41 



Senator Kerry. Let me ask you a quick question. 



There is not a fisherman I have talked to who is not coming in 

 with less and less and less catch, declining stocks over years. The 

 science on Greorges Bank is pretty solid science. 



Ms. Erickson. I don't think so. I disagree with you there, Sen- 

 ator, that the science is correct. 



Senator Kerry. Why do you think more and more people fishing 

 with more and more effort are coming in with less and less fish? 



Ms. Erickson. I will agree with you that the fish are not there. 

 The reason they're not there I do not think we know. The Canadi- 

 ans have used it. Now their concept is that the fish is in inter- 

 national waters. That's the fight on the table right here today. 



Senator Kerry. You do not think the fact that more and more 

 fish are winding up in people's stomachs than in producing more 

 fish does not have something to do with the reason there is none 

 there? 



Ms. Erickson. We're catching less and less fish on Greorges. 

 That's what you're saying. More and more fish. It's a world econ- 

 omy. It's being imported from all over the world. 



Senator Kerry. I realize it is a finite resource, correct. There are 

 only so many fish out there. 



Ms. Erickson. It's a replenishable. 



Senator Kerry. It is only replenishable if there is a parent out 

 there with eggs. 



Ms. Erickson. Exactly. 



Senator Kerry. If the parent with eggs is in a fishing plant being 

 processed, there is not going to be any cnild; correct? 



Ms. Erickson. Correct. 



Senator Kerry. So, you know, when you look at the fact that sci- 

 entists have determined that there are about 100 million metric 

 tons of fish product coming out of the ocean today and that is all 

 the oceans can support, in fact, there has been an 18 million metric 

 ton decrease in the last 3 years in worldwide fisheries, now, are 

 you saying no, we can fish all we want? 



Ms. Erickson. I'm not saying we can fish all we want, but I don't 

 think it's just as simple as less fishermen more fish. 



Senator Kerry. You said it is not being overfished. 



Ms. Erickson. I'm saying that the definition of "overfishing" that 

 the council came up with was based on the science, the best sci- 

 entific evidence that their scientists would give them, which I do 

 not think was neither complete nor correct. There's habitat, there's 

 other — there's mackerel and other school fish that eat a tremen- 

 dous amount of the other species. There are lots of problems that 

 have not been factored in because it costs money and it takes re- 

 search, and everybody is looking for a quick answer and an easy 

 job. 



To be fair to the fishing people, we have to look into all these 

 things and do it on a comprehensive study, and we have to put 

 fishing people first. Dealers are very important, but they fish the 

 world. Fishermen can only go here, the Northeast fishermen. That 

 has to be looked at. 



I don't think the priority has been in position. 



Senator Kerry. So, are you against any reduction in the fishing 

 effort? 



