SEA GRANT COLLEGES 129 



Mr. HoRTOX. Yes, indeed. A quick tour along our shoreline will 

 quickly show what has been happening to much of that very im- 

 portant natural area. There are people who are very eager to de- 

 velop their waterfront property, either for commercial or private en- 

 terprise. There are districts that can never be restored. 



Senator Pell. Well, I am turning this thing over in my mind as 

 to whether or not I will cosponsor the bill. 



Mr. HoRTON. I certainly would endorse it, Senator. I advise you 

 to. 



Senator Pell. I understand. I will follow your advice and will 

 support it. Thank you very much for your testimony. 



Our next witness is a man of great practical experience and 

 commonsense and wisdom. Mr. Jacob J. Dykstra, president of the 

 Point Judith Fishermen's Cooperative Association, and in bringing 

 him here we are lucky because he has a distinguished record of 

 achievement in both the business aspect of fisheries and the practical 

 aspect as well. We could not have a finer representative. Mr. Dyk- 

 stra, you may proceed. 



STATEMENT OF JACOB J. DYKSTEA, PRESIDENT, POINT JUDITH 

 EISHEEMEN'S COOPERATIVE ASSOCIATION, POINT JUDITH, R.I. 



Mr. Dykstra. Thank you for holding these hearings here today. 

 I realize that this bill provides for increased understanding and 

 development of the sea in many areas other than fisheries. However, 

 since there will be many eminently qualified witnesses appearing 

 to present their views, I will confine myself principally to the rela- 

 tionship of fisheries to sea grant colleges. 



It has been reported with increasing frequency and by more and 

 more people that the U.S. fishing industry lacks vigor, its equipment 

 is old and obsolete, its fishermen old and tired, and that the situation 

 is steadily worsening, especially when viewed in relation to the fish- 

 eries of many other nations. There is some justification for this view, 

 and in my position I see many unhealthy conditions facing the fish- 

 eries. Let me mention a few : 



THE TECHNOLOGY 



We are fishing with vessels that are much older and less sophisti- 

 cated than those of our competitors. This is not because the newest 

 methods and equipment are not available to us. If our laws allowed 

 it, we could have the most modern trawlers built in a number of 

 countries. We also have excellent engineers and capable yards and 

 manufacturers here at home. Our problem is not lack of know-how 

 but lack of application to fisheries. 



THE MARKETS AND PRODUCTION 



The trawl fishermen of New England experience widely fluctuating 

 prices for the fish they catch and often when even traditionally de- 

 sirable species are most available, the ex-vessel price is so low that 

 effort is curtailed or diverted to less available but currently more 

 marketable species. 



