Appendix 4 



Press Release Relative to the Natural Resources of the 

 Continental Shelf 



The White House, September 28, 1945. 



The President today issued two proclamations asserting the jurisdiction of 

 the United States over the natural resources of the continental shelf under the 

 high seas contiguous to the coasts of the United States and its territories, and 

 providing for the establishment of conservation zones for the proitection of 

 fisheries in certain areas of the high seas contiguous to the United States. The 

 action of the President in regard to both the resources of the con'tinental shelf 

 and the conservation of high seas fisheries in which the United States has an 

 interest was taken on the recommendation of the Secretary of State and the 

 Secretary of the Inlterlor. 



Two companion Executive orders were also issued by the President. One 

 reserved and set aside the resources of the continental shelf under the high seas 

 and placed them for administrative purposes, pending legislative action, under 

 the jurisdiction and control of the Secreitary of the Interior. The other pr<o- 

 vided for the establishment by Executive orders, on recommendation of the 

 Secretary of State and the Secretary of the Interior of fishery conservation 

 zones in areas of the high seas contiguous to the coasts of the United States. 



Until the present the only high seas fisheries in the regulation of which the 

 United States has pariticipated, under treaties or conventions are those for 

 whales. Pacific halibut and fur seals. 



In areas where fisheries have been or shall hereafter be developed and main- 

 tained by nationals of the United States alone, explicitly bounded zones will be 

 set uip in which the United States may regulate and control all fishing activities. 



In other areas where the nationals of other countries as well as out own, have 

 developed or shall hereafter legitimately develop fisheries, zones may be estab- 

 lished by agreements between the United States and such other States and 

 joint regulations and control will be put into effect 



The United States will recognize the rights of oither countries to establish 

 Conservation z'ones off their own coasts where the interests of nationals of the 

 United States are recognized in the same manner that we recognize the interests 

 of the nationals of the other countries. 



The assertion of this policy has long been advocated by conservationi's'ts, in- 

 cluding a substantial section of the fishing industry of the United States, since 

 regulation of a fishery resource within territorial waters cannot control the 

 misuse or prevent the depletion of that resource through uncontrolled fishery 

 activities conducted outside of the commonly accepted limits of territorial 

 jurisdiction. 



As a result of the establishment of this new policy, the United States will be 

 able to protect effectively, for instance, its most valuable fishery, that for the 

 Alaska salmon. Through painsitaking conservation efforts and scientific man- 

 agement the United States has made excellent progress in maintaining the salmon 

 at high levels. However, since the salmon spends a considerable portion of its 

 life in the open sea, uncontrolled fishery activities on the high seas, either by 

 nationals of the United States or other countries, have constituted an ever pres- 

 ent menace to the salmon fishery. 



The policy proclaimed by the Preisident in regard to the jurisdiction over the 

 continental shelf does not touch upon the question of Federal versus State con- 

 trol. It is concerned solely with establishing the jurisdiction of the United States 

 from an international standpoint. It will, however, make possible the orderly 

 development of an underwater area 750,000 square miles in extent. Generally, 

 submerged land which is contiguous to the continent and which is covered by no 



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