coastal migratory striped bass populations are no longer considered 

 to be on the decline. 



It should be noted that our views on the conservation of interjur- 

 isdictional coastal fisheries are based on years of experience in the 

 field. The Department, through the Fish and Wildlife Service, pres- 

 ently provides both technical and financial assistance to the Atlan- 

 tic Coast States and the Commission to support management of in- 

 terjurisdictional coastal fishery resources. For example, through 

 administration of the Sports Fish Restoration Account, the Service 

 provides Wallop-Breaux funds to the States and the Commission in 

 support of their efforts. 



The Fish and Wildlife Service is also directly involved with estu- 

 arine resource issues through a myriad of programs and activities. 

 Approximately 50 percent of the Service's fisheries activities are 

 related to coastal fisheries and their habitats. The Service has ex- 

 pertise in population modeling and stock assessment, fishery resto- 

 ration, habitat conservation and restoration, fish propagation, and 

 technology development. 



Approximately two-thirds of all Section 404 permits reviewed by 

 the Service pertain to coastal resource and habitat issues. Approxi- 

 mately 40 percent of the Service's national wildlife refuges are 

 coastal, including about 60 refuges along the Atlantic Coast that 

 total approximately 800,000 acres. The focus of the Service's Bay 

 and Estuary Program is to develop and implement ecosystem-based 

 policies and programs that protect and enhance coastal living re- 

 sources. 



Moreover, our Atlantic Coastal Regional Offices actively partici- 

 pate in implementation of Commission plans covering anadromous 

 fish (Atlantic sturgeon, striped bass, and American shad) and have 

 been involved in the restoration of American shad and river her- 

 ring populations. The Service also participates in the Chesapeake 

 Bay Striped Bass Restoration Program through production of 

 hatchery fish, coordination of a coast-wide tagging program, and 

 extensive study and assessment of the Albemarle Sound and Roa- 

 noke River striped bass stock. As I mentioned earlier, the ongoing 

 restoration of Atlantic Coast striped bass exemplifies the coopera- 

 tive efforts required to successfully manage interjurisdictional fish- 

 ery resources. 



Mr. Chairman, this concludes my testimony. I would be pleased 

 to respond to any questions you or other members of the Subcom- 

 mittee may have. 



[The prepared statement of Mr. Barry can be found at the end of 

 the hearing.] 



Mr. Studds. You have that part right. Thank you very much, 

 Don. I apologize to you and to Bill Coates. We have five minutes in 

 which to vote, and it is going to be about a 20-minute procedure 

 over there, maybe, if we are lucky. One should never do this par- 

 ticularly when the next witness is a constituent. This is very bad 

 form; I am very embarrassed. I will do my best to make it up to 

 you. Not only that, the next face you see here may either be that of 

 my own or that of the gentleman from North Carolina. We will 

 promise you one or the other. Maybe the gentleman from Califor- 

 nia; you never know. But in any event, we shall return as quickly 



