B-14 



As we read the internal program, the United States is 

 oDligated, in any international negotiations that relate to 

 tne conservation of marine mammals, to make every effort to 

 Duild into tne evolving international agreement principles 

 of the Marine Mammal Protection Act. And I feel that not 

 adequate attention has been given to that requirement in the 

 EIS." 



Many of you are familiar with the Marine Mammal Protec- 

 tion Act. It requires that marine mammals be managed on an 

 ecosystem basis, that population levels be maintained at an 

 optimum state or population level. 



I think that the U.S. delegation would have no choice 

 but to support this concept in the development of a U.S. 

 position, the presentation of a U.S. position. This might 

 well be translated in terms of, you know, what we might say 

 to the other negotiating nations — that we are interested 

 in maintaining all of the species in the Antarctic regime 

 at an optimum yield level. 



This is a rough similarity to optimum stable population 

 level but not identical. Certainly I think as far as marine 

 mammals are concerned, I think we're obligated to use the 

 optimum stable population concept prescribed by law. 



We will be submitting a detailed, written paper on the 

 EIS. We appreciate the opportunity to be here this after- 

 noon to discuss this. 



THE CHAIRMAN: Thank you. 



DR. SEGAR: Mr. Ambassador, I'm Doug Segar, represent- 

 ing Congressman Robert L. Leggett's office. 



For a point of information of the meeting, yesterday 

 Congressman Forsythe, who is the ranking minority member on 

 the Ad Hoc Select Committee, and Mr. Leggett, co-filed a 

 bill in the House of Representatives, which would set up 

 within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 

 a new polar fisheries conservation program. This would be 

 a comprehensive conservation program for all aspects of the 

 marine ecosystems — both the Antarctic and the Arctic polar 

 regional seas. 



The bill is a relatively modest one, but we bring to- 

 gether a number of programs that are eventually under the 

 auspices of NOAA and give them the relevant resources to 

 handle its programs. This is in response to the need that 

 we see for a greater focus in the overall ecosystem con- 

 servation needs of the two polar regions. 



THE CHAIRMAN: Thank you. 



