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fishermen on the high seas from harassment. Rather it has offered to 

 compensate and, through compensatory type of legislation, it has 

 failed to come to grips with the problem. 



I am just as fearful about the handling of our offshore seabeds. We 

 may do the same thing through the United Nations. Certainly, the 

 debate in the House was very clear, as my colleague, Mr. Reinecke,. 

 knows full well as one of the authors of that legislation. The indica- 

 tion was we should cut off all aid to countries which illegally seize 

 our fishing boats. 



I do not think it can be said that the legislation proposed by the 

 committee met much favor, largely because it was not strong enough. 



Dr. Cain. If I may comment, personally speaking, I do not believe 

 the Department of the Interior is in a position or should be in a 

 position, to recommend gunboat protection of our fisheries in these 

 difficult situations or to urge upon the Department of State or AID or 

 any other Federal agency adjustment of other programs for these 

 purposes. I think these policy decisions lie in Congress, lie with the 

 President, lie with the State Department. I think they lie outside of 

 our field. That is my personal feeling. 



Mr. Pelly. You have jurisdiction over territories, properties, and 

 other vast holdings all over the world. Certainly, you are not going 

 to take the position that we should not defend our flag or our sover- 

 eignty. When a fishing vessel flies the flag of the United States, I 

 think it is entitled to the protection of our Government. It certainly 

 is not getting it now. 



Mr. Rogers. Mr. Keith. 



Mr. Keith. Is there any conservation legislation that you would 

 suggest to protect the taking of fish that might be trash fish because 

 they were too small for commercial use, but nevertheless, could be sold 

 as trash ? For example, fishermen may get fiounder in their nets only 

 2 or 3 inches long and, rather than be forced to throw them back, do 

 they not sell them as trash fish ? 



Dr. Cain. Are you referring to the use of certain kinds of fish for 

 production of fish meal, for example ? 



Mr. Keith. WTiatever they are used for, fishmeal or fish protein. 

 Conservation is becoming a big problem with our fish resources. 



Dr. Cain. Right. 



Mr. Keith. I think there is a tendency to go out and catch a lot of 

 fish regardless of size and shape and sell them for 2 or 3 cents a pound 

 or less, and sometimes this fish, if left to swim, would grow up to be 

 a flounder or hake or halibut. 



Dr. Cain. There is a Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Treaty Orga- 

 nization, 14 nation. 



Mr. Keith. I am aware of that. 



Dr. Cain. It deals with questions of mesh size in nets, for the pur- 

 pose of regulating the catch for conservation purposes, as you have 

 just described. 



Mr. Keith. We have domestic regulations with reference to the 

 size of flounder, for example. You have to throw them back if they 

 are too small. 



Mr. Pelly. The Halibut Commission certainly limits the size of 

 halibut the American fishermen can take. They have to throw back 

 any small halibut, do they not ? 



