29 



Mr. Pollock. That is one possibility. 



Mr. Oberstar. Thank you very much. 



Mr. Leggett. Thank you, Mr. Pollock. 



I may say this again, whether or not 100,000 is an insignificant 

 number compared with 8 million, is not part of the current act. So we 

 do not need witnesses coming forward explaining that. That is just a 

 waste of the time of the committee. 



Thank you very much, gentlemen. 



Mr. Bonior. Mr. Chairman ? 



Mr. Leggett. Yes, Mr. Bonior. 



Mr. Bonior. One question that you may be able to answer. 



Has the Law of the Sea Conference addressed this problem at all, 

 the dolphin problem ? 



Mr. Pollock. It has not. 



Mr. Leggett. But the Inter- American Tropical Tuna Convention 

 has brought it up, has it not ? 



Mr. Pollock. Yes, indeed, but those are two quite different forums. 



Mr. Leggett. And no resolution has come forth from those forums? 



Mr. Bonior. Mr. Chairman? 



Mr. Leggett. Mr. Bonior. 



Mr. Bonior. If there is a resolution, what effect will it have on your 

 forthcoming regulations ? 



Mr. Pollock. Well, I am not sure how to answer that. Over a period 

 of some years we have been meeting with other nations in the Inter- 

 American Tropical Tuna Commission, trying to set limits on take r 

 allocations to different countries, types of gear, and so forth. 



Some of the countries off whose shores the tuna are taken, are not 

 members of the IATTC. What we are trying to do in the Law of the 

 Sea — and that is perhaps what you are referring to — in the regula- 

 tion of the highly migratory species, including tuna, to get a manda- 

 tory requirement for participation by the adjacent coastal states for 

 the' tuna, but we have not thus far succeeded in that. That is the 

 United States position. 



We will have further comments on that by Dr. Fox. 



Dr. Fox. The Inter- American Tropical Tuna Commission does have 

 a resolution concerning the porpoises. That was achieved by the 

 United States in the last meeting of the Inter-American Tropical 

 Tuna Commission last October. The Commission has a charge to 

 design a comprehensive research program. By the first of June, there 

 will be a special meeting of the Commission to consider implementa- 

 tion of the research program designed by the Tuna Commission. 



Mr. Leggett. That is very good news to hear. 



Let me ask you just one question before we dismiss you. 



Does NOAA believe the existing fishing circumstances which we 

 find ourself in are advantageous or disadvantageous to the continuity 

 of the Inter- American Tropical Tuna Commission ? 



Do you understand the question ? 



Mr. Pollock. I understand the question. I do not think there is a 

 direct connection. I was thinking instead it might not be directly 

 affected one way or the other, but I am not sure. 



Mr. Meibohm advises me that it might cause unduly heavy fishing 

 of yellowfin tuna, or small immature fish. 



