31 



TESTIMONY OF 



KATHARINE W. KIMBALL 



DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR OCEANS AND ATMOSPHERE 



NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION 



U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 



BEFORE THE 



SUBCOMMITTEE ON FISHERIES MANAGEMENT 



SUBCOMMITTEE ON MERCHANT MARINE 



SUBCOMMITTEE ON COAST GUARD AND NAVIGATION 



MERCHANT MARINE AND FISHERIES COMMITTEE 



U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 



OCTOBER 27, 1993 



Mr. Chairmen and Members of the Subcommittees: 

 I am Kate Kimball, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Oceans and 

 Atmosphere, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 

 (NOAA) , U.S. Department of Commerce. I appreciate this 

 opportunity to present the goals and accomplishments of the 

 Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force (Task Force) and NCAA's 

 efforts as co-chair to prevent the introduction and spread of 

 aquatic nuisances in U.S. waters. 



Aquatic nuisance species have the potential to threaten every 

 industry that uses water and therefore indirectly affect every 

 U.S. citizen. In response to the infestation of the world's 

 largest freshwater reservoir by zebra mussels, the Nonindigenous 

 Aquatic Nuisance Prevention and Control Act of 1990 (Act) was 

 passed. The Act was designed to mitigate the overall problem of 

 aquatic nuisance species and to achieve this end established an 

 interagency Task Force. The Task Force is co-chaired by NOAA and 

 the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and is composed of 



