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fisheries, but rather it all came from abroad, and I don’t know how 
we are going to curb that. But in this term I have been particularly 
worried about leaving it where it is because of the inadequacies that 
you yourself spelled out in your testimony, the failure in the past to 
come up with a dynamic program which you have indicated you hoped 
can result either in the Department of the Interior or elsewhere. 
I remember one time when we had the then director of the Bureau of 
Commercial Fisheries, Mr. McKernan and he was testifying on a bill 
I think for fishery research, and the chairman of this subcommittee 
said “Doesn’t the authorization that is in that bill already exist in the 
sport and recreation legislation?” Which I think the chairman au- 
thored, and he said, “Yes, but we thought we would come in with an- 
other bill because this way we probably could get a little more money.” 
Tt was really pathetic because the Department has wanted to do a 
better job and just hasn’t had the money from Congress or the ability 
to sell Congress on a program for the necessary research. 
Mr. Trarn. I think that our budget within the Department in this 
area has been a substantial limiting factor in our capacity to develop 
the kind of dynamic fishery program that you want, and we want. 
We are trying in this area. We are trying in our 1971 budget planning 
and submissions. 
As you know, I am not at liberty to talk about those. All I can say 
is that we share this concern and within the Department certainly are 
doing everything we can to strengthen our domestic fisheries. 
Mr. Petxiy. Well, I would support the delay that you seek if I 
thought that only by that means we could achieve what I would like 
to see achieved for the commercial fishing interests of this country. In 
one respect I could tell you if some of my commercial fishermen had 
been on the Stratton Commission, what they would have said. “Start 
with a cabinet level secretary as head of any agency that is responsible 
for fisheries. That is what they want. They would want somebody that 
could stand up against the State Department, which has caused prob- 
ay by their support of certain policies much of the problem of the 
shery. 
In other words, they opposed any increase in tariffs and supported 
the free flow of foreign fish to be dumped onto our markets and they 
have supported foreign aid legislation to build up foreign fisheries 
and even today, of course, you have a man right now in Peru on 
fishery research, I believe, trying to help them develop their fishery. 
These are the problems I get from our State Department. 
No one has ever been able to really stand up for the fishing industry. 
I would like to see it in a new agency if it would be more effective in 
promoting the restoration of our fishery back from sixth pushing 
seventh place to first place, where it ought to be. I certainly am not 
satisfied with the program we have now. 
Mr. Tratn. We are not, either. 
Mr. Petiy. Well, let me mention this while I think of it, because 
you mentioned in your testimony that you had a map of the world’s 
seabeds which was prepared, I believe you said for the United Nations 
Seabed Committee. 
Well, I think some of us here are a little concerned for fear the 
management of the marine resources, as far as the seabeds are con- 
cerned, is going to be turned over to an international organization. 
