File No. 861.0145/9.

The American Chargé d’Affaires to the Secretary of State .

No. 641.]

Sir: With reference to this Embassy’s dispatch No. 592 of June 21 last, and to previous despatches on the subject of the law extending the area of Russian territorial waters to twelve marine miles from low-water mark along the Pacific coast of the Empire, I have the honor herewith to forward (with translation) Law No. 1066 of the “Collection of Laws and Dispositions of the Government,” establishing the regulations for sea-fishing in the Maritime Government-Generalship.

I have [etc.]

Post Wheeler.
[Inclosure.—Translation.]

Law establishing rules for sea-fishing.

No. 1066. Concerning the establishment of rules for sea-fishing industries in the Maritime Governor-Generalship.

A law approved by the Council of Empire and the Imperial Duma for establishing rules for sea-fishing industries in the Maritime Governor-Generalship:

I.
As change and supplement to the existing rules, to establish the attached rules for sea-fishing industries in the Maritime Governor-Generalship.
II.
The rules contained in Division 1 to be put into operation six months after notification of the same to the Imperial Japanese Government, in accordance with Article IX of the Fishing Convention between Russia and Japan, imperially ratified July 13, 1907.

The President of the Council of Empire,
M. Akimoff.

So be it.1

Countersigned: Imperial Secretary,
Makaroff.
[Page 1303]

Rules for sea-fishing industries in the Maritime Governor-Generalship.

[Extract of the portions of the text relating to extent of territorial waters.]

Division 1.—General Regulations.

1. Where the extent of the seashore radius is not defined by special international enactments or treaties, the present rules cover the coastal sea to a distance of three geographical miles (=12.02 marine miles=20.87 versts), counting from the line of the lowest ebb-tide, or from the extremity of the coastal standing ice.

The present rules do not cover the Amur estuary from a line connecting Cape Lazareff on the mainland to Cape Pogobi on the island of Saghalin, to a line connecting Cape Perovskiy on the mainland with the northern tributaries to the Baikal Gulf on the island of Saghalin.

2. The carrying on of sea-fishing industries is permitted (that is, the catching of fish and their preparation) on sites defined for this purpose, which constitute special governmental quit-rent locations, and also from trading-vessels.

The trading sites, consisting of a defined area, shall be leased either: (1) for the catching and preparation of fish, with the right of fishing in the waters adjacent to the shore over a surface of the width of one marine mile; or (2) only for the preparation of fish, without the right of fishing.

Outside the limits of one marine mile from the shore the fishing shall be carried on from vessels with an arrangement of special permits.

The Chief Manager of Land Works and Agriculture, in agreement with the Maritime Governor-General, has the right to declare, for a definite time, separate rayons of the coastal waters as closed altogether to fishing, or to separate phases of fishing (catching fish or their preparation), and also to establish periods when fishing is not allowed.

  1. “So be it” on the original is written in His Imperial Majesty’s own hand. (Note the Chargé d’Affaires.)
  2. June 11, 1913, new style.