123 



been violated, there has been no re-directing of fisheries, and the involved 

 resources of both parties are prospering both in terms of the harvest levels 

 on each side and in terms of the escapement levels for continued 

 production from relevant salmon stocks. In particular, Canadian sockeye 

 escapement goals regularly are being exceeded by substantial amounts. 

 The Noyes Island harvest levels are appropriate to the specific 

 circumstances of the fishery both for sockeye and pink salmon. The 

 harvest rate on passing sockeye has not increased and the harvest of pink 

 salmon during those years of record level returns represents an integral 

 component of the successful management of Southeast Alaska's salmon. 

 The conduct of this fishery has satisfied the letter and the spirit of the PST 

 in all respects. 



In 1993, the bilateral northern panel negotiated and agreed to a northern 

 boundary area chum salmon enhancement and cooperative management 

 program that was recommended to the Commissioners for approval. 

 Unfortunately, the approach has not been endorsed by the Canadian 

 federal government, presumably because it is viewed as inconsistent with 

 their political goals of restructuring Southeast Alaska fisheries and their 

 extreme position on what inappropriately is termed 'equity'. 



Understanding and recognition of key differences in the nature and status 

 of production, fleet characteristics, and management capabilities between 

 management jurisdictions is important in crafting cooperative approaches 

 acceptable to both parties. In Southeast Alaska, spawning is distributed 

 among approximately 5,000 rivers and streams and production of many 

 stocks are at historic high levels. When harvested, these stocks frequently 

 are mixed both within and between species. Traditional fisheries are 

 managed in mixed-stock areas, based upon the strength of historically 

 dominant species and stocks. In mixed-stock areas, harvest rates are 

 constrained to provide escapement needs for important stocks and this 

 approach typically results in subsequent fishing opportunity in near 

 terminal and terminal areas for stronger stocks. This management has 

 resulted in salmon production throughout Southeast Alaska which in 

 recent years has yielded harvests and escapements at historic high levels. 

 Continued stability in these historic fisheries remains a key goal. 



Equitable Sharing -- The Equity Princip le 



In terms of fair sharing of the resource, or the "equity" principle of 

 benefits equivalent to the production of salmon, the contributions by each 

 country to the growth and production of salmon stocks throughout their 



83-564 0-94-5 



