Role of the Commission.
Pacific salmon roam freely in the ocean, with no sense of belonging to any one country. They recognize no international boundaries. Moving fast and far during their long ocean migrations, Pacific Salmon meet and intermingle as they travel through the waters of the North Pacific Ocean. It is our shared responsibility to act with wisdom and ensure their migrations continue, by managing for rich harvests, while allowing the salmon to return in abundance to the rivers of their birth.
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Management of Pacific salmon has long been a matter of common concern to the United States and Canada. In 1985, after many years of negotiation, the Pacific Salmon Treaty was signed, setting long-term goals for the benefit of the salmon and the two countries. The Pacific Salmon Commission is the body formed by the governments of Canada and the United States to implement the Pacific Salmon Treaty.
The Commission itself does not regulate the salmon fisheries but provides regulatory advice and recommendations to the two countries. It has responsibility for all salmon originating in the waters of one country which are subject to interception by the other, affect management of the other country's salmon or affect biologically the stocks of the other country. In addition, the Pacific Salmon Commission is charged with taking into account the conservation of steelhead trout while fulfilling its other functions.
The fundamental role of the Pacific Salmon Commission is two-fold:
- first, to conserve the Pacific Salmon in order to achieve optimum production,
- second, to divide the harvests so that each country reaps the benefits of its investment in salmon management.
In effect, this Commission gives both countries a forum through which to resolve their difficult salmon management problems.
Essentially, the Commission works like this:
| Step 1: |
Each country provides technical information to the Commission on the conduct of its fisheries, pre-season expectations and enhancement activities, which is: |
| Step 2: |
analyzed by bilateral technical committees, which then report to: |
| Step 3: |
Panels, which use these reports to develop their fishery recommendations. From here the various area plans are: |
| Step 4: |
Sent to the Commissioners for consideration. At this stage, the Commissioners meet to review and conclude negotiations on the plans, which are then: |
| Step 5: |
transmitted to the Governments of Canada and the United States for final approval and regulatory implementation. |
Click here to learn more about the organizational structure of the Commission.
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