19 



under the general authorization to fish in order to verify incidental 

 lethal takes. 



The National Marine Fisheries Service has told us they spent 

 some $24 million in the last three years to realize only six to ten 

 percent observer coverage of Category I and Category II fishing 

 vessels. 



By requiring the Secretary to place some observers in each fish- 

 ery, valuable resources will undoubtedly be drawn away from fish- 

 eries interactions which may be significantly impacting a marine 

 mammal stock. By focusing on the remote likelihood of takes, the 

 protection of critical stocks will be undermined. 



During the winter months of the past two or three years, Maine's 

 $50 million salmon net pen industry has experienced losses from 

 seal predation that are estimated to be as high as $5 million each 

 year, about a 10 percent annual loss. These economic losses from 

 damaged, stressed and released fish are occurring even though all 

 available predator control technologies are being employed. This 

 situation represents a significant long-term impediment to the con- 

 tinued development of the marine finfish aquaculture industry in 

 the Northeast, in our view. 



We were involved in the negotiations on the Intentional Lethal 

 Taking of Pinnipeds. Unfortunately, a regulated permitting system 

 which allows for the continued intentional lethal taking of individ- 

 ual animals from robust seal populations, to protect gear and catch 

 in our industry failed. 



We are pleased to see that the Committee's draft bill recognizes 

 this problem. The pinniped Interaction Task Force, that you would 

 establish, however, does not give the specific authority to the Secre- 

 tary of Commerce to actually issue permits to take animals. This 

 proposal needs some work. 



We ask the Committee to consider the idea of regional task 

 forces for the Intentional Lethal Taking of Pinnepeds, just as you 

 have done for the Conservation Team approach. We think the re- 

 gional approach is going to be the most workable one. 



I will leave it there, Mr. Studds. I see the red light is on. I do 

 appreciate again the opportunity to be here with you. I look for- 

 ward to continuing to work with you and the Committee over the 

 next few weeks. 



Mr. Studds. Thank you very much. 



Ms. Young, I have been sitting contemplating your 

 phrase, "charismatic pinnipeds". At first I thought it must be a rock 

 group. But I said, no. Then the staff pointed out to me that prob- 

 ably what you really meant was charismatic pinnipedlets, the little 

 ones. Because the big ones eat their children and beat their wives. 

 That is not very charismatic. 



It is a good thing Mr. Young was not here. God knows what 

 would have happened to you with that reference. But it is fascinat- 

 ing. I have written it down. 



[The statement of Mr. Kaelin can be found at the end of the 

 hearing.] 



Mr. Studds. Dr. Foster, for years your agency has been placed in 

 the awkward position of trying to meet the mandates of this act 

 with inadequate funding. Mr. Gilman pointed out that there have 



