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TESTIMONY OF ALVIN D. OSTERBACK 



BEFORE THE HOUSE SUBCOMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENT 



AND NATURAL RESOURCES REGARDING THE 



REAUTHORIZATION OF MARINE MAMMAL PROTECTION ACT 



APRIL 20,1993 



MR. CHAIRMAN, MY NAME IS ALVIN D. OSTERBACK AND I AM HERE 

 TODAY REPRESENTING THE ALEUTIANS EAST BOROUGH, ITS COMMUNITIES AND 

 THE FISHERMEN OF OUR REGION. 



FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW WHERE WE ARE, THE ALEUTIANS 

 EAST IS LOCATED IN THE FAR WEST PORTION OF THE ALASKA PENINSULA AND 

 THE EASTERN MOST ISLANDS OF THE ALEUTIANS. THE RESIDENTS ARE 

 PRIMARILY OF ALEUT DESCENT, WHO HAVE LIVED IN THE ALEUTIANS EAST 

 REGION FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS. WE HAVE MADE THE DIFFICULT 

 TRANSITION FROM A SUBSISTENCE TO A COMMERCIAL LIFESTYLE. OUR 

 FISHERMEN OPERATE A SMALL BOAT FLEET TO FISH FOR SALMON, COD, 

 HALIBUT, HERRING, CRAB AND ROCKFISH. OUR COMMUNITIES ARE SOLELY 

 DEPENDENT ON FISHING FOR EMPLOYMENT AND FISHING PROVIDES OUR TAX 

 BASE. WITHOUT THE ABILITY TO CONTINUE OUR COMMERCIAL FISHERIES, WE 

 WOULD BE FORCED BACK TO A SUBSISTENCE CULTURE WITH NO OPPORTUNITY 

 FOR OTHER EMPLOYMENT. SOME OF MY COMMUNITIES WOULD NOT SURVIVE, 

 AND WOULD JOIN THE LIST OF GHOST TOWNS THAT ALREADY DOT THE 

 SOUTHWEST ALASKAN COAST. 



OUR ECONOMIC SURVIVAL HAS REQUIRED THE ALEUTIANS EAST AND ITS 

 FISHERMEN TO BECOME ACTIVE PARTICIPANTS IN DISCUSSIONS OVER THE 

 MMPA, SPECIFICALLY, AUTHORIZATION FOR THE INCIDENTAL TAKE OF MARINE 

 MAMMALS IN COMMERCIAL FISHERIES. WE ARE AT RISK BECAUSE WE ARE 



