175 



related to the problem know anything about that. The average citi- 

 zen doesn't have the input or the time or the necessary funds to go, 

 so after the regulation is promulgated, published, and many times 

 in effect, then they come to yours truly complaining. And then there 

 is nothing we can do except to come back and change the law. But 

 I have access to my area every other weekend throughout the year 

 on everything. And, therefore, as a conduit for input from them, my 

 time to do so would be before you publish and get into all the 

 formalities, not necessarily personally wanting to veto or to get in- 

 volved, but to better represent the people that are not involved and 

 do not have the opportunity when you go through the process of the 

 Federal Register. 



Dr. White. I agree that there is a certain obscurity to the Federal 

 Register, but we do send copies of our proposed regulations around. 

 We would be delighted to keep your office very closely informed on 

 those things so we can make sure that your constituents and you are 

 aware of the kinds of things we are proposing. 



Mr. de la Garza. Before you get them in the record, you don't do 



that. 



Sometimes they say, tomorrow you will publish in the record, and 

 you call at 8 in the evening. That does not help too much. Not you, 

 necessarily. 



But if we can strike a little compromise here with that legislation 

 on a — i g U ess with the committee, I certainly would appreciate any 

 advance information you can make available to me on proposed regu- 

 lations for proposed dissemination in an unofficial capacity before 

 you go public, if your rules and regulations would permit you to do 

 that. 



Dr. White. We would be delighted to sit down with you and see 

 what it is we can do to improve our communication with you. 



Mr. de la Garza. I would appreciate that. 



Mr. Leggett. Now, to get back a bit, assuming that there are 1.292 

 million eastern spinners as the current stock size with the others that 

 we mentioned, the living marine resources group projects that this 

 size group would produce a birth level of 167,000, a mortality natural 

 level of 116,000, giving a net rise of stocks of 51,000, less a requested 

 or recommended take by various agencies of 6,000, which would 

 give a total stock projected increase of 44,000. Is it your testimony 

 that in spite of this, assuming these are the facts we work with, con- 

 sidering the fact that they are in what we define as a depleted pos- 

 ture, you are unable to allow the projected take that was included in 

 one form of your regulations earlier, Dr. White ? 



Dr. White. Well, I am not quite sure that I know what you are 

 referring 1 to. Our decision was made on the material in the record and 

 the proposals in the record. 



Mr. Leggett. Do you agree with any of the statistics that I have 

 just talked about ? 



Dr. White. I would have to look at them. I just cannot assimilate 

 them that quickly. We would be delighted to look at them. 



I have made available a chart which might be convenient to the 

 committee to look at which has the proposals of the various groups 

 in these hearings. It is a long chart. 



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