26 



Senator Stevens. Well, does the administration support the 

 Fisheries Obligation Guarantee Program? I know there is no re- 

 quest for funding because of the lack of money this year, but is it 

 to be discontinued? 



Dr. Baker. Let me check here to see about our official position 

 on that. What is our position? We are not requesting funds, but 

 what is our position on that? 



Dr. Foster. We have been involved in some discussions in this 

 whole area, fishery assistance; we have been exploring possibilities 

 of using the FOG program in some way to — it would have to be 

 modified, but in some way to help the fishing community through 

 the tough times that are ahead. 



Right now, it really does not serve that purpose, because in order 

 to qualify for a guaranteed loan you have to be pretty well off. You 

 have to be doing well. But we are looking at it in that context. 



Senator Stevens. Well, you have to be doing pretty well to com- 

 pete with the Chileans and the Norwegians and the Russians, but 

 if you do not get the money, you are not going to be able to compete 

 with them long. 



I understand we have got a series of applications in now for peo- 

 ple to try and upgrade the total program to deal with this competi- 

 tion. I think — Mr. Hall, am I wrong? I thought we discussed this 

 and you said you were going to obligate that money. 



Mr. Hall. Yes, Senator, in 1993 we are going to obligate the full 

 $47 million. There are applications in the pipeline at this point, 

 and that will be done, and that is just an update that Andy might 

 not be aware of, but — 



Senator Stevens. I would hope we would do it. We are going to 

 be asked to put up some $3 billion to help the Russians with their 

 economy, and across the straits from me that means that those 

 fishermen are going to get grants from the United States, and my 

 fishermen are asking for loans. 



Mr. Hall. It is my understanding there are approximately nine 

 applications in the process now, and that we are moving expedi- 

 tiously on those applications. 



Senator Stevens. Thank you very much. 



I have some other questions. I understand — well, I thought we 

 were going to have a vote. 



Senator Lott. We were supposed to have a vote at 10:30 a.m. 



Senator Stevens. I will have some other questions later. I under- 

 stand there is another panel coming. 



Dr. Baker, again, my apologies for having to leave that last ses- 

 sion. I understand you had a very interesting discussion with the 

 chairman. I wish I could have stayed to participate with it, but I 

 do look forward to working with you, and I am particularly really 

 interested in this hybrid. 



Also, could I ask you just this: I do not think we have ever seen 

 a report, a full report from your people on the effect of the 

 bioremediation programs we used and the other programs we used 

 in the Prince William Sound after the Valdez disaster to see how 

 effective they were from a scientific point of view. Let us just forget 

 about the cause of the accident and everything, but how effective 

 were some of these? 



