Message to the Senate Transmitting a Protocol To Amend the Interim Convention on Conservation of North Pacific Fur Seals.

To the Senate of the United States:

With a view to receiving the advice and consent of the Senate to ratification, I transmit herewith the Protocol amending the Interim Convention on Conservation of North Pacific Fur Seals, signed at Washington on February 9, 1957, which Protocol was signed at Washington on May 7, 1976, on behalf of the Governments of Canada, Japan, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, and the United States of America.

The provisions of the Protocol were initially formulated by the North Pacific Fur Seal Conference held at Washington from December 1 through December 12, 1975.

I transmit also for the information of the Senate, the report by the Department of State with respect to the Protocol.

This Protocol is significant because it permits the continuation in force, with minor modifications, of the only international agreement affording protection to the fur seals of the North Pacific. I recommend that the Senate give favorable consideration to this Protocol at an early date because all the States party to the Interim Convention must ratify the Protocol prior to October 14, 1976 to prevent the lapse of the Interim Convention.

GERALD R. FORD

The White House,

July 19, 1976.