8 



We look to this hearing today to provide perhaps the answer to 

 this dilemma. 



Mr. Leggett. Thank you, Chairman Murphy. 



I might state additionally, that it is the opinion of the Chair that 

 the Marine Mammal Protection Act is still an extremely viable act, 

 and that the tuna industry is also an important economic entity, in the 

 United States, and I do not believe that these activities are exclusive. 



We are all disturbed that after 5 years of the Marine Mammal Pro- 

 tection Act we are still taking 100,000 porpoise, which are not utilized 

 for food, for any particular purpose, but it is destroyed, and we are 

 going to be searching for ways to effectively make the rubber meet 

 the road, and attempt, in some realistic fashion, to reach the objec- 

 tives that have been set forth in the Marine Mammal Act some years 

 ago. 



I am convinced, even after running this subcommittee for the past 

 few years, that these objectives are reasonably achieveable. 



So without further editorial from me, I think that at this point it 

 would be well to hear from Government witnesses. 



We are operating in a framework where the three branches of Gov- 

 ernment are somewhat interrelated, as has been indicated, and there 

 are certain inhibitions as to what can be stated, and we all recognize 

 that, but within the framework of what we can say and what we can 

 do at this point, we would hope that we would have the maximum 

 degree of candor and expression from the witnesses. 



We have the Deputy Administrator of the National Oceanic and 

 Atmospheric Administration, Mr. Pollock, and the Director of the 

 National Marine Fisheries Service, Mr. Schoning. 



You have all of your lawyers and staff and professional consultants 

 with you. You can have as many as you want approach the table, and 

 you can proceed to present your statement. 



Your statement will appear in the record as though fully given. 

 You can either deliver it, or emphasize portions, as you choose. 



Very nice to have you here, Mr. Pollock. 



STATEMENT OF H0WAED POLLOCK, DEPUTY ADMINISTRATOR, 

 NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION, 

 ACCOMPANIED BY ROBERT W. SCHONING, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL 

 MARINE FISHERIES; DAVID H. WALLACE, ASSOCIATE ADMIN- 

 ISTRATOR FOR MARINE RESOURCES; WINFRED H. MEIHB0HM, 

 ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, NATIONAL MARINE FISHERIES SERVICE; 

 WILLIAM C. BREWER, JR., GENERAL COUNSEL, N0AA; DR. 

 WILLIAM FOX, CHIEF, 0CEAN0GRAPHIC FISHERIES RESOURCE 

 DIVISION, SOUTHWEST FISHERIES CENTER, LA JOLLA, CALIF. 



Mr. Pollock. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. 



I have with me, on my right, Robert W. Schoning, who is the Direc- 

 tor of the National Marine Fisheries Service, and on my left, William 

 C. Brewer, Jr., who is the General Counsel for NOAA. 



I also have, right behind me, Winfred H. Meibohm, who is the 

 Associate Director for the National Marine Fisheries Service; and 



