Appendix 3 



A Proclamation (No. 2668) 



Policy of the United States With Respect to Coastal Fish- 

 eries IN Certain Areas or the High Seas 



(By the President of the United States of America) 



Whereas for some years the Government of the United States of America 

 has viewed with concern the inadequacy of present arrangements for the pro- 

 tection and perpetuation of the fishery resources contiguous to its coasts, and, 

 in view of the potentially disturbing effect of this situation, has carefully studied 

 the possibility of improving the jurisdictional basis for conservation measures and 

 international cooperation in this field ; and 



Whereas such fishery resources have a spec'ial importance to coastal com- 

 munities as a source of livelihood and to the nation as a food and industrial 

 resource ; and 



Whereas the progressive development of new methods and techniques con- 

 tributes to intensified fishing over wide sea areas and in certain cases seriously 

 threatens fisheries with depletion ; and 



Whereas there is an urgent need to protect coastal fishery resources from 

 destructive exploitation, having due regard to conditions i)eculiar to each region 

 and situation and to the special rights and equities of the coastal State and of 

 any other State which may have established a legitimate interest therein ; 



Now, therefore, I, Harry S. Truman, President of the United States of Amer- 

 ica, do hereby proclaim the following policy of the United States of America 

 with respect to coastal fisheries in certain areas of the high seas : 



In view of the pressing need for conservation and protection of fishery re- 

 sources, the Government of the United States regards it as proper to establish 

 conservation zones in those areas of the high seas contiguous to the coasts of 

 the United States wherein fishing activities have been or in the future may be 

 developed and maintained on a substantial scale. Where such activities have 

 been or shall hereafter be developed and maintained by its nationals alone, the 

 United States regards it as proper to establish explicitly bounded conservation 

 zones in which fishing activities shall be subject to the regulation and control 

 of the United States. Where such activities have been or shall hereafter be 

 legitimately developed and maintained jointly by nationals of the United States 

 and nationals of other States, explicitly bounded conservation zones may be 

 established under agreements between the United States and such other States ; 

 and all fishing activities in such zones shall be subject to regulation and control 

 as provided in such agreements. The right of any State to establish conserva- 

 tion zones off its shores in accordance with the above principles is conceded, 

 provided that corresponding recognition is given to any fishing interests of 

 nationals of the United States which may exist in such areas. The character 

 as high seas of the areas in which such conservation zones are established and 

 the right to their free and unimpeded navigation are in no way thus affected. 



In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the 

 United States of America to be affixed. 



Done at the City of Washington this twenty-eighth day of September, in the 

 year of our Lord nineteen hundred and forty-five, and of the Independ- 



[seal] ence of the United States of America the one hundred and seventieth. 



Habrt S. Truman. 



By the President : 

 Dean Acheson, 



Acting Secretary of State. 



September 28, 1945. 



(91) 



