Statement of Hon. H. James Saxton, a U.S. Representative from New Jersey, 

 and Ranking Minority Member, Subcommittee on Environment and Natural 

 Resources 



Well, Mr. Chairman, here we go again. 



Despite the high emotions which continue to surround the issue of incidental 

 interactions between marine mammals and commercial fishing operations, I hope I 

 can say we are closer today to implementing a permanent regime which will be mu- 

 tually supported. 



I also hope that in 5 years when we come back for reauthorization that this issue 

 will have been made moot. 



I don't think I am alone in expressing my frustration at the high profile this issue 

 continues to receive and my fear that it may be at the expense of directing our re- 

 sources and the public's attention away from solving the more insidious causes of 

 marine mammal population declines. 



Pollution, habitat destruction, predator-prey relationships, international influ- 

 ences, and natural cycles which we do not yet understand are cultural challenges 

 which have not received the attention they deserve within the MMPA. 



As the Chairman said, the bill under consideration today is intended to generate 

 discussion and comment. It is a good faith effort to incorporate the many concerns 

 and more workable suggestions which have been submitted to this Committee — 

 some of which were submitted in only the last 2 months. It is our every intention to 

 meet the October 1 deadline. I hope our good intentions will be reciprocated by 

 those interests represented here today. 



I look forward to hearing the many comments and suggestions from the witnesses 

 and working to establish a final solution so we can begin to focus on the more com- 

 plicated factors plaguing our marine ecosystems and their resources. 



Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 



Mr. Studds. I think that was a personal plea. We don't want to 

 have to deal with this for the next decade. 



Without objection, the statement of the gentleman from Texas, 

 Mr. Fields, will be made a part of the record. 



[The statement of Mr. Fields follows:] 



Statement of Hon. Jack Fields, a U.S. Representative from Texas, and 

 Ranking Minority Member, Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries 



Mr. Chairman, I am pleased that you have scheduled this hearing on H.R. 2760, a 

 bill to reauthorize key provisions of the Marine Mammal Protection Act. 



In 1988, Congress enacted legislation establishing a 5-year interim exemption 

 from the Act's prohibition on the taking of marine mammals during commercial 

 fishing operations. Since this exemption expires on October 1, 1993, it is essential 

 that we move this bill in an expedited manner so that there are not major disrup- 

 tions to thousands of our nation's fishermen. 



Over the past 8 months, the commercial fishing industry and conservation groups 

 have been working to develop a scheme to manage the interaction of commercial 

 fishing activities with marine mammals. With the assistance of a professional facili- 

 tator, a number of these groups reached an agreement and their negotiated proposal 

 was submitted to Congress on June 10 of this year. 



The Marine Mammal Protection Act amendments of 1993, which I have cospon- 

 sored, incorporates many of the suggestions of the negotiated proposal including the 

 establishment of a scientific working group, regional conservation teams, incidental 

 take permits, and the establishment of a Pinniped Interaction Task Force. 



The intention of this bill is not to overburden an already overregulated industry, 

 but, rather, to use good science to reduce the mortality rate of marine mammals. 

 Furthermore, action must be taken to avoid having any of these mammals listed as 

 threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act. 



Additionally, it is important to note that this bill creates advisory panels to pro- 

 vide economic and scientific expertise to the Secretary of Commerce. This advice is 

 critical in order to make rational decisions based on science and sound wildlife man- 

 agement practices, rather than emotions and morality. 



Finally, commercial fishermen who do interact with marine mammal stocks that 

 are critical are not assigned an individual quota for allowable takes of those stocks. 

 Therefore, the industry has an incentive, to work together to reduce total takes of 

 marine mammals. 



