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COMMONWEALTH OF 



THE NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS 



Statement of Jesus C. Borja 



June 1, 1995 



THE JOINT WORKING GROUP 



In the same 1992 agreement in the Section 902 Consultations, 

 the Special Representatives agreed to establish a joint working 

 group to study and make recommendations on the proprietary and 

 beneficial interest of the people of the Northern Marianas in the 

 fish within the adjacent exclusive economic zone, the derivation 

 of revenues by the Commonwealth from fishing activities in that 



zone, and Federal-Commonwealth joint approval of fisheries per- 



37 

 mits within the zone. 



On January 6, 1994, Secretary of Commerce Ron Brown and Sec- 

 retary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt announced the formation of a 

 Joint Working Group on EEZ Fisheries Policy in the Pacific Insu- 

 lar Areas. The Working Group was intended to address fisheries 

 policy not only for the Northern Marianas, but for Guam and Amer- 

 ican Samoa. The Commonwealth has participated in the work of the 

 Working Group. Our hope was that the Working Group would be able 

 to recommend Magnuson Act amendments to be considered during the 



Special Representative of the President of the United States 

 & Special Representatives of the Governor of the Commonwealth of 

 the Northern Mariana Islands, Joint Agreement on Membership in 

 the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council (Dec. 16, 

 1992), reprinted in Compilation of Documents from the Thirteenth 

 Round of the Covenant Section 902 Consultations 205 (1992). 



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