the area, with 

 resulting improvements in our own vessels' fisheries and safety 



compliance. _ . . 



One lingering issue in Dixon Entrance is the Canadian insistence 

 that our vessels fishing in the disputed area are illegally fishing in 

 Canadian internal waters. Canadian Department of Fisheries and 

 Oceans— DFO— vessels periodically direct U.S. fishing vessels 

 which are fishing in the disputed area to stop fishing and proceed 

 north of the A-B Line. 



Some fishermen who are either unaware of the U.S. position on 

 their right to fish in the disputed area or are concerned about pos- 

 sible Canadian enforcement action do move north of the line. In re- 

 sponse to questions from our fisherman and reports of adverse 

 DFO activity, we issue VHF-FM radio broadcasts informing our 

 fishermen of their right to fish in the disputed area. We make it 

 clear that we will dispatch a patrol boat to assist any U.S. vessel 

 which is being harassed by Canadian fishermen or is being pres- 

 sured by Canadian enforcement authorities to stop fishing in the 

 disputed area. , 



Although there are some lingering issues involving the disputed 

 area, we are very pleased that tensions in Dixon Entrance seem to 

 be diminishing, and we are delighted that we have been able to 

 achieve total Canadian compliance with the Magnuson Act this 

 season. 



Group Ketchikan is also responsible for enforcement ot halibut 

 and black cod openings in southeast Alaska. For these openings we 

 use a combination of aircraft to spot fishermen setting gear early 

 or retrieving gear late; surface craft conduct compliance boardings; 



