§ 4651. Authority
The Governor is hereby authorized and directed to execute a Compact on behalf of the
State of Vermont with the states of Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire
and with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service
legally joining therein the form substantially as set forth herein. (Added 1979, No. 89 (Adj. Sess.).)
§ 4652. Purposes—Article I
The purpose of this Compact is to promote the restoration of Anadromous Atlantic salmon,
hereinafter referred to as Atlantic salmon, in the Connecticut River basin by the
development of a joint interstate program for stocking, protection, management, research,
and regulation. It is the purpose of this Compact to restore Atlantic salmon to the
Connecticut River in numbers as near as possible to their historical abundance. (Added 1979, No. 89 (Adj. Sess.).)
§ 4653. Effective date—Article II
This agreement shall become operative immediately whenever all of the states of Vermont,
New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Connecticut have executed it in a form that is in
accordance with the laws of the executing state and the Congress has given its consent. (Added 1979, No. 89 (Adj. Sess.).)
§ 4654. Connecticut River Atlantic Salmon Commission—Article III
Each state joining herein shall appoint two representatives to a commission hereby
constituted and designated as the Connecticut River Atlantic Salmon Commission. One
shall be the executive officer of the administrative agency of such state charged
with the management of the fisheries resources to which this Compact pertains or his
or her designee. The second shall be a citizen who shall have a knowledge and interest
in Atlantic salmon to be appointed by the Governor for a term of three years. The
Director of the Northeast Region of the Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Department
of the Interior or his designee and the Director of the Northeast Region of the National
Marine Fisheries Service, U.S. Department of Commerce or his or her designee shall
be members of said Commission. The Commission shall be a body corporate with the
powers and duties set forth herein. (Added 1979, No. 89 (Adj. Sess.).)
§ 4655. Duties; regulatory and enforcement powers; licenses—Article IV
The duty of said Commission shall be to make inquiry and ascertain from time to time
such methods, practices, circumstances, and conditions as may be disclosed for bringing
about the restoration of Atlantic salmon in the Connecticut River and its tributaries.
To promote the restoration, preservation, and protection of Atlantic salmon in the
Connecticut River Basin, the Commission may draft and recommend to the governors of
the various signatory states legislation to accomplish this end. The Commission shall,
more than 60 days prior to any regular meeting of the Legislature of any signatory
state, present to the Governor of the state its recommendations relating to proposed
enactments to be made by the Legislature of the state in furthering the intents and
purposes of this Compact.
The Commission shall have the power to recommend to the states party hereto stocking
programs, management procedures, and research projects and when two or more states
party hereto shall jointly stock waters or undertake cooperative management or research
the Commission shall act as the coordinating agency. The Commission, using all available
means, shall encourage acquisition by the signatory states of river bank, river bed,
and access thereto.
The Commission shall consult with and advise the pertinent administrative agencies
in the signatory states with regard to other anadromous species and their potential
impact or the potential impact of sport fisheries and commercial fisheries for other
anadromous species on the restoration of Atlantic salmon to the Connecticut River
Basin.
In the interest of developing a sound program of Atlantic salmon management, the Commission
shall promulgate regulations governing Atlantic salmon fishing in the main stem of
the Connecticut River in all four signatory states as hereinafter provided. Such
regulations may: (1) establish the open and closed seasons for Atlantic salmon which
may vary by river section, (2) establish hours, days of period during the open season
when fishing for Atlantic salmon shall not be permitted in designated areas, (3) prescribe
the legal methods of taking Atlantic salmon including the type of gear such as gaffs,
landing nets or tailers which may be used to assist in landing such fish, (4) establish
the minimum legal length for Atlantic salmon, (5) establish the daily creel limit,
the season creel limit, and the possession limit for Atlantic salmon. The Commission
shall recommend, review, and issue comments on such regulations as may be promulgated
by the signatory states governing Atlantic salmon fishing in tributary streams. The
states of Connecticut and Massachusetts agree to make available for brood stock, from
fish taken in the fish passage facilities at the Rainbow Reservoir Dam and the Holyoke
Power Company Dam, such numbers of adult Atlantic salmon as the Commission deems necessary
to carry out the Atlantic Salmon Restoration Program.
