26 



They have recently asked for a two to three time increase on their 

 fishery allocations, while we are going in the opposite direction and 

 requesting a 50 percent reduction. 



If we cannot as fishermen decide the course of our own fate, then 

 we must have those making the decisions for us help stay afloat 

 long enough to help us share in the rewards our suffering is meant 

 to bring about as the stocks rebuild. 



We knew all along not all of us would survive, but we did not 

 expect all of us would be allowed to perish, as if we ourselves are 

 an expendable resource. 



Thank you. 



[Mr. Kendall's statement may be found in the appendix.] 



Chairman Torkildsen. Thank you for your testimony. 



Mr. Ciulla, I will ask you to testify and Mr. Buccheri. 



Just to let everyone know, the bells ringing indicate that Con- 

 gressman Jackson and I will be called for a series of votes. We will 

 have to leave in about 7 minutes. By the time we return from those 

 votes, the full Committee will be meeting in this room. 



So if I could ask both of you to summarize your statements, and, 

 again, your full statement will appear in the record , then perhaps 

 leave a few minutes for a few questions. 



TESTIMONY OF LARRY CIULLA, STAR FISHERIES, 

 GLOUCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS 



Mr. Ciulla. I was going to say good morning, but it is more ap- 

 propriate to say good afternoon. 



Thank you for the opportunity to appear before you today to pro- 

 vide you with the perspective from a third-generation member of 

 a family that has been in the fishing industry for over 70 years. 



My name is Lawrence Ciulla, and I am President of two small 

 businesses in Gloucester, Star Fisheries, which was started by my 

 grandfather nearly 35 years ago, and the newly founded Gloucester 

 Display Auction, which is a Gloucester electronics display auction. 

 I hope that my examples will demonstrate to you the sudden and 

 immediate impact that Amendment 5 and now immediately 

 Amendment 7 on top of it had on the fishing industry, and the 

 problems that occurred in obtaining new financing due to Amend- 

 ment 7. 



In reaction to some of the Federal regulations, we have had to 

 move quickly and swiftly. We had to diversify to the best of our 

 ability, using the best financing we can, yet keep ourselves healthy 

 in a situation that is very scary for all small businesses in the in- 

 dustry. 



I would like to just use the Gloucester Display Auction as an ex- 

 ample, and, remember, I am using this only as an example. The 

 Gloucester Display Auction, the electronic display auction, was de- 

 rived to meet the concerns of the stocks that were falling off as far 

 as volumes go. 



What we were trying to do is get the boats a greater return for 

 their product. Since the products coming to the ports are in less 

 volume, we needed to get them a greater return price-wise. So, 

 what we try to do is to link them internationally to other markets 

 throughout the world, not just for the species they are out catching 



