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Pacific Salmon Treaty. On July 18, 1997, U.S. officials admitted that southeast AK fishermen had incidently caught a substantial number of sockeye salmon when fishing for pink salmon, despite a limit of 120,000 sockeye, but stated that they believe the United States is not in violation of the Treaty. Canadian officials are concerned with the possibility that southeast AK fishermen could catch as many as 1 million sockeye caught by Aug. 1. On July 18, 1997, Canadian Foreign Minister Lloyd Axworthy sent a diplomatic letter to the United States, demanding that AK fishermen immediately stop intercepting Canadian sockeye salmon. On July 18, 1997, after dozens of BC fishing boats blocked the AK fish tender Polar Lady carrying 100 tons of salmon to a fish processing plant in Prince Rupert, BC, the tender returned to U.S. waters. On July 19, 1997, several hundred Canadian fishing boats surrounded the AK ferry Malaspina in Prince Rupert, BC, blocking its departure for Ketchikan, AK. The blockade continued through July 21, despite a July 20 court order from a Montreal judge that the fishing boats move and allow the ferry to depart; about 300 ferry passengers were stranded. U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright sent a diplomatic letter to Canada, protesting the ferry blockade; the Canadian fishermen demand that Canadian Fisheries Minister David Anderson intercede and resume Treaty negotiations. On July 20, 1997, a second ferry bound for Prince Rupert was diverted to Bellingham, WA. On July 20, 1997, four U.S. fishermen aboard two salmon gillnetters, the Lynde E and the Wanda Mae, were arrested and their boats and catch seized for allegedly fishing inside Canadian waters in the Juan de Fuca Strait near the mouth of the Jordan River off the southern tip of Vancouver Island; in addition, their gillnets reportedly were of a type that was illegal in Canada. On July 21, 1997, the captains of the two U.S. fishing vessels arrested were fined $4,000 each, with charges against their two deckhands stayed. Late on July 21, 1997 and after Canadian Fisheries Minister David Anderson assured fishermen that he would make a renewed effort to resolve the dispute, Canadian protesters allowed the AK ferry Malaspina to continue its journey north from Prince Rupert, BC. AK has suspended ferry service to Prince Rupert indefinitely, and AK's Attorney General is reported to have said that AK intends to sue BC fishermen and the Canadian government in Vancouver,BC, Federal Court for damages. On July 22, 1997, Prince Rupert's mayor sent a letter of apology to AK Governor Tony Knowles, including assurances that efforts are being made to compensate AK for losses. On July 23, 1997, Canadian and U.S. officials agreed to appoint special envoys to renew Pacific salmon negotiations; these envoys will maintain daily contact and report directly to Prime Minister Jean Chretien and President Bill Clinton. On July 23, 1997, U.S. and Canadian officials were reported to have held an hour-long meeting characterized as a "good discussion." On July 23, 1997, the U.S. Senate voted 81-19 to pass S.Res. 109, expressing the sense of Congress with respect to the AK ferry blockade in Prince Rupert, BC, and urging President Clinton to impose economic sanctions if other ferries are blocked. On July 23, 1997, WA officials announced that they were reopening the fishery for early Stuart sockeye for one day on July 24, after the Pacific Salmon Commission increased its estimate of the run size from 1.4 million fish to 1.8 million fish. Thus far the U.S. has harvested 121,000 fish while Canadians have harvested 322,000; U.S. managers agreed to Canada's revised request that 687,000 fish (rather than the earlier 500,000 fish) be allowed to escape for spawning. On July 24, 1997, AK managers did not reopen the southeast AK purse seine salmon fishery in Management District 4 to allow sockeye salmon bound for Canada's Nass River to pass. On July 25, 1997, White House announced that former EPA Administrator William Ruckelshaus had been appointed by President Clinton to serve as the U.S. special envoy. The Canadian government appointed Dr. David W. Strangway, President and Vice Chancellor of the Univ. of BC, as their special envoy. On July 28, 1997, AK Attorney General Bruce Botelho was tentatively scheduled to personally file AK's {$2.8 million} lawsuit against the Canadian government and BC fishermen for AK ferry blockade costs in Vancouver, BC, Federal Court. AK is seeking $2 million in damages. BC Premier Glen Clark assured BC fishermen that the Province will pay their legal expenses. On July 28, 1997, the Vancouver, BC, Federal Court Justice Barbara Reed granted AK a permanent injunction against further blockades of AK state ferries and approved the transport of AK commercial salmon through BC waters. On July 28, 1997, the U.S. House approved H.Con.Res. 124 by voice vote, condemning the blockade of the AK ferry by BC fishermen and calling on the Administration to protect U.S. interests. In late July 1997, the Union of National Defense Employees asked the BC Supreme Court for an injunction to block the closure of the Nanoose testing range, as threatened by BC Premier Glen Clark, claiming