89 



permitted to anchor up for the evening in U.S. waters subject to 

 a number of conditions; namely, that they not fish, of course, or 

 that they not engage in any activity essentially in support of fish- 

 ing. 



This was an effort to promote some harmony in that area and 

 to allow them to do something which, I believe, they considered to 

 be traditional activity down there. So, yes, indeed, the gentleman 

 is correct. We do allow Canadian vessels to anchor up under very 

 stringent conditions. They are not permitted to fish, and they get 

 underway at the end of the night and proceed out to the fishing 

 grounds. 



The Chairman. I want to thank you, Captain, and you, too, Mr. 

 Benton. 



Senator Stevens. I would like ask a question of Mr. Benton. 



The Chairman. I am sorry. 



Senator Stevens. If I may. 



The Chairman. Go ahead. 



Senator Stevens. One question, Mr. Chairman. 



The Chairman. Yes. 



Senator Stevens. David, this discussion of the Secretary's action, 

 in one instance he was acting on a management plan, in another 

 instance he was acting within the regulatory process. While there 

 is a distinction there, we disagree generally with his making 

 changes without a full explanation for the record of the actual con- 

 sent of the council. 



But let me ask you this, you are familiar with the North Pacific 

 Fisheries Research Plan that is not going to go into effect until 

 1995. There are provisions of that that we could legislate now with- 

 out disagreements, as I understand. Is that so? 



Mr. Benton. That is correct, Senator. 



Senator Stevens. If we wanted to review the plan and put it into 

 legislation, we could implement the noncontroversial portions of 

 the plan now and not have to go through all these long delays, be- 

 cause there is a consensus, as I understand, on a substantial por- 

 tion of the plan. 



Mr. Benton. That is correct. In fact, I do not believe there is any 

 contentious components in the plan any longer. I believe what the 

 problem was, was bureaucratically the NMFS could not figure out 

 to how to collect the fees. And it is a bureaucratic problem, not a 

 problem of substance. 



Senator Stevens. I seem to remember that and I would urge you 

 to get together with our staff and see if we cannot find a way to 

 put that plan into effect. I think we could close that gap on the 

 timeframe. We can literally legislate that plan into effect. And I 

 understand that at the council level there has been no disagree- 

 ment — even with members of the south. Again, is that your under- 

 standing? 



Mr. Benton. That is correct, and I would welcome the oppor- 

 tunity. 



Senator Stevens. I would suggest 



The Chairman. Yes. 



Senator Stevens [continuing]. Everyone get together with our 

 staff, see if we cannot put that plan — which would implement sub- 

 stantial conservation measures — in effect at least 18 months early 



