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JOINT RESOLUTION MEMORIALIZING THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES AND THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS TO REQUIRE EXPANSION OF FISH HATCHERY OPERATIONS
WE, your Memorialists, the Members of the One Hundred and Twenty-seventh Legislature of the State of Maine now assembled in the First Regular Session, most respectfully present and petition the President of the United States and the United States Congress as follows:
WHEREAS, the Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar, is a salmon found in the north Atlantic Ocean and in rivers that flow into the north Atlantic Ocean, and the fish has historically been an important economic asset to the State of Maine; and
WHEREAS,  the major rivers of the State once ran thick with salmon traveling upstream to spawn; and
WHEREAS,  salmon populations have been reduced to nearly undetectable numbers in most rivers in Maine; and
WHEREAS,  the Federal Government has designated the Atlantic salmon as an endangered species; and
WHEREAS,  the Federal Government spends millions of dollars annually to restore the species with no significant success; and
WHEREAS,  there are specific hatchery operations that can improve upon the current results; and
WHEREAS,  a significant number of salmon originating in Maine are being harvested in a commercial fishery off the west coast of Greenland; and
WHEREAS,  this fishery is a major obstacle to the restoration of salmon in Maine rivers; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED: That We, your Memorialists, on behalf of the people we represent, take this opportunity to respectfully request that the President and the United States Congress direct the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service to expand hatchery operations to rivers in Maine by partnering with the State and with the many non-government organizations that are focused on restoring Atlantic salmon to their historic natal rivers; and be it further;
RESOLVED: That We, your Memorialists, urge that additional resources be made available to the United States State Department that would assist its efforts through the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization convention to help with the curtailment or suspension of the wild Atlantic salmon fishery off the west coast of Greenland; and be it further
RESOLVED: That suitable copies of this resolution, duly authenticated by the Secretary of State, be transmitted to the Honorable Barack H. Obama, President of the United States, to the President of the United States Senate, to the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives and to each Member of the Maine Congressional Delegation.