"Whereas the fisheries of the high seas yield approximately two-thirds of the total United States fisheries production; and

"Whereas in the harvesting of these high seas fisheries resources United States fishermen are engaged in the exercise of rights pertaining to the United States as a sovereign Nation under accepted principles of international law; and "Whereas in the exerise of these rights the United States has a duty to the comity of nations to control its fishermen to the end that these high seas fisheries resources which they harvest are maintained in a condition which will provide a maximum sustainable annual yield of food from the ocean; and

"Whereas in recent years a considerable conflict has arisen among nations with respect to jurisdiction over high seas fisheries and United States fishermen have been impeded, and are threatened with further interference in their exercise of rights pertaining to the United States under international law; and "Whereas there is needed on the part of the United States a clear statement of positive policy with respect to jurisdiction over high seas fisheries which will protect both the United States fishermen and the resources of the seas which they harvest and which the United States can put forward in international forums to aid in settling the above mentioned conflicts: Now, therefore, be it

"Resolved, That the National Fisheries Institute urge that the United States pursue a policy with respect to the principle of the freedom of the seas and high seas fishery jurisdiction which shall contain the following indispensable elements: "(a) A clear definition of the territorial sea from the high seas in accordance with historic practice.

“(b) Provision for international regulation by the interested nations of any fishery lying in the high seas, under treaty among the nations whose fishermen are engaged in the fishery, and with respect to the entire geographic range of the stock or stocks of fish supporting the particular fishery, when necessary to prevent overfishing either by instituting new conservation regulations or seeking conformation by all fishermen to existing conservation regulations.

"(c) Provision for securing abstention, under treaty, by the fishermen of additional nations from operating in a fishery which reasonably satisfies the following conditions:

"(1) Evidence based upon scientific research indicates that more intensive exploitation of the stock of fish supporting the fishery will not provide a substantial increase in yield which can be sustained year after year.

"(2) The harvesting of the stock of fish supporting the fishery is limited or otherwise regulated through legal measures by each nation whose fishermen are substantially engaged in the fishery for the purpose of maintaining or increasing its maximum sustained productivity; such limitations and regulations being in accordance with conservation programs based upon scientific research; and "(3) The stock of fish supporting the fishery is the subject of extensive study designed to discover whether the stock is being fully utilized and the conditions necessary for maintaining its maximum sustained productivity; and

"(4) The nation asked to abstain from the fishery has not operated in it in a substantial manner in recent years.

"(d) Protection of high seas fishermen of the United States in their legal operations under United States law through their indemnification by the United States for damages suffered by such fishermen through action of a foreign government while they were legally so operating.

"(e) Departures from (d) above by special treaty with another nation or nations when necessary for the alleviation of specialized international political or economic situations.

"Be it further resolved, That National Fisheries Institute urge the immediate introduction and passage of legislation by Congress which would provide for protection of United States fishermen while exercising United States rights on the high seas as provided in (d) above."

We urge your prompt and favorable consideration and sincerely hope the legislation will be adopted before adjournment of the present session of Congress.

Mr. JACKSON. The National Fisheries Institute is in support of this measure and urges that it be enacted before the adjournment, if possible.

Mr. TOLLEFSON. We are happy to know what the thinking of the National Fisheries Institute is. We know your organization speaks for a lot of fishermen throughout the country and we are anxious to know what your views are.

Mr. JACKSON. Thank you.

We were honored in having the chairman present at our convention when this resolution was adopted.

Mr. TOLLEFSON. We will now hear from our colleague, Robert Wilson, of California.

STATEMENT OF HON. ROBERT C. WILSON, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA

Mr. WILSON. I was one of the 34 Congressmen that introduced the bill that was superseded by H. R. 9538 and H. R. 9584.

I am here not so much as a character witness for Dr. Chapman, but to tell you the people of San Diego are very much behind the American Tunaboat Association and the fine leadership that it has. It is one of our representative associations. It has conducted itself in international dealings with foreign countries in a commendable way and on a very high plane. It has taken a very commendable attitude toward the problems that the tuna industry is facing in relation to imports and in relation to our problems in dealing with territorial waters such as this bill deals with.

I am here more or less to lend my full support to Mr. Chapman's statement, and urge you to give favorable consideration to this bill.

