S-3705               _______________________________________________

                                          SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL NO. 8019

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              50th Legislature                              1988 Regular Session

By Senators Metcalf, DeJarnatt, Anderson, Conner and von Reichbauer

Read first time 1/14/88 and referred to Committee on Environment & Natural Resources.

TO THE HONORABLE RONALD REAGAN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, AND TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AND TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES, IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED:

          We, your Memorialists, the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Washington, in legislative session assembled, respectfully represent and petition as follows:

          WHEREAS, Commercial fishing by foreign vessels within the 200-mile fishing conservation zone on Washington's coast results in an incidental catch of salmon; and

          WHEREAS, The magnitude of this salmon catch is not fully known since United States observers are placed on only a few fishing vessels and are periodically disallowed from inspecting the catches of these vessels; and

          WHEREAS, The coastal salmon fishing industry of Washington has been severely curtailed in recent years and may, in fact, be harvesting fewer salmon than the foreign fishermen are harvesting as "incidental catch"; and

          WHEREAS, Every effort must be made to restore the fishing-based economy of Washington's coastal cities and towns; and

          WHEREAS, Fishing by foreign vessels in Washington's coastal waters provides virtually no benefit to Washington state citizens; and

          WHEREAS, Curtailment of the foreign catch of Washington-produced salmon will result in direct benefits to the citizens of Washington state and to the country as a whole;

          NOW, THEREFORE, Your Memorialists respectfully pray that:

          (1) Congress direct the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Pacific Fisheries Management Council to halt inside the fisheries conservation zone all foreign fishing that is harvesting salmon; and

          (2) Congress provide a sufficiently clear mandate, and sufficient funding, to allow for enforcement of a foreign salmon fishing prohibition.

          BE IT RESOLVED, That copies of this Memorial be immediately transmitted to the Honorable Ronald Reagan, President of the United States, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and each member of Congress from the State of Washington.