143 



For the years, 1971, the vear before the act was put into effect, it 

 was approximately 312,000; 1972, about 306.000; and 1973, T do not 

 have the exact figures. I believe it was around 175.000. I will stand 

 corrected bv what the record savs. 1874 — well, the fibres were around 

 97, 98. 1975, 134,000 and 1976,' the latest calculation was 104,000. 



Thank you very much. 



Mr. Leggett. The point is that we have not had a straight-line 

 decline. 



Mr. Hodges. That is absolutely correct. It has gone down. 



Mr. Leggett. Which is the bothersome problem of the Committee. 



Mr. Hodges. There are factors, Congressman, such as the change, 

 change in fishing conditions that do affect this decline, but again, if 

 you do look at the progress that has been made, I think the overall 

 progress that has been made has been quite substantial. 



We look forward to continuing the progress in the future. 



Mr. Leggett. Very good. 



Mr. Felardo? 



Mr. Felando. Yes. this sort of reminds me, Your Honor, of the 

 3-week session we had before the administrative law judge, with Mr. 

 Fensterwald and Mr. Butler. Because of the fact that the record 

 of these hearings have appeared in briefs and other arguments later 

 on, I just want to make clear for the purposes of this record that I 

 reject the argument made by Mr. Fensterwald that at least the 

 American Tunaboat Association, I believe this is true for the rest of 

 the industry, we did not promise that this problem would be solved 

 in 2 years. There was a statement made by Captain Medina before 

 one of the Committees, either on the Senate side or House side, in 

 1971. 



I would just like to clear the record, that we do reject this argu- 

 ment because I do not want someone to say that this argument was 

 made, this assertion was made, and by our silence we accept it. 



Mr. Leggett. Very good. 



Well, it is not up to the Congress to interpret its own laws. Maybe 

 that is well and good. 



Gentlemen, I think that is sufficient for now. It has been very 

 helpful, and, Ms. Forkan, you have got your hand up and I am 

 going to call on you now to present your case in chief on behalf of 

 the Human Society of the United States, and you are the Program. 

 Coordinator. You have testified before us a number of times. 



STATEMENT OF PATRICIA FORKAN, PROGRAM COORDINATOR, 

 HUMANE SOCIETY OF THE UNITED STATES 



Ms. Forkan. Thank you very much. 



Mr. Leggett. Ms. Forkan, you can proceed and present your case 

 and ask any questions you are going to ask. 



Ms. Forkan. Yes. 



I was going to object to this kind of correction of the record from 

 the floor, which did not occur when the other groups vrere testifying. 



Mr. Leggett. You are making a point of order, then ? 



Ms. Forkan. Yes. And I wrote down during the day things that 

 I disagreed with and I would have jumped up and clarified points 



