	Introduction

On June 30, 1999, U.S. and Canadian officials signed a new comprehensive agreement to resolve long-standing disputes and to ensure implementation of the conservation and harvest-sharing principles of the 1985 Pacific Salmon Treaty (PST). The provisions in this agreement's Annex IV outline, in detail, the fishery regimes to be followed by Canada and the United States in cooperatively managing the five species of Pacific salmon. Most chapters of Annex IV expired at the end of 2008, and discussions began in 2005 on its renegotiation. This report provides historical background about the PST, discusses issues that created difficulties in the regime, summarizes the 1999 salmon accord, and outlines issues relevant to the renegotiation of Annex IV. The 1999 Agreement (1) established abundance-based fishing regimes for the Pacific salmon fisheries under the jurisdiction of the PST; (2) created two bilaterally managed regional restoration and enhancement endowment funds to promote cooperation, improve fishery management, and aid stock and habitat enhancement efforts; and (3) included provisions to enhance bilateral cooperation, improve the scientific basis for salmon management, and apply institutional changes to the Pacific Salmon Commission (PSC). On June 30, 1999, the United States and Canada formally signed the 1999 Agreement on Pacific Salmon. Decision-Making

The 1999 Agreement was reached within the framework of the Pacific Salmon Treaty Act of 1985 ( P.L. 7; 16 U.S.C. These regimes, which allow fishery harvest to vary from year to year, are designed to implement the conservation and harvest-sharing principles of the PST. Additionally under the agreement, two bilaterally managed regional restoration and enhancement endowment funds were established. Congressional appropriation of $140 million for the two Endowment Funds . Critics of U.S. Endangered Species Act. U.S. Concerns

Several complex issues challenged the PSC and the parties. The combined implementation of the 1985 PST and the 1999 Agreement continued to pose challenges. Several of these were considered in the renegotiation of the expiring Annex IV fisheries regimes. Most participants believed that the most difficult issue associated with the renegotiation concerned the fishery regime for Chinook salmon found in Chapter 3 of Annex IV. The problems arising from the status (e.g., U.S. endangered and threatened species listing) of certain runs of Chinook salmon in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and perhaps British Columbia posed particular challenges for the negotiators. An additional issue of concern to Canada was the increasing bycatch of Yukon River Chinook salmon by the U.S. pollock fishery in the Bering Sea concurrent with declining numbers of Chinook salmon migrating into Canada to spawn in Upper Yukon River tributaries.
The Pacific Salmon Treaty (PST) of 1985 requires the United States and Canada to develop periodic bilateral agreements to implement the PST's conservation and harvest-sharing principles. Beginning in 1993, long-standing disputes prevented such an agreement from being concluded. On June 30, 1999, after many years of heated diplomatic struggles, U.S. and Canadian officials reached a new comprehensive agreement. The 1999 Agreement (1) established abundance-based fishing regimes for the Pacific salmon fisheries under the jurisdiction of the PST; (2) created two bilaterally managed regional restoration and enhancement endowment funds to promote cooperation, improve fishery management, and aid stock and habitat enhancement efforts; and (3) included provisions to enhance bilateral cooperation, improve the scientific basis for salmon management, and apply institutional changes to the Pacific Salmon Commission (PSC). Annex IV to the 1999 Agreement outlines, in detail, the fishery regimes to be followed by Canada and the United States in cooperatively managing the six species of anadromous Pacific salmon and trout. Before it expired at the end of 2008, the terms of Annex IV were renegotiated.
The 1999 conservation and harvest-sharing agreement was of interest to Congress for several reasons. Most notably, a congressional appropriation of $140 million was required to establish the agreement's two regional restoration and enhancement endowment funds. Provisions of the 1999 Agreement were implemented thorough additional authorizing language and amendment of the Pacific Salmon Treaty Act (16 U.S.C. §§3631, et seq.). The 1999 Agreement under the PST regime has been implemented in accordance with existing U.S. laws pertaining to salmon conservation (e.g., Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act; Endangered Species Act). In addition, the agreement's implementation determines the quantity of fish available for commercial, recreational, and subsistence fisheries as well as Indian treaty allocations.
Many complex issues continue to challenge the PSC and the parties; several of these were addressed in the 2008 renegotiation of the Annex IV fisheries regimes. Some of the issues associated with the renegotiation included the fishery regime for Chinook salmon found in Chapter 3 of Annex IV. The problems arising from the status (e.g., U.S. endangered and threatened species listing) of certain runs of Chinook salmon in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and perhaps British Columbia posed particular challenges for the negotiators. Additional concerns arose from Canada over increasing bycatch of Chinook salmon by the U.S. pollock fishery in the Bering Sea, as many of these fish are bound for the Yukon River, including Canadian tributaries.
This report provides historical background about the PST, discusses issues that created difficulties in the regime, summarizes the 1999 accord, and analyzes issues considered during the renegotiation of Annex IV. The 111th Congress may conduct oversight of the renegotiated Agreement and its implications for U.S. salmon management.