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The form and contents of the compact must be substantially as provided in this section, and the effect of its provisions shall be interpreted and administered in conformity with the provisions of this section: THE PACIFIC MARINE FISHERIES COMPACT
The contracting states agree as follows: Article I
The purposes of this compact are to promote the better use of fisheries, marine, shell, and anadromous, which are of mutual concern, and to develop a joint program of protection and prevention of physical waste of the fisheries in all of those areas of the Pacific Ocean and adjacent waters over which the compacting states jointly or separately have or acquire jurisdiction.
Nothing in this compact may be construed to authorize the compacting states to limit the production of fish or fish products, to establish or fix the prices of the fish or fish products or create and perpetuate a monopoly. Article II
This agreement becomes operative immediately as to those states executing it when two or more of the states of California, Oregon, and Washington execute it in the form that is in accordance with the laws of the executing state and the Congress has given its consent. Article III
Each state joining in this compact shall appoint, as determined by state statutes, one or more representatives to a commission constituted and designated in this compact as the Pacific Marine Fisheries Commission, of whom one shall be the administrative or other officer of the agency of the state charged with the conservation of the fisheries resources to which this compact pertains. This commission shall be invested with the powers and duties set out in this compact.
The term of each commissioner of the Pacific Marine Fisheries Commission is four years. A commissioner holds office until a successor is appointed and qualified, but the successor's term expires four years from the legal date of expiration of the term of the successor's predecessor. Vacancies occurring in the office of a commissioner from any reason or cause shall be filled for the unexpired term, or a commissioner may be removed from office, as provided by the statutes of the state concerned. Each commissioner may delegate in writing from time to time to a deputy the power to be present and participate including voting as a representative or substitute, at a meeting of or hearing by or other proceeding of the commission.
Voting powers under this compact are limited to one vote for each state regardless of the number of representatives. Article IV
The duty of the said commission is to make inquiry and ascertain from time to time the methods, practices, circumstances, and conditions which are disclosed for bringing about the conservation and the prevention of the depletion and physical waste of the fisheries, marine, shell, and anadromous, in all of those areas of the Pacific Ocean and adjacent waters over which the compacting states jointly or separately have or acquire jurisdiction. The commission may recommend the coordination of the exercise of the police powers of the several states within their respective jurisdictions and the conservation zones to promote the preservation of those fisheries and their protection against overfishing, waste, depletion, or any abuse whatsoever and to assure a continuing yield from the fisheries resources of the signatory parties to this compact.
To that end the commission shall draft and, after consultation with the advisory committee authorized by art. VII of this compact, recommend to the governors and legislative branches of the signatory states to this compact legislation dealing with the conservation of the marine, shell, and anadromous fisheries in all of those areas of the Pacific Ocean over which the compacting states jointly or separately have or acquire jurisdiction. The commission shall, more than one month before a regular meeting of the legislative branch in a signatory state, present to the governor of the state its recommendations relating to enactments by the legislative branch of that state in furthering the purposes of this compact.
The commission shall consult with and advise the pertinent administrative agencies in the signatory states with regard to problems connected with the fisheries and recommend the adoption of the regulations it considers advisable and which lie within the jurisdiction of the agencies.
The commission may recommend to the signatory states the stocking of the waters of such states with marine, shell, or anadromous fish and fish eggs or joint stocking by some or all of the states, and, when two or more of the states jointly stock waters, the commission shall act as the coordinating agency for the stocking. Article V
The commission shall elect from its number a chairman and a vice chairman and shall appoint and at its pleasure remove or discharge the officers and employees required to carry the provisions of this compact into effect and shall fix and determine their duties, qualifications, and compensation. The commission shall adopt rules for the conduct of its business. It may establish and maintain one or more offices for the transaction of its business and may meet at any time or place in the signatory states, but must meet at least once a year. Article VI
No action may be taken by the commission except by the affirmative vote of a majority of the number of compacting states represented at a meeting. No recommendation may be made by the commission in regard to a species of fish except by the vote of a majority of the compacting states which have an interest in the species. Article VII
The fisheries research agencies of the signatory states shall act in collaboration as the official research agency of the Pacific Marine Fisheries Commission.
An advisory committee to be representative of the commercial fishermen, commercial fishing industry, and other interests of each state which the commission deems advisable shall be established by the commission as soon as practicable to advise the commission upon the recommendations it desires to make. Article VIII
Nothing in this compact may be construed to limit the powers of a state or to repeal or prevent the enactment of legislation or the enforcement of a requirement by a state imposing additional conditions and restrictions to conserve its fisheries. Article IX
Continued absence of representation or of any representative on the commission from a signatory state shall be brought to the attention of the governor of the state. Article X
The states agree to make available annual funds for the support of the commission on the following basis:
Eighty percent (80%) of the annual budget shall be shared equally by those member states having as a boundary the Pacific Ocean; not less than five percent (5%) of the annual budget shall be contributed by any other member state; the balance of the annual budget shall be shared by those member states; having as a boundary the Pacific Ocean, in proportion to the primary market value of the products of their commercial fisheries on the basis of the latest five-year catch records.
The annual contribution of each member state shall be figured to the nearest one hundred dollars.
This amended article shall become effective upon its enactment by the States of Alaska, California, Idaho, Oregon and Washington and upon ratification by Congress by virtue of the authority vested in it under Article I, Section 10, of the Constitution of the United States. Article XI
This compact continues in force and remains binding upon each state until renounced by it. Renunciation of this compact must be preceded by sending six months' notice in writing of intention to withdraw from the compact to the other parties to the compact. Article XII
The states of Alaska or Hawaii or any state having rivers or streams tributary to the Pacific Ocean may become a contracting state by enactment of the Pacific Marine Fisheries Compact. Upon admission of a new state to the compact, the purposes of the compact and the duties of the commission extend to the development of joint programs for the conservation, protection, and prevention of physical waste of fisheries in which the contracting states are mutually concerned and to all waters of the newly admitted state necessary to develop the programs.
This article becomes effective upon its enactment by the states of California, Oregon, and Washington and upon ratification by Congress by virtue of the authority vested in it under Article I, Section 10, of the Constitution of the United States.
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Last modified 9/3/2005