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STATEMENT OF 



DR. JAMES BROOKS 



DEPUTY REGIONAL DIRECTOR, ALASKA REGION 



NATIONAL MARINE FISHERIES SERVICE 



NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION 



U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 



BEFORE THE 



SUBCOMMITTEE ON PUBLIC LANDS, NATIONAL PARKS AND FORESTS 

 COMMITTEE ON ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES 



UNITED STATES SENATE 



February 26, 1990 



Mr. Chairman and Members of the Subcommittee: 



I am Dr. James W. Brooks, Deputy Director of the Alaska Region of 

 the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) , National Oceanic 

 and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) . I appreciate the 

 opportunity to appear before this Subcommittee on behalf of the 

 Department of Commerce to discuss the provisions of H.R. 987 

 relating to fisheries protection and buffer zones. 



The Department of Commerce/NOAA has primary Federal 

 responsibility for the conservation, management, and development 

 of marine living resources and shares Federal responsibility for 

 the conservation and management of anadromous fish and the 

 protection of certain marine mammals and endangered species under 

 numerous Federal laws. For this reason, the Department is 

 vitally concerned about the habitats that support these resources 

 since the well-being of these resources and the fishing industry 

 depends upon healthy and productive habitats. 



