today's hearing, the first on this issue, but certainly not to be the 

 last. 



I would like to remind our witnesses that time is going to be ex- 

 tremely short. We're going to put their prepared statements into 

 the record in their entirety, but we are going to have to be draconi- 

 an in terms of enforcing the 5-minute rule today, and I would like 

 to ask all our witnesses at the outset if they have a watch or an 

 eggbeater with them or something like that, we'll make sure they 

 stay on time. 



Our first panel, the Honorable Hedy Rijken, State representa- 

 tive, and Bruce Andrews, the Oregon Department of Agriculture. If 

 you would come forward, we have a couple of formalities.. Ms. 

 Rijken and Mr. Andrews, we welcome you. It has been the practice 

 of this subcommittee to always swear the witnesses who come 

 before the subcommittee. Do either of you have any objection to 

 being sworn as a witness today? 



Ms. Rijken. No. 



Mr. Andrews. No. 



[Witnesses sworn.] 



Chairman Wyden. We welcome you both. Your prepared state- 

 ments will be made a part of the record. Ms. Rijken, it is always a 

 pleasure to see you and be able to work with you. Knowing of all of 

 the work that you have done on behalf of the coastal fishing indus- 

 try, it's great to have your input. Please proceed. 



TESTIMONY OF HON. HEDY L. RIJKEN, OREGON STATE 

 REPRESENTATIVE 



Ms. Rijken. Thank you. Chair Wyden and Congressman Ko- 

 petski. I would also like to welcome you to Newport and the Cen- 

 tral Oregon coast. We very much appreciate your time in coming 

 down and listening to the concerns of the citizens who are very 

 much involved in this situation. 



My name is Hedy Rijken, and I represent Oregon House District 

 4, which encompasses Lincoln County and parts of Tillamook and 

 Lane Counties. It also includes Newport where we are meeting this 

 morning. 



Before I begin my statement, I would like to say on behalf of 

 Senator Stan Bunn who is also representing this area on the 

 Senate side, that he has testimony which I have given to your staff. 

 He would personally very much like to apologize for not being able 

 to join us today. He is a member of the Pacific Fisheries Task 

 Force which is meeting over these 3 days, and they are discussing, 

 as a matter of fact, the whiting issue and several other fishing in- 

 dustry issues, and he again, apologizes for not being able to join us 

 this morning. 



Chairman Wyden. We will put Senator Bunn's statement into 

 the record at this point. 



[Mr. Bunn's statement may be found in the appendix.] 



Ms. Rijken. Thank you. 



As a coastal district, district 4 has felt first-hand the recent U.S. 

 Department of Commerce decision allocating this season's whiting 

 harvest. Over half of the entire Oregon trawler fleet that fishes for 

 Pacific whiting is based right here in Newport. This Newport fleet 



