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These prohibitions make little sense. I accordingly suggest 

 that Congress amend the MPPA to allow Alaska Natives to bring home 

 marine mammal products that they own or which they were given as 

 gifts, and to allow Natives from Greenland, Canada and Russia to 

 bring marine mammal products into this country for their own use in 

 this country, or for purposes of giving a gift or using them in a 

 cultural program. To protect against abuses of such an exception, 

 I further suggest that the amendment be limited to prohibit the 

 importation of marine mammal products by Native inhabitants of 

 Greenland, Canada or Russia for purposes of sale. 



To be perfectly frank with the Committee, I do not believe 

 that this limitation really is necessary. Natives in other 

 countries are as responsible in their management of marine mammal 

 species as Alaska Natives; and the making of handicrafts for sale 

 in the United States would be an important source of supplemental 

 income for Natives in Canada, Greenland, and Russia who also badly 

 need the money. However, I am sensitive to the fact that some in 

 this country might view allowing imports for sale in this country 

 as leading to wasteful take by non-Alaska Natives for purely 

 commercial purposes. While I believe that this is an inappropriate 

 and unfair assumption to make, I also know that the entire issue of 

 sale is a controversial one. I have accordingly limited the 

 request on imports so as to avoid unnecessary and undue 

 controversy, in the hope and expectation that the specific problems 

 facing Alaska Natives and their relatives in other countries can be 

 easily resolved. 



Thank you for this opportunity to testify. I will be happy to 

 answer any questions that the Committee may have. 



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