34 



participants and I thank Mr. Pungowiyi, you touched my heart 

 with your testimony and hopefully we can take care of some of 

 these problems. Thank you and thank you, Mr. Chairman. 



Mr. Studds. Say to the gentleman we are all critters. Important 

 to remember. 



Mr. Cunningham. Only these Republicans, Mr. Chairman. 



Mr. Studds. I repeat. It may also reassure the gentleman that 

 it is our intention and the fashion of this Committee to try to re- 

 solve these matters by compromise and I am very hopeful that we 

 can. The gentleman from Maryland. 



Mr. Gilchrest. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would just like to 

 quickly make a comment to public displays, the Baltimore Aquar- 

 ium and other aquariums around the country. I am not familiar 

 with other aquariums around the country, but in my estimation 

 after visiting the aquarium in Baltimore, it is a beautiful research 

 facility that allows the people of this mid-Atlantic region to under- 

 stand the importance of conservation and where we fit in with 

 other life forms on this planet. So however this bill — however it 

 moves through this Committee, and however we shape and form it 

 and decide on the final draft, I would like to make a comment that 

 the facility in Baltimore, and I am sure there are other facilities 

 around the country, offer the average individual an opportunity to 

 understand the absolute essential importance of where we fit in 

 with the rest of the life on the planet. And so, Mr. Jenkins, I will 

 work very diligently with this Committee to ensure that your facil- 

 ity continues to do what it does. 



I would like to ask some other questions, mainly related to this 

 oosick. I didn't know what an oosick was — it looks like quite an 

 amazing thing. I am not sure how to pronounce everybody's name 

 but 



Mr. Cunningham. That is an assault oosick. 



Mr. Gilchrest. Well, it might be a semi-assault oosick. It is hard 

 to tell. There have been a lot of words exchanged here between dif- 

 ferent groups of people and agencies on the part of — it seems to me, 

 sitting here in an observation mode that just about everybody in 

 this room is talking about the same thing. Whether it is Fish and 

 Wildlife trying to preserve the number of walruses that carry these 

 oosicks or whether it is the indigenous proud people of the north- 

 ern regions of Alaska, Russia and Canada, trying to preserve their 

 dignity and integrity by pursuing a responsible lifestyle. 



And if we could understand that I am sure the gentleman from 

 Alaska would not want to see the walruses become endangered or 

 extinct, and that they have lived with walruses and polar bears 

 and other species for 10,000 years, so their relationship is firmly 

 set in tradition. 



I would hope that we can pass some fashion regulation that will 

 not create controversy between this government and the peoples of 

 Alaska, but create an opportunity so that we can see that there is 

 room for flexibility and room to work. 



I would like to ask, and I truly apologize Mr.? 



Mr. Pungowiyi. Pungowiyi. 



Mr. Gilchrest. Pungowiyi. Mr. Pungowiyi. Who buys these 

 things? When you catch a walrus and you are going to sell some- 

 thing like this, who would buy it and what is your difference of 