I have a letter from the San Diego Chamber of Commerce which just arrived today and indicates their wholehearted support of this legislation. They have stated that they have sent you, Mr. Chairman, a full statement of support. I will appreciate it if you can make that statement from the San Diego Chamber of Commerce a part of the record.

Mr. TOLLEFSON. It will be placed in the record at this point. (The letter referred to is as follows:)

SAN DIEGO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE,

San Diego, Calif., June 28, 1954.

Re H. R. 9538.

Congressman THOR C. TOLLEFSON,

Chairman, House Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries,

House Office Building, Washington, D. C.

DEAR CONGRESSMAN TOLLEFSON: A large and extremely important portion of the economy of the San Diego area is vitally interested and, as a matter of fact, dependent upon the fishing industry.

We have been heartened by the introduction of H. R. 9538 by Representative Thompson of Texas, authorizing the State Department to take action to insure the freedom of the seas to our ships and citizens.

We are fully aware of the pressing problems which are confronting you in these closing days of the Congress, but we sincerely trust that you will allow nothing to impede progress of this proposal which strikes at a type of piracy, and puts the strength of this Nation behind its flag.

Yours very sincerely,

ARNOLD KLAUS,
Assistant Manager.

Mr. WILSON. The San Diego area is very vitally interested in legislation to improve the plight of the tuna industry. It is a $65 million industry in our area. It also, of course, has the shipbuilding and repair business with an annual volume of some $15 million, so it is of vital concern to us, and your favorable consideration will be very much appreciated by my constituents, I can assure you.

Mr. TOLLEFSON. We thank you for your support of the measure. I appreciate your patience in allowing the out-of-town people to come forward first.

Is there anyone else who wishes to be heard in connection with this bill? If not, the committee will go into executive session.

(Whereupon, at 3 p. m., the committee went into executive session.)

APPENDIX

Communications have been received from the following in support of the general objectives of the bill:

T. G. Armstrong, manager, San Diego Harbor Association, 548 Spreckels Building, San Diego, Calif.

R. H. Beaton, executive vice president and general manager, California Fish Canners Association, Inc., Terminal Island, Calif.

Anderson Borthwick, president, The First National Trust and Savings Bank, San Diego, Calif.

J. D. Bride, vice president, The Fish Net and Twine Co., 310 Bergen Avenue, Jersey City, N. J.

S. M. Brummel, secretary-manager, Commercial Fishermen's Inter-Insurance Exchange, 411 West Seventh Street, San Pedro, Calif.

Lester C. Bush, manager, Putnam County Chamber of Commerce, Chamber of Comerce Building. 208 North Second Street, Palatka, Fla.

F. Buono, general manager, San Diego Fishermen's Association, Inc., 410 Harbor Lane, San Diego, Calif.

John Calise, secretary, Seine and Line Fishermen's Union, 261 West Seventh Street, San Pedro, Calif.

George E. Campbell, Campbell Machine Co., Box 1870, San Diego, Calif.

Mason Case, chairman, Pacific Coast Fish Producers Institute, Terminal Island, Calif.

John H. Clark, Producers Marine Service, Inc., Port Isabel, Tex.

Louis E. De Falco, president, De Falco's Market Co., Inc., 1666 Rosecrans Street, San Diego, Calif.

Arthur De Fever, Naval Architect and Marine Surveyor, 701 East Harbor Drive, San Diego, Calif.

Wm. P. Dougherty, The Neptune Twine & Cord Mills, Inc., Moodus, Conn. Jno. J. Faubion, Jr., president, The First State Bank, Port Lavaca, Tex.

R. C. Fessler, R. C. Fessler & Co., 1123 Westminster Avenue, Alhambra, Calif. Fisherman's Marine Co., 2025 East Belt Street, San Diego, Calif.

William C. Frisbey, president, Port Isabel Chamber of Commerce, Port Isabel, Tex.

Seth Gordon, director, Department of Fish and Game, State of California, 926 J Street, Sacramento 14, Calif.

A. A. Green, Apte Brokerage Co., 1785 Northwest Seventh Avenue, Miami 37, Fla.

R. Le Roy Grigg, Clarke & Leaman, 2 East Hamilton Street, Baltimore, Md. Philip W. Hallander, A. A. Hallander & Co., 139 Southeast Taylor Street, Portland 14, Oreg.

