812 



ate Regional Director of the United States National IMarine Fisheries 

 Service and the enforcement officials designated by Japan. 



The said representatives agreed on the necessity to improve enforce- 

 ment measures required to fulfill the provisions of the agreements, and 

 both Governments will increase their resi)ective enforcement capabil- 

 ities, both qualitatively and quantitatively, in order to ensure that 

 fishing by their respective nationals and vessels will strictly conform 

 with the terms of the agreements. In connection with the improvement 

 of enforcement efforts, both Governments will continue to carry out 

 with respect to their own nationals and vessels patrol and inspection 

 activities authorized by domestic laws and regulations, including in- 

 spection at time of landing. The said representatives agreed that each 

 Government would inform the other Government as soon as possible 

 of any actions taken with respect to any fishing operations reported 

 by the other Government to be in violation of any of the provisions 

 of the agreements. 



The said representatives agreed to consult further with a view to 

 examining the possibility of establishing a mechanism to process 

 claims arising from damage to fishing vessels or fishing gear and to 

 prevent fishing conflicts between fishing vessels of both countries carry- 

 ing out fishing operations in the same area. 



During the course of the consultation the following statements were 

 made: 



(1) The United States representative stated that his Government 

 will encourage U.S. fishermen to improve the means for marking 

 fixed halibut gear so that Japanese fishermen on dragnet fishing ves- 

 sels can more easily identify the location and direction of fixed gear 

 set by halibut longline vessels and will inform the Government of 

 Japan through the diplomatic channels of such improved marking 

 methods. 



(2) In regard to the crab fishery by nationals and vessels of Japan, 

 the Japanese representative stated that the mothership fishing opera- 

 tions for king and tanner crabs by nationals and vessels of Japan 

 in the eastern Bering Sea for the years 1975 and 1976 would be con- 

 ducted by no more than two fishing fleets, and that in order to ensure 

 effective implementation of the arrangements concerning the crab 

 fisheries, the Government of Japan would have an inspector on each 

 mothership conduct full guidance and surveillance. 



(3) The said representatives stated that the two Governments would 

 continue to provide catch and effort statistics and other biological and 

 scientific data concerning the crab fishery in the eastern Bering Sea 

 to the International North Pacific Fisheries Commission as soon 

 as practicable after the close of each fishing season. 



(4) The United States representative stated, in connection with 

 the arrangemen,ts on the king and tanner crab fisheries, that the 

 United States will continue to carry out and to improve conservation 

 measures regarding the crab fishing operations in the Bering Sea and 

 that the State of Alaska is plamiing to take regulatory measures 

 relating to the harvest levels and the length of fishing seasons for 

 king and tanner crabs, and to size limits for king crabs, where 

 appropriate. 



The United States representative also stated that the crab fishing 

 operations of American nationals and vessels in the area will continue 