BC has no authority to cancel a federal lease. On July 29, 1997, Canadian Fisheries Minister David Anderson met in Washington, DC, with Pacific Northwest Senators and Commerce Secretary William Daley. On July 29, 1997, WA announced a 3-day fishery for early sockeye salmon bound for the Fraser River after the Pacific Salmon Commission increased the estimated run size from 351,000 fish to 500,000 fish. On July 29, 1997, the AK ferry Aurora, escorted by U.S. Coast Guard and Royal Canadian Mounted Police vessels, made an uneventful trip to Hyder/Stewart, BC. On July 30, 1997, WA Gov. Gary Locke announced that former WA wildlife chief Curt Smitch was being appointed as Gov. Locke's chief advisor on salmon and natural resource issues. In addition, Smitch was reported likely to be nominated to represent WA and OR on the Pacific Salmon Commission, replacing Bob Turner. On July 30, 1997, Canadian Fisheries Minister David Anderson met in Seattle with the governors of WA and AK. In a joint announcement on July 30, 1997, the governors of AK and WA and Canadian Fisheries Minister David Anderson announced that an expanded "Salmon Summit" would be convened in fall 1997, and that stakeholder discussions may resume in early fall 1997. Fisheries Minister Anderson also announced that Canada would schedule no directed fishery for coho salmon off Vancouver Island, reducing the harvest to 20% of the run, rather than the 60% harvested in 1996. On July 30, 1997, BC Premier Glen Clark urged Fisheries Minister David Anderson to adopt a "Canada First" plan developed by a joint federal-provincial working group, whereby Canadian fishermen would be encouraged to intercept Pacific salmon headed for U.S. waters. On Aug. 1, 1997, the AK Marine Highway System announced its revised August schedule, with additional sailings to and from Bellingham, WA, and deletion of ferry stops at Prince Rupert, BC. On Aug. 4, 1997, BC fishermen held a 6-hour protest gillnet fishery in defiance of Canadian Dept. of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) regulations for DFO's hesitance in scheduling an opportunity for BC gillnet fishermen to catch sockeye salmon migrating to the Skeena River. DFO is concerned that gillnet fishermen cannot be selective enough to protect intermingled and less abundant coho salmon and steelhead trout. On Aug. 4, 1997, U.S. Commerce Secretary William Daley delivered a speech to the Montreal Board of Trade, commenting that the AK ferry blockade may have changed attitudes sufficiently to cause progress in achieving a negotiated agreement. On Aug. 5, 1997, Canada's Defense Minister Art Eggleton announced that the Canadian federal government will not allow BC Premier Glen Clark to cancel a U.S. Navy lease for marine weapons testing at Nanoose Bay, BC. On Aug. 5, 1997, in Ottawa, U.S. Commerce Secretary William Daley said that his Aug. 4 remarks in Montreal had been "somewhat misinterpreted" and that the AK ferry blockade was an illegal act that did nothing to help resolve the salmon conflict. {In early August 1997, catch statistics for Fraser River sockeye salmon indicated that Canadian fishermen had taken 86% of the harvest compared to 14% for U.S. fishermen. On Aug. 11, 1997, Canada opened its "Canada First" fishery for Fraser River sockeye, seeking to harvest these fish to reduce their numbers before they migrate so as to become available to WA state fishermen. The Canada First fishery will continue through Aug. 13. On Aug. 11, about 300 seiners, 400 gillnetters, and 300 trollers harvested about C$8 million worth of salmon. On Aug. 13, 1997, the Canadian Auto Workers (CAW) union scheduled a protest march to the U.S. Consulate in Vancouver, BC, to demonstrate support for maintaining Canada's salmon and the jobs of CAW members in the fishery. {{On Aug. 22,}} 1997, AK lawyers sent letters to 70 companies that own fishing vessels involved in the AK ferry blockade, advising them that they would be subject to arrest and their vessels seized unless they posted a security deposit (bond) by Sept. 15, 1997. Another 20 vessel owners were to be served in person. On Sept. 18, 1997, the House Resources Subcommittee on Fisheries Conservation, Wildlife, and Oceans has tentatively scheduled an oversight hearing on U.S.-Canada Pacific Salmon Treaty negotiations.} [personal communication, Canadian Auto Workers press release, Assoc Press, Reuters, Dow Jones News, Wall Street Journal, United Press International] .

Bristol Bay Salmon Fishery. On July 18, 1997, AK governor Tony Knowles declared the Bristol Bay area an economic disaster due to the poor salmon harvest, providing for state aid. As of July 18, slightly less than 12 million sockeye salmon had been harvested. The estimated lost income totals more than $80 million, reflecting the poor catch and low salmon prices. In late July, 1997, fishermen were reported to have caught just 7.5% of the forecast harvest for the third worst harvest of the century for this fishery. {In early August 1997, AK governor Tony Knowles asked the U.S. Dept. of State to investigate concerns that Russian interception of U.S. salmon may be partially at fault for this year's low return of Bristol Bay sockeye salmon.} [Assoc Press] .

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