harvests in U.S. waters with implementation of U.S. 
controls over the 200-mile zone. Figure 3—3 shows 
the long-term trend in foreign fishing in U.S. waters. 
Fishing by foreign nations in the U.S. 200-mile 
zone is limited to that portion of the optimum yield '* 
of any fishery subject to the authority of the United 
States that will not be harvested by U.S. vessels. 
Both the optimum yield and the surplus to be made 
available for foreign fishing are determined by the 
appropriate Regional Fishery Management Council 
and approved by the Secretary of Commerce. The 
Secretary of State, in cooperation with the Secretary 
of Commerce, allocates the total allowable level of 
foreign fishing for each fishery among foreign nations 
on the basis of criteria established under the Fishery 
0 
1963 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 #75 76 77 
Figure 3-3.—Foreign catch in the 200-mile Fishery Con- 
servation Zone 1963-77 (millions of metric toms). 
Source: National Marine Fisheries Service. 
The optimum yield of a particular fishery is defined by the 
Act as the amount of fish that (1) will provide the greatest over- 
all benefit to the United States, with particular reference to food 
production and recreational opportunities, and (2) is prescribed 
as such on the basis of the biologically maximum sustainable 
yield from such fishery as modified by any relevant economic, 
social, or ecological factor. 
Conservation and Management Act. Table 3-3 
shows the total allowable levels of foreign fishing 
under existing management plans for 1977 and 1978, 
as well as actual foreign catch statistics for 1977. 
Most permits issued in 1977 to foreign vessels 
were awarded to Japan for fishing and support ves- 
sels in Alaska waters. Fishing vessels of the Sovict 
Union received 263 permits, about one-half the 
Japanese number, and were scattered throughout 
the Atlantic and Pacific waters. As of January 1978, 
foreign fishing vessels received 677 permits, as fol- 
lows: Italy 15, Japan 426, Mexico 10, South Korea 
18, Spain 26, and U.S.S.R. 182. The number of 
approved applications pending permits was 261, as 
follows: Bulgaria 7, Cuba 16, Italy 5, Japan 43, 
Poland 22, South Korea 33, Spain 4, Taiwan 8, and 
U.S.S.R. 123. 
The passage of the Fishery Conservation and 
Management Act and the establishment of the 200- 
mile management zone had significant consequences 
for Japan and the Soviet Union. Japan has the 
second highest per capita consumption of fish and 
shellfish. Over 50 percent of Japan’s total animal 
protein intake is from this source. The international 
fishing grounds provide most of the fish and shell- 
fish consumed in Japan, because its coastal and 
inland fisheries contribute less than 30 percent of its 
Table 3~3.—Allowable levels of foreign fishing, by 
country, 1977 and 1978, and foreign catch in the 
Fishery Conservation Zone, by Area, 1977 * 
1977 1977 1978 
Allocation Catch? Allocation 
Atlantic 
thousand tonnes 
Bulgaria 8.1 4.7 1.5 
Canada 17.7 11.4 (@ 
Cuba Tet 1.6 $7 
Federal Republic 
of Germany 6.5 — 0.9 
France 1.2 — 1.5 
Italy 
Democratic Republic 
of Germany 20.2 8.0 — 
Japan 32.0 15.0 8.2 
Mexico ile — 15.5 
Poland 40.0 20.0 S22 
Romania 1.4 0.9 — 
Spain 22.9 14.5 18.2 
U.S.S.R. 169.1 91.3 91.9 
Pacific 
Japan 1,169.4 1,113.3 1,149.4 
Korea 81.2 80.2 92.6 
Mexico — — $1.2 
Poland 27.2 20.4 22.9 
Taiwan 55 NES 5.8 
U.S.S.R. 480.8 291.5 402.1 
1 Source: National Marine Fisheries Service. 
? Preliminary estimates. 
(a) Negotiations in progress. 
II-5 
