Canada and the United States have long had a good working relationship when it comes to ocean harvest of migratory fish species, however, albacore tuna has recently caused some tension.
The treaty between Canada and the U.S. on Pacific Coast Albacore Tuna Vessels and Port Privileges was signed in 1981. This agreement was amended in 2002, and codified by law in April 2004. It allowed U.S. vessels to fish for albacore tuna in Canadian waters seaward of 12 miles from shore and gave 110 Canadian vessels the same the same freedom in U.S. waters. The treaty also allows Canadian and U.S. boats to use certain ports in the other's country to offload fish or obtain fuel and supplies. But, after 31-years under the old agreement, the U.S. government suspended the treaty this year, which could have a domino effect across the entire West Coast fishery.
“For many years, we were fishing up there and they were fishing down here and everything was fairly equal,” said Nancy Fitzpatrick, executive director of the Oregon Albacore Commission. “But weather and water conditions have changed and seven of the last 10 years, Canadian fishing boats have taken 80-percent of their catch in U.S. waters.
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