Robert R. Heiney, assistant to the secretary, National Canners Association, 1133 20th Street NW., Washington 6, D. C.

S. V. Johnston, S. V. Johnston Co., 202 South Pennsylvania Street, Indianapolis 4, Ind.

Nick P. Kuljis, manager, Fishermen's Marketing Association of Washington, Inc., Seattle 1, Wash.

G. T. Larson, president, Jones-Pratt Co., 1020 Fourth Avenue, Seattle 4, Wash. Walter L. Lefew, W. W. Lefew's Sons, 604 Hull Street, Richmond 3, Va. Earl Mansell, president, Tuna Clipper Engineers, 3911 Pacific Highway, San Diego 1, Calif.

G. E. Massey, Massey-Thompson, 1613 North Broadway, Oklahoma City 3, Okla. E. L. Menges, E. L. Menges Brokerage Co., 1906 North Jefferson Avenue, Peoria, Ill.

E. L. Morris, executive director, Tuna Research Foundation, 19 Pine Avenue, Long Beach 2, Calif.

J. V. Nigro, vice president, Southern California Fishermen's Association, Inc., 418 Harbor Lane, San Diego 1, Calif.

J. E. O'Brien, vice president, First National Bank, Brownsville, Tex.
James T. Shreve, Shreve & Hays, San Diego 1, Calif.

Mrs. Lee A. Smith, Seaside Inn, Port Isabel, Tex.

William C. Triplett, Padre Island Fisheries, 1038 Ralston, Corpus Christi, Tex. Franklin M. Vess, Franklin M. Vess Co., 108 Second Avenue, Nashville, Tenn. Lindon F. Warren, Hope Fish Netting Mills, Inc., Hope, R. I.

James Waugh, president, Cannery Workers Union of the Pacific, 450 Seaside Avenue, Terminal Island, Calif.

Ward C. Willett, C. F. Ricketts Co., Box 186, Edgewood Station, Providence 5, R. I.

Tony Zarkos, president, Five Star Fish & Cold Storage, Inc., Broadway Pier Building, San Diego, Calif.

W. W. Zimmerman, president, Marine Mart, Inc., Port Isabel, Tex.

STATEMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE JACK WESTLAND

Mr. Chairman and members of the House Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, because of the importance of the fisheries industry to the welfare of the United States every possible effort consistent with national policy should be taken to protect and thereby encourage all United States fishermen in their lawful operations on the high seas.

H. R. 9584 has been introduced to insure the protection of the rights of United States vessels and fishermen while operating upon the high seas or, under certain conditions, legally within the territorial waters of foreign countries.

I most respectfully urge that this proposed legislation be given the approval of your committee.

STATEMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE J. VAUGHAN GARY, THIRD CONGRESSIONAL

DISTRICT, VIRGINIA

In connection with these hearings on H. R. 9584, I should like to introduce a copy of the letter which I have received from Mr. Walter LeFew, a prominent businessman of my district, who is strongly in support of the measure. His letter follows:

"I thank you for yours of the 29th requesting that I set forth why I am in favor of the passage of H. R. 9538 and, my reason therefor is that the act is worthwhile both from the standpoint of affording United States fishermen proper protection on the high seas off the territorial waters of any foreign country and supports the present policy of the United States State Department which states the extent of territorial waters off of any country is a distance seaward of 3 miles from mean low tide.

"I am not familiar with H. R. 9584, but, if, as you state, this bill is identical to H. R. 9538, I naturally would support the former for the same reasons."

STATEMENT OF CONGRESSMAN CECIL R. KING OF CALIFORNIA

Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to appear before your committee in behalf of your bill, H. R. 9584, to protect the rights of vessels of the United States on the high seas and in territorial waters of foreign countries.

I have long felt that legislation of this kind was needed, and there is considerable interest in the bill's immediate enactment within my district, and I am pleased to submit herewith several letters indicating such interest from Mr. S. M. Brummel, secretary-manager, Commercial Fishermen's Inter-Insurance Exchange; Mr. R. H. Beaton, executive vice president and general manager, California Fish Canners Association, Inc.; Mr. John Calise, secretary, Seine and Line Fishermen's Union; and Mr. James Waugh, president, Cannery Workers Union of the Pacific, Los Angeles County Harbor District.