Lyndon B. Johnson photo

Statement by the President Upon Signing Bill Relating to fishing in U.S. Territorial Waters.

May 20, 1964

I HAVE today signed into law S. 1988, a bill which prohibits fishing by foreign vessels in the territorial waters of the United States. This law fills a long-standing need for legislation to prevent foreign fishing vessels, which in recent years have appeared off our coast in increasing numbers, from fishing in our territorial waters.

The new law will not establish any new rights to the Continental Shelf. But it will make possible the enforcement of whatever rights now exist or may be established. Since the waters over the Continental Shelf are high seas, efforts will be made to work out in advance with foreign countries procedures for enforcement there. In this connection, the United States has assured Japan that in such consultations with Japan full consideration will be given to Japan's long established king crab fishery.

Note: As enacted, S. 1988 is Public Law 88-308 (78 Stat. 194).

Lyndon B. Johnson, Statement by the President Upon Signing Bill Relating to fishing in U.S. Territorial Waters. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/239674

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