FORTY-FIRST BIENNIAL Kl.I'ORT 65 



PACIFIC MARINE FISHERIES COMPACT 



As mentioned in the Fortieth Biennial Report, the state le^rislatures 

 of "Washington, Oregon, and California t'liacti'd legislation autlioi-izinir 

 the execution of the Pacific ^Marine Fisheries (.'unipart during tlieir 

 1947 sessions. The governors of the three states executed the compact. 

 The Pacific Marine Fisheries Commission Avas organized at meetings in 

 Portland, Oregon, in November. 1!>47. and January, 1!»4S. 'riic |)urpusfs 

 of the compact are to promote the bettei- utilization of tish which are of 

 mutual concern, and to develop a joint program of protection ami pre- 

 vention of waste of such fisheries in all those areas of the Pacific Ocean 

 over which the states have jurisdiction. The fishery hioloirists of the 

 three states serve as the investigative body of tiie Marine Fisheries Com- 

 mission. Since its organization, the comnussion has ha<[ meetings in all 

 three states which have been attended by the fisinng indiisti-y. by ofheial 

 representatives of the three states, by the 1'. S. Fish and Wildlife Servic*', 

 and by unofficial representatives from Canada and Alaska. Since it-s 

 organization, the Pacific Marine Fisheries Commission lias: 



1. Published a 64-page bulletin on history and development of the 

 commission and coordinated plans for the management of the 

 fisheries of the Pacific Coast. 



2. Organized an interstate investigation of tlie ocean salmon lish- 

 eries of the Pacific Coast, including a tagging program of troll- 

 caught salmon in the ocean and a marking program (»f salmon 

 fry in the streams of the three states. 



3. Recommended workable sets of laws on troll-cau-jlit sidmon for 

 the three states. These laws were pa.ssed as recointiieinl..! by all 

 three states. 



4. Recommended legislation for the protection of the sonpfin shark. 

 The recommended legislation was api)roved by Oregon ami Wash 

 ington but did not pass the California Legislature. Sul)se(|uent 

 development of artificial vitamin A and the importation of les.s 

 expensive foreign liver oils have cond)ine(l to eliminate th»' need 

 for soupfin livers, killed the sonpfin industry, ami elinunated 

 the need for any further conservation measures. 



5. Tuaugurated a sablefish investigation hy tin- three states and with 

 unofficial participation by Canadian and Alaskan investigators. 



6. Helped coordinate the bottom fish studies of the three stat.-s. 



7. Made numerous minor recommendations to the investigative 

 staffs of the three states. 



A great deal of benefit has residted from these interstate meetings, 

 from the development of mutual understanding and inferchan-.'e of ideas 

 between the biologists and the industry and among th-' l.iulnL'ists I mm 

 the different states. 



MARINE RESEARCH COMMITTEE 



In 1947 the California Legislature created a Marine Research Com- 

 mittee to administer funds collect.'d throu-h a special tax of .V) cents per 

 ton on all sardines landed in California. This committee comprises the 



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