Foreign Relations of the United States, 1964–1968, Volume XIV, Soviet Union

209. Memorandum of Conversation¹

Washington, March 23, 1967.

SUBJECT

• Incident Involving Soviet Trawler

PARTICIPANTS

• His Excellency Anatoliy F. Dobrynin, Soviet Ambassador
• Under Secretary Eugene V. Rostow
• Mr. Walter J. Stoessel, Jr., Deputy Assistant Secretary for European Affairs

Mr. Rostow said he had asked the Ambassador to come in in order to stress to him the seriousness with which we regard the latest incident involving violation by a Soviet trawler of waters off Alaska, which we have restricted for fishing rights. Mr. Rostow noted that the trawler which has just been apprehended by the Coast Guard within the 9-mile contiguous zone² had been observed previously in December fishing within the 3-mile territorial water limit in the Shumagin Islands area. This had been protested at the time to the Soviet Embassy but now the same trawler was involved in another incident. Further, Mr. Rostow noted several reports from Alaska that Soviet fishing vessels are concealing their hull identification numbers and that Soviet trawlers recently have damaged thousands of dollars worth of crabpots.

Mr. Rostow said that the population in Alaska is aroused about the incidents involving Soviet trawlers and the Department is under a great deal of pressure from Alaskan officials as well as Congressional representatives to take a very strong stand on the incidents. Mr. Rostow mentioned that Senator Bartlett, who previously had approved the Administration’s restraint in handling the case of the Soviet trawler apprehended early in March,³ has now said that he favors the strictest application of the applicable penalties and the maximum fine against the trawler.

Mr. Rostow said that the Department is now considering its position in the matter and the nature of the advice it should give to the Justice Department. In this regard, it is most important that we have a clear understanding of the Soviet attitude toward these incidents and Soviet policy regarding them. It is one thing if the incidents which have taken place are isolated events resulting from an excess of zeal on the part of the captains of the fishing vessels. On the other hand, if it is a deliberate policy on the part of the Soviet fishing fleet to violate our regulations, this would obviously be much more serious. Mr. Rostow asked the Ambassador if the Soviet fishing fleets were under strict instructions to comply with US regulations.

The Ambassador said that he certainly assumed that the trawlers had instructions to observe the US regulations; however, he would verify this with Moscow and would inform Mr. Rostow as soon as possible.⁴

Mr. Rostow concluded by stressing again the seriousness with which we view these incidents. He said that the Soviet Union had been given ample advance warning of our intention to establish the restricted zones and that an extended grace period had been given before we undertook to enforce the regulation. It would indeed be regrettable if these incidents were allowed to become another irritant in US-Soviet relations and he hoped the matter could be resolved satisfactorily.

1. Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, POL 33–4 US–USSR. Limited Official Use. Drafted by Stoessel and approved in M on March 29. The memorandum is Part I of III.
2. On March 22 the trawler was observed by a U.S. Coast Guard aircraft fishing within the contiguous fishery zone at a point 5.5 miles from land near Seal Cape off Alaska. A Coast Guard cutter pursued the trawler into international waters and took it in tow. (State Department Activities Report, March 22; National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, S/S-I Files: Lot 74 D 164)
3. See Document 204.
4. On March 25 Alexander Zinchuk, Minister-Counselor at the Soviet Embassy, advised Rostow that masters of all Soviet fishing trawlers had been informed of new restrictions on foreign fishing in U.S. coastal waters and that Soviet masters who violated foreign fisheries laws were punished by Soviet law. A memorandum of their conversation is in the National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69 POL 33–4 US–USSR.