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Our interest in the activities of displaced foreign fleets, however, has not waned. 

 While these fleets have relocated to areas outside our EEZ, they are still in a posi- 

 tion to adversely impact U.S. resources. Therefore, the Coast Guard continues to 

 maintain a close watch on the activities of foreign fishing fleets operating near the 

 U.S. EEZ. This has required the Coast Guard to expand our areas of patrol to in- 

 clude the Central Bering Sea "Donut Hole," the U.S./Russia Convention Line, and 

 the former high seas driftnet areas of the North Pacific. 



One topic of interest in the North Pacific is that of driftnet fishing. Since the late 

 1980's, the U.S. has led efforts to control large scale driftnet fishing on the high 

 seas, initially through regional agreements, and more recently through a United Na- 

 tions moratorium. The primary concerns were that foreign driftnet fleets were both 

 targeting U.S. -origin salmon stocks and catching salmon as bycatch in the squid 

 driftnet fishery; and the environmental impacts of this indiscriminate fishery. Five 

 years ago, the North Pacific driftnet fleet was estimated at 1,000 vessels. This year, 

 only four driftnet vessels have been detected, only one of which was observed to be 

 engaged in fishing. The Coast Guard boarded three of these vessels and found no 

 fish aboard any of them. Thus, through the demonstrated leadership of the United 

 States over the past five years, and the spirit of international cooperation we have 

 seen this year, the destructive threat from this fishery has been minimized. 



The Coast Guard plays a major role in visibly demonstrating the Nation's commit- 

 ment to ending driftnet fishing on the high seas. Coast Guard HC-130 long range 

 surveillance aircraft equipped with the new APS-137 long-range radar continue to 

 provide the enhanced surveillance capabilities necessary to monitor vast areas 6f 

 open ocean. Our Hamilton-class high endurance cutters with deployed HH-65A heli- 

 copters provide the capability necessary to carry out effective high seas enforcement 

 action. In 1989, a Coast Guard high endurance cutter escorted a salmon-laden 

 driftnet fishing vessel to Taiwan, contributing to tide achievement of multinational 

 agreements designed to protect U.S. -origin salmon. This May, the Coast Guard 

 again demonstrated the United States' resolve by escorting a Chinese driftnet fish- 

 ing vessel to Chinese authorities in Shanghai. 



Our actions have been part of an international effort by member nations of the 

 North Pacific Anadromous Fisheries Commission. That cooperative effort includes 

 the exchange of patrol and sighting information among the United States, Canada, 

 Japan, and Russia. It has been successful in removing vessels equipped to conduct 

 large-scale pelagic driftnet fishing from the high seas of the North Pacific. The Peo- 

 ple s Republic of China has also cooperated by responding quickly to our requests 

 lor registry checks and boarding authority. In addition, they accepted custody of a 

 driftnet vessel and crew claiming their flag. In this first year of the United Nations 

 moratorium, regional cooperation has been the most important ingredient in dis- 

 couraging attempts to engage in driftnet fishing in the North Pacific. 



In support of this cooperative effort, aircraft and cutters based in the Seventeenth 

 District have flown over 450 hours and patrolled over 100 cutter days to date in 

 1993. We will continue to monitor the traditional high seas driftnet area in the year 

 ahead, adjusting our effort as appropriate. 



The Central Bering Sea "Donut Hole" is another area that requires our attention. 

 Since a two year moratorium on fishing in this area went into effect in January of 

 this year, fishing activity has been significantly reduced, with only several scout 

 vessels fishing in the Donut Hole. The poor fishing in the Central Bering Sea is ap- 

 parently providing little incentive to fisn even though the terms of the moratorium 

 permit each fishing nation a maximum of two scout vessels in the area. 



The fishing is expected to improve, however, as stocks rebuild under the protec- 

 tions of the current moratorium in the Donut Hole and the close management of 

 pollock stocks in the U.S. EEZ. To ensure the uncontrolled fishing of the late 1980's 

 is not repeated, the U.S. is working with Russia and other nations to develop an 

 international management regime for the Donut Hole. The Coast Guard advocates 

 that such a regime include reciprocal boarding provisions of the signatory parties 

 to facilitate monitoring compliance. This summer, the Coast Guard boarded, with 

 the consent of the vessels' masters, scout vessels from Japan, Poland, and the Re- 

 public of Korea fishing in the Donut Hole. This has demonstrated the United States' 

 commitment to responsible management of foreign fishing in the Donut Hole. 



As a result of the shift to full utilization of U.S. fishery resources by American 

 fishermen, the majority of Coast Guard cutter and aircraft patrols in the Seven- 

 teenth District directly support domestic fisheries management goals. For example, 

 40 percent of all Coast Guard boardings nationwide are of U.S. fishing vessels; in 

 the Seventeenth District it is 82 percent. Because domestic fisheries enforcement 

 represents such a significant portion of the District's operations, I have given it par- 

 ticularly close attention since I assumed command of the District last year. I have 

 been in regular contact with fishing industry representatives both in the field and 



