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Hilton Waikoloa Village 

 69-425 Waikoloa Beach Drive 

 Kamuela. HI 96743 

 (808)885-1234 



Testimony of Dolphin Quest 



before the 



House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee 



February 10, 1994 



Dolphin Quest, located at the Hilton Waikoloa Village on the Big 

 Island of Hawaii, is pleased to submit testimony on the 

 reauthorization of the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) . 

 We applaud the Committee for it's action on one of our Nation's 

 most important environmental protection laws. 



Dolphin Quest shares this Committee's view on the need to protect 

 the marine ecosystem, and is wholly committed to improving the 

 future well being of our marine environment through education, 

 conservation and research. Indeed, this Committee saw as 

 fundamental to protecting marine mammals and the marine ecosystem 

 the use of public display facilities to educate the public at 

 large on the need to preserve and protect our valuable marine 

 resources. 



The goals of public display facilities are concomitant with that 

 of Congress in enacting the MMPA. Among those goals are: 



8 To help ensure that there are opportunities for the public 

 to learn about marine mammals (including depleted, 

 endangered or threatened species) . 



£ To enhance public appreciation for and understanding of the 

 need for marine mammal conservation both in the United 

 States and worldwide. 



$ To contribute to an improved, scientific understanding of 

 the physiology, ecology and population dynamics of marine 

 mammals, including the facts which bear upon their ability 

 to reproduce themselves successfully and to survive amidst 

 the growing threats to their existence. 



1 To inform the public about the benefits of research, 



education and conservation programs of marine mammals, both 

 in public display facilities and in the wild. 



s To encourage the formulation, dissemination and continued 



development of professionally recognized and age-appropriate 

 education and conservation programs focusing on marine 

 mammals. 