The Commission shall have the power to issue a Connecticut River Basin Atlantic Salmon
License and the sale of such licenses shall be handled by the individual signatory
states or their authorized agents. The individual signatory states shall be accountable
to the Commission for all such licenses and the monies received therefrom. The initial
fee for such licenses shall be determined by majority vote of the Commission but shall
not exceed the maximum resident angling license fee of the signatory states except
that the Commission may upon a determination of need and with the unanimous approval
of its membership increase such license and issuing fee. The individual signatory
states or their issuing agent may retain a recording fee of up to fifty cents for
each license issued. Forms for such license shall be provided to the signatory states
by the Commission. Such license shall be a legal prerequisite for any person including
minors fishing for or possessing Atlantic salmon in the waters or on the shores of
the Connecticut River and all of its tributaries. In addition to said Connecticut
River Basin Atlantic Salmon License, all persons, except those specifically exempted
because of age, disability, or other limitations as determined by statute or regulations
of the individual signatory states shall be required to possess a valid resident or
nonresident sport fishing license issued by the state in which such person is fishing.
The Commission shall recognize that in certain waters or sections of waters a daily
rod permit may also be required, such daily rod permit to be issued by the state in
which such waters or sections of waters are located; however, the signatory states
shall not, by fee, distinguish between residents and nonresidents. The authority
to limit the number of persons fishing for Atlantic salmon in certain tributaries
or sections of certain tributaries shall remain the prerogative of the individual
signatory states.
The respective police agencies of the signatory states shall have the authority to
enforce all of the regulations and license requirements of the Commission any place
in the Connecticut River Basin.
The Commission shall have the authority to accept gifts, state grants, and federal
funds. The Commission shall have the authority to expend money from fees collected
for Connecticut River Basin Atlantic Salmon Licenses or from such other funds available
to the Commission to finance the cost of stocking, management, or research carried
on by signatory states to further the purposes of this Compact. Such funds shall
be in the form of direct grants to the agency of such state charged with the management
of the fisheries resources and may be up to 100 percent of the cost of projects approved
by a majority vote of the Commission. (Added 1979, No. 89 (Adj. Sess.).)
§ 4656. Officers; office; and reimbursement for travel—Article V
The Commission shall elect from its number a Chair and a Vice Chair and at its pleasure
may remove such officers. Said Commission shall adopt rules and regulations for the
conduct of its business. At such time as funds are available to the Commission, the
Commission may establish and maintain an office for the transaction of its business.
The Commission may meet at any time or place but must meet at least semiannually.
The Commission shall have the authority to expend money from available Commission
funds to reimburse its membership for necessary travel expenses. (Added 1979, No. 89 (Adj. Sess.).)
§ 4657. Employment and compensation of personnel—Article VI
At such time as funds are available, the Commission may employ and discharge at its
pleasure such personnel as may be required to carry out the provisions of this Compact
and shall fix and determine their duties, qualifications and compensation. (Added 1979, No. 89 (Adj. Sess.).)
§ 4658. Technical committee—Article VII
There shall be established a Technical Committee to consist of one fishery biologist
from each of the signatory states, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National
Marine Fisheries Service to act in an advisory capacity to the Commission. The Technical
Committee shall have the authority to request employees of the signatory states, the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service or others
who have special fields of expertise to act as special advisors to the Committee.
At such time as funds are available the Commission may reimburse Technical Committee
members and special advisors for necessary travel expenses. (Added 1979, No. 89 (Adj. Sess.).)
§ 4659. Majority vote—Article VIII
No action shall be taken by the Commission in regard to its general affairs except
by affirmative vote of a majority of members present at any meeting. No recommendation
or allotment of grant funds shall be made by the Commission except by the affirmative
vote of a majority of the members. (Added 1979, No. 89 (Adj. Sess.).)
§ 4660. Absence of representation—Article IX
Continued absence of representation or of any representative on the Commission from
any party hereto shall be brought to the attention of the governor thereof. (Added 1979, No. 89 (Adj. Sess.).)
§ 4661. Annual appropriation—Article X
The states signatory hereto agree to make an annual appropriation to the initial support
of the Commission in the amount of $1,000.00 from the Fish and Wildlife Fund for each
of the first three years that this Compact is in effect. (Added 1979, No. 89 (Adj. Sess.).)
§ 4662. Records; examination of accounts—Article XI
The Commission shall keep accurate accounts of all receipts and disbursements and
shall report to the governor and the legislature of each state party to this Compact
on or before the tenth day of January of each year, setting forth in detail the transactions
conducted by it during the 12 months preceding January first of that year. The Auditor
of Accounts of the State of Vermont is hereby authorized and empowered from time to
time to examine the accounts and books of the Commission, including its receipts,
disbursements, grants and such other items referring to its financial standing as
such Comptroller may deem proper and to report the results of such examination to
the governor of said state. (Added 1979, No. 89 (Adj. Sess.).)