34 



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Committrr on 



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£oom 1334, longtDortf) l^ouit ®f(ic( iluilbinii 



Maafjinaton, 3BC 20515-6230 



April 13, 1993 



BACKGROUND MEMORANDUM 



TO: Members, Subcommittee on Environment and Natural 

 Resources 



FROM: Subcommittee Staff 



SUBJECT: Hearing on the Reauthorization of the Marine Mammal 



Protection Act - Management Procedures for Interactions 

 Between Marine Mammals and Commercial Fisheries 



On Tuesday, April 20, the Subcommittee on Environment and Natural 

 Resources will conduct a hearing on the reauthorization of the 

 Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) . The hearing will begin at 

 10:00 a.m. in room 1334 of the Longworth House Office Building. 

 Testifying are representatives from the National Ocean and 

 Atmospheric Administration, Marine Mammal Commission, 

 environmental groups, the commercial fishing industry, and the 

 scientific community. 



The purpose of the hearing is to review testimony on new proposed 

 management procedures for interactions between commercial 

 fisheries and marine mammals in U.S. waters, with a view toward 

 minimizing incidental takes of marine mammals while maintaining 

 the economic viability of U.S. fisheries. 



Background 



The MMPA was enacted in 1972 for the purpose of ensuring that 

 marine mammals are maintained at, or in some cases restored to, 

 healthy population levels. In passing the Act, Congress 

 responded to a growing concern about the decline of certain 

 species and recognized the important role that marine mammals 

 play in the ecosystem as well as their economic, recreational, 

 and esthetic value. 



THIS STATKWfir* MUNTtO OH ^A^« MADE 0^ HtCYCLED FIBERS 



