395 



Wildlife who described some of the problems they had had. In 1908, 

 I believe a doctor, I think from Massachusetts, wrote a treatise that 

 is just as applicable today as it was then with reference to the culture 

 of oj^sters and I believe clams and quahogs. 



It is worth studying today because of the problems not only of pollu- 

 tion but of local politics. 



If you want to improve the plans for aquaculture, I think the State 

 level is the place to go and that would be a good source of information. 



Other countries, as you know, are doing much more than we. I think 

 Japan exports to this country tremendous amounts of shellfish. 



I was interested in what you have to say about the fishing vessels 

 and about fish protein concentrate. I basically share your feelings with 

 reference to the building of plants by the Government. Of course, you 

 get into the political position of who gets it and where it gets located. 

 Private industry in that case could not proceed and I begrudgingly 

 went along with the committee's recommendation that we fund a fish 

 protein concentrate plant. The Government had so handicapped the 

 industry that eventually the private sector had to be subsidized in 

 order to make it successful. 



You talk about the construction of modernized fishing vessels and 

 how the subsidy might be unnecessary if U.S.-operated fishing vessels 

 could be built in the lower cost shipyards abroad. 



We have a Fishing Vessel Subsidy Act which expires June 30. I 

 think it is a fact of political life that Congress is not going to repeal 

 in the foreseeable future the act that makes the building of fishing 

 vessels mandatory in this country. So, we have to deal with that reality. 



If you have any observations as to how that act might be improved 

 to make it easier for us to operate fishing vessels and how it would 

 relate perhaps to this report, I would be interested. 



Mr. Clark. Well, sir, I do not represent myself as an expert on the 

 fishing industry. There really isn't a fishing industry as such in Wall 

 Street. Most of the fishing operations have been done by independent 

 fishermen. The distribution, of course, is handled by divisions of many 

 of the large companies. So we do have some exposure there. 



I would say that the recommendations in the Commission's report 

 in this area are sound and we would support them. I think they did 

 make reference to certain improvements that could be made in this 

 subsidy, the Fishing Vessel Subsidy Act. 



So, if I could just refer to those as perhaps what should be considered 

 in the extension of the act. 



I appreciate very much what you say about living with the political 

 facts of life and that this suggestion about constructing vessels abroad 

 probably, you know, is — I hate to use the word — but is academic. I 

 thought that might be the reaction. 



Mr. Keith. It is a long way from Wall Street to this committee 

 occasionally. 



One final observation. 



You suggested that they could go ahead with NACO first. This was 

 discussed by the committee, and I think Dr. Stratton spoke to this sub- 

 ject in response to some observations that were made by Mr. Lennon 

 and myself, and so you may find that the hearings will be very helpful 

 to you in answering those observations that you made. 



Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 



