44 



Senator Kerry. John Bullard has maybe some answer for you. 



Mr. Bullard. As I understand, Bobby, RolHe did take that infor- 

 mation and asked people to look. Is there a part of the grounds 

 that has a lot of young scallops that you can define, separate from 

 other parts of the grounds where there aren't young scallops? And 

 as they looked through it they could not find a definable area. They 

 found, as I understand it, that condition in a lot of places where 

 the amount of ground that you would have to cover would have 

 been all of the grounds. They didn't find pockets. In other words, 

 as I understand it, they found that condition everywhere. That's 

 why they decided not to close it. That's what I understand the deci- 

 sion was not to close it. 



Captain Bruno. Excuse me. That was not a pocket. We had 

 boats down there, John, that that was over a 100-mile area, from 

 20 to 40 fathom that was covered with scallops. 



Now, they did the same thing as we did in the southeast part, 

 same exact thing. It's all gone. It's all killed off down there. The 

 bottom is like a garbage pit. 



They didn't listen to us again. We told them specifically, "this is 

 the problem." They're not listening to us. 



Senator Kerry. Bobby, I appreciate that comment, and I know 

 it will go straight back to Rollie through John Bullard. And I in- 

 tend to try to meet with these guys maybe next week if possible, 

 and follow up on this and see how we can, you know, get a meeting 

 of the minds on it. 



Captain Bruno. I appreciate that. 



One other thing before I let loose here. 



You asked about the law enforcement. We're spending millions 

 and millions of dollars out there with the Coast Guard and the 

 Federal agents. They're patrolling the lines for the Canadians and 

 the Canadian interests. The Federal agency here previously before 

 the count went off, because this is how the council felt that the 

 count was going to do the job, so in a sense we have come and said 

 all that's needed is from industry, all that's needed is put a limit 

 to each boat. You give each boat 150 tags, 6,000 pounds, you put 

 each tag to a bag, and that's your limit. When you come in, you 

 don't have that amount of tags to that bag ratio, then you have a 

 problem then. 



But you have to, you have to put limits and you have to put days 

 layover. 



Senator Kerry. I appreciate that very very much. 



Captain Bruno. One more thing and I'll be out of your hair. 



I understand the House of Representatives has just passed 

 amendments to the Fishermen's Protective Act which provides com- 

 pensation to boat owners, crews whose vessels are illegally seized 

 by foreign government. And it is my understanding that the State 

 Department has not yet taken action on this bill yet. 



I'm just wondering if it is possible for the Senate, for your com- 

 mittee, to take up this measure. I am hopeful that perhaps some- 

 thing could be added or attached to this bill to help us out in our 

 current problems with the Canadian Government. 



Senator Kerry. Bobby, I was just checking with staff on the sta- 

 tus of it. We passed that in the Senate. But we have a slightly dif- 

 ferent version from the House, so they're now going into conference 



