3908

JOINT RESOLUTIONS

outside the 12 mile limit off the Atlantic Coast of
Maryland, Delaware, Virginia and New Jersey by officials
of the U.S. Coast Guard as well as by private citizens of
the area; and

WHEREAS, As recently as January 29, 1974, the U.S.
Coast Guard at Ocean City, Maryland, observed a fleet of
12 foreign fishing vessels just outside the 12 mile limit
and dispatched a 44 foot boat to the area, and at the
same time a helicopter was dispatched from the Cape May,
New Jersey Coast Guard Station; and

WHEREAS, Each of the aforesaid Coast Guard units
witnessed first hand the operations of 12 foreign fishing
vessels just outside the 12 mile limit; and

WHEREAS, The operations of these foreign fishing
fleets greatly diminish the supply of certain species of
fish along our coastline, and at the same time, endanger
the economy of our commercial watermen and the joy and
pleasure of our sport fishermen; and

WHEREAS, A number of other countries of the world
have extended their off—shore limits to 200 miles, where
some of the crew members of our United States fishing
vessels, not being aware of these off—shore territorial
limits have had their vessels seized by foreign countries
off the South American Coast; and

WHEREAS, Some of our Maryland Congressmen are making
efforts to bring to an end this deplorable situation;
now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, That
it petition the Congress of the United States to enact
the necessary legislation to extend the off—shore
territorial limits for foreign fishing vessels from 12
miles to 200 miles from our Atlantic Coastline; and be it
further

RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution be sent to
Honorable Gerald Ford, President of the United States,
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, D.C.; Honorable
Nelson Rockefeller, Vice President of the United States,
Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C.; Honorable Carl
Albert, Speaker of the House of Representatives,
Washington, D.C.; Honorable J. Glenn Beall, Jr., 326 Old
Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C.; Honorable
Charles McC. Mathias, 460 Old Senate Office Building,
Washington, D.C.; Honorable Gilbert Gude, 332 Cannon
House Office Building, Washington, D.C.; Honorable
Marjorie S. Holt, 1510 Longworth Building, Washington,
D.C.; Honorable Gladys N. Spellman, Longworth Building,
Washington, D.C.; Honorable Robert E. Bauman, 1039