Convention for the Conservation of Salmon in the North Atlantic Area

 

Article 1

1. This Convention applies to the salmon stocks which migrate beyond
areas of fisheries jurisdiction of coastal States of the Atlantic Ocean north of 36ON latitude throughout their migratory range.

2. Nothing in this Convention shall affect the rights, claims or views of any Party with regard to the limits or extent of jurisdiction over fisheries, nor shall it prejudice the views or positions of any Party with respect to the law of the sea.

Article 2

1. Fishing of salmon is prohibited beyond areas of fisheries jurisdic-
tion of coastal States.

2. Within areas of fisheries jurisdiction of coastal States, fishing Of salmon is prohibited beyond 12 nautical miles from the baselines from
which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured, except in the following areas

(a) in the West Greenland Commission area, up to 40 nautical
from the baselines; and

(b) in the North-East Atlantic Commission area, within the area of
fisheries jurisdiction of the Faroe Islands.

3. The Parties shall invite the attention of any State not a party to
this Convention to any matter relating to the activities of the vessels of that State which appears to affect adversely the conservation, restoration, enhancement or rational management of salmon stocks subject to this Convention or the implementation of the Convention.

Article 3

1. There is hereby established an international organization that shall be known as the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization, hereinafter referred to as the “Organization.”

2. The objective of the Organization shall be to contribute through
consultation and co-operation to the conservation, restoration, enhancement and rational management of salmon stocks subject to this Convention, taking in account the best scientific evidence available to it.

3. The Organization shall consist of:

(a) a Council,

(b) three regional Commissions:
-a North American Commission,
-a West Greenland Commission and
-a North-East Atlantic Commission, and

(c) a Secretary.

4. The areas of the Commissions shall be as follows:

(a) North American Commission: maritime waters within areas of
fisheries jurisdiction of coastal States off the east coast of North America;

(b) West Greenland Commission: maritime waters within the area of
fisheries jurisdiction off the coast of West Greenland west of a line drawn along 44’W longitude south to 59’N latitude, thence due east to 42’W longtitude and thence due south; and

(c) North-East Atlantic Commission: maritime waters east of the line referred to in subparagraph (b).

5. The Organization shall have legal personality and shall enjoy in
the territories of the Parties and in its relations with other International Organizations such legal capacity as may be necessary to perform its functions and achieve its ends. The immunities and privileges which the Organization, its officers and staff and representatives of the Parties shall enjoy in the territory of a State shall be subject to agreement between the Organization and the State concerned.

6. The official languages of the Organization shall be English and
French.

7. The office of the Organization shall be at Edinburgh or at Such
other place as the Council may decide.

Article 4

1. The functions of the Council shall be:

(a) to provide a forum for the study, analysis and exchange of informa-
tion among the Parties on matters concerning the salmon stocks
subject to this Convention, and on the achievement of the objective
of the Convention;

(b) to provide a forum for consultation and co-operation on matters
concerning the salmon stocks in the North Atlantic Ocean beyond
Commission areas;

(c) to facilitate the co-ordination of the activities of the Commissions
and to co-ordinate the initiatives of the Parties under Article 2, paragraph 3;

(d) to establish working arrangements with the International Council
for the Exploration of the Sea and other appropriate fisheries and
scientific organizations;

(e) to make recommendations to the Parties, the International Council
for the Exploration of the Sea or other appropriate fisheries and
scientific organizations concerning the undertaking of scientific
research;

(f) to supervise and co-ordinate the administrative, financial and other internal affairs of the Organization, including the relations among its constituent bodies;

(g) to co-ordinate the external relations of the Organization; and

(h) to perform such other functions as are conferred on it by
Convention.

2. The Council shall have the authority to make recommendations to the Parties and the Commissions on matters concerning salmon stocks
subject to this Convention, including the Enforcement of laws and regulations, provided that no recommendation shall be made concerning the management of salmon harvests within the area of fisheries jurisdictional of a Party.

3. Notwithstanding paragraph 2, upon the specific request of a
Commission, the Council shall have the authority to make recommendations
to that Commission on regulatory measures which the Commission may propose to this Convention.

 

Article 5

1. Each Party shall be a member of the Council and may appoint to the Council not more than three representatives who may be accompanied at meetings by experts and advisers.

2. The Council shall elect a President and Vice-President who shall
serve for two years. They shall be eligible for re-election, provided that they do not serve for more than four years in succession in each office. The president and Vice-President shall not be representatives of the same Party.

3. The President of the Council shall be the principal representative of the Organization.

4. The President shall convene a regular annual meeting of the Council and the Commissions at a time and place determined by the Council.

5. Upon the request of a Party with the concurrence of another Party
the President shall call meetings of the Council other than annual meetings such time and place as the President may determine.

6. The Council shall submit to the Parties an Annual report of the
activities of the Organization.

Article 6

1. The Council shall adopt its rules of procedure.

2. Each member of the Council shall have one vote in its proceedings.

3. Except where otherwise provided, decisions of the Council shall be
taken by a three-quarters majority of the votes of the members present and an affirmative or negative vote. No vote shall be taken unless two of the members are present.

Article 7

1. The functions of the North American Commission with regard to its
shall be:

(a) to provide a forum for consultation and co-operation between the members:

(i) on matters related to minimizing catches in the area of fisheries jurisdiction of one member of salmon originating in the rivers of another Party, and
(ii) in cases where activities under-taken or proposed by one member
affect salmon originating in the rivers of the other member
because, for example, of biological interactions;

(b) to propose regulatory measures for salmon fisheries under the
jurisdiction of a member which harvest amounts of salmon significant to the other member in whose rivers that salmon originates, in order to minimize such harvests;

(c) to propose regulatory measures for salmon fisheries under the jurisdiction of a member which harvest amounts of salmon significant to another Party in whose rivers that salmon originates; and

(d) to make recommendations to the Council concerning the undertaking of scientific research.

2. Each member shall, with respect to its vessels and the area under
its fisheries jurisdiction, take the measures necessary to minimize by-catches of salmon originating in the rivers of the other member.

3. Fishing patterns in salmon fisheries in the North American Commission area shall not be altered in a manner which results in the initiation of fishing or increase in catches of salmon originating in the rivers of another Party, except with the consent of the latter.

 

Author: international

Mentioned in these Entries

Convention for the Conservation of Salmon in the North Atlantic Area 2, Convention for the Conservation of Salmon in the North Atlantic Area 3, Conventions: Chronological Index 1971-1990, Enforcement of laws, Flora and Fauna – Biodiversity conventions, International Organizations, Marine and Coastal conventions.