30 



We cannot get access even to the fish and wildlife areas of south- 

 eastern Alaska to enhance rivers which are barren because the 

 salmon were destroyed by high seas fishing. We cannot get access 

 to the park areas to restore those runs. And I think there are simi- 

 lar situations in the Pacific Northwest that you are much more fa- 

 miliar with than I am. 



But the other nations of the world are looking to enhancement 

 and we are not. I think we ought to have a real task force working 

 on how to enhance natural fish runs. It would be much cheaper 

 than the aquaculture. We proved that in the Great Lakes, Doctor. 

 They had a whole series of hatcheries that they are going to put 

 in tnere. And we took the fortified eggs over there and put them 

 in the Great Lakes and it worked just fine. 



Dr. Baker. That is a good point. 



Senator Stevens. I would urge you to give us a chance to show 

 you the science we have developed in Alaska and let you utilize it 

 both in Canada and the Pacific Northwest. I made that offer before, 

 by the way. We offered to strip all of the Kings that are caught in 

 southeastern Alaska, put them in the hatchery until the eggs are 

 fortified, and transport down to put them in the Columbia. People 

 said, you Alaskans do not know what you are talking about. 



All I can tell you is that it works. We have restored innumerable 

 streams that are under our control. But we cannot get to the 

 streams that are under Federal control. And I think you are the 

 person that could do that for us. You are certainly the person to 

 convince Oregon and Washington to pursue some of the activities 

 that have been so successful in Alaska. 



I would hope that we can deal with a surplus rather than a 

 shortage offish. 



Dr. Baker. Senator, let me just say you have also been very suc- 

 cessful in Alaska in having the stock of Bowhead whales recover. 

 And I would like to thank you and Earl Com stock for the work that 

 was done for the International Whaling Commission, because we 

 were able to get an increased quota of Bowhead whales for the 

 Alaska Eskimos up around Point Barrow, in those 10 villages. And 

 that is because that stock has been carefully monitored and under- 

 stood and watched by the Alaskans. That is, I think, an important 

 success story for an endangered species. 



Senator Stevens. Thank you. 



This committee authorized the Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commis- 

 sion. You and your predecessors have worked with the Eskimo peo- 

 ple to understand the Bowhead whale issue. We established a 

 counting program and a taking program which was very restricted, 

 until the Bowhead was totally understood. But I think that shows, 

 as Senator Packwood said, the values of having people in the area 

 involved. That program is a great example of how to restore endan- 

 gered species. 



I think you can restore the Pacific Northwest salmon in the same 

 way if you had a commission in which the people of the area par- 

 ticipated with your agency people to select the means of enhance- 

 ment that would be most successful in the shortest period of time. 



I thank you for that. 



Senator Kerry. Let me interrupt, if I can here, because I know 

 Senator Lott has to leave and he has been waiting. 



