32 



operators that would have a lot of questions about how much they 

 really get out of these programs. 



Dr. Baker. Well, I think we are working our way toward trying 

 to have accepted regional plans for fishery management, and that 

 is what the fisheries management councils do. The implementation 

 of the plans that the council develops requires funds. That is one 

 of the places that we spend the money. 



Senator Lott. Jumping to one other area, on this bill that has 

 already been referred to, 1288, I believe, on the aquaculture re- 

 search. Catfish are very, very important now in the economy of my 

 State. And we had some problems with the legislation, but I under- 

 stand that some of those have been taken care of, and the Catfish 

 Farmers of America do endorse now this bill, 1288. 



According to the analysis we have here, one of the things it does 

 is provide additional disaster assistance for aquaculture producers. 

 Could you tell me just a little bit about what that entails? 



Dr. Baker. Let me just see if we have some additional informa- 

 tion. I do not have anything right here on that. We will have to 

 get back to you on that. We are currently finishing our study of the 

 Akaka bill and doing our comments on that. So, we will have to get 

 back to you on that. 



Senator LoTT. I would like to get your response for the record, 

 particularly on how you would get this additional disaster assist- 

 ance and how it would be available to the aquaculture industry. 



Dr. Baker. We will do that. 



[The information referred to follows:] 



I am unaware of the source of the analysis you referred to. NOAA does not have, 

 nor proposes to create, any aquaculture disaster assistance program. It is my under- 

 standing that members of the aquaculture industry have approached DOA with the 

 desire to make the current agriculture disaster assistance program available to their 

 industry. While I am not familiar with the mechanics of the agriculture disaster as- 

 sistance program, it suffices to state that NOAA supports DOA's willingness to ex- 

 tend this support to the aquaculture industry, particularly the marine aquaculture 

 industry. It is NOAA's desire to promote the development of the commercial marine 

 aquaculture industry and providing disaster assistance through DOA would support 

 this objective. We look forward to working with DOA in the development of a na- 

 tional aquaculture program which draws on existing resources, expertise, and pro- 

 grams within the Federal Government. 



Senator Lott. Thank you very much, Dr. Baker. 



Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 



Dr. Baker. Thank you. 



Senator Kerry. I think Senator Stevens has underscored a num- 

 ber of points we need to continue working on, and we will do that. 



If I could ask the second panel to come forward, and if it would 

 do so expeditiously. Folks, thank you for your patience and thanks 

 for being here. I would ask each of you if you would adhere to the 

 rules of giving a 5-minute summary. Your text will be placed in the 

 record in full. If you leave something out of your oral testimony, 

 there is a chance during the Q&A to really have a dialog and you 

 can extend your remarks then. But I would like to try to make the 

 presumption that the staff can read your prepared testimony and 

 there is no need to really read the whole thing to us. So, if you 

 would summarize, that would be terrific. Why do not we start with 

 Jan Dill and work across. 



