16 



opportunity to testify, and I would be happy to answer any ques- 

 tions. 



[The prepared statement of Mr. Leape may be found at the end 

 of the hearing.] 



Mr. Studds. Thank you very much. Next is Ms. Sharon Young 

 speaking for the International Wildlife Coalition. Ms. Young, wel- 

 come. 



STATEMENT OF SHARON YOUNG, WILDLIFE CONSULTANT, 

 INTERNATIONAL WILDLIFE COALITION, NORTH FALMOUTH, 

 MASSACHUSETTS 



Ms. Young. Thank you. I am Sharon Young, a wildlife consult- 

 ant with the International Wildlife Coalition headquartered in Fal- 

 mouth, Massachusetts, and I am happy to be from your district, 

 Mr. Chairman. I appreciate the opportunity to testify today on 

 behalf of the International Wildlife Coalition, the Humane Society 

 of the United States, the Animal Protection Institute, the Earth 

 Island Ins:itute, and the Sierra Club with a combined worldwide 

 membersh-p of 2 3/4 million members. 



One of the primary goals of the Marine Mammal Protection Act 

 is to reduce marine mammal mortality to "an insignificant level 

 approaching zero." The zero mortality rate goal is fundamental 

 and must not be eroded. Without it, marine mammals cannot be 

 expected to recover to or remain at optimal sustainable popula- 

 tions. Poor enforcement of the MMPA in the past five years of the 

 Marine Mammal Exemption Program have left marine mammal 

 populations without sufficient protection from excessive kills by 

 the fishing industry. Our overriding concern is that reauthorization 

 of the MMPA must achieve verifiable and significant reductions in 

 marine mammal mortality. 



The past five years of data gathering have shown that the prob- 

 lems are greater than either Congress or the American public sus- 

 pected. Instead of taking immediate action, the National Marine 

 Fisheries Service has proposed a system which, by their own admis- 

 sion, will not even begin to address critical issues of caps on the 

 kills of marine mammals, the development of monitoring systems, 

 or enforcement measures for at least two more years. In the inter- 

 im, they have stated that they expect fisheries to voluntarily affect 

 reductions in mortality. Voluntary reductions in take have not oc- 

 curred during the past five years despite congressional mandate. In 

 fact, large numbers of marine mammals are intentionally killed in 

 many fisheries. 



There are serious omissions in the permitting process. Recre- 

 ational fishermen using gear types known to interact with marine 

 mammals are not required to register. Required registration would 

 subject them to the strictures of the Act. It would also add needed 

 funds to the NMFS program. Experimental fisheries using methods 

 known to kill marine mammals need monitoring until they can 

 prove that no interaction problem exists. 



NMFS currently estimates that combined human interactions 

 kill more than 100,000 marine mammals each year, and it has 

 placed more than half of marine mammal stocks in categories of 

 concern. During the interim exemption program, three more stocks 



