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Statement of Mark M. Singer, President, National Food Brokers 



Association 



Mr. Chairman and Members of the Committee, I am Mark M. Singer, Presi- 

 dent of the National Food Brokers Association (NFBA). NFBA is a national 

 non-profit trade association representing over 2400 food broker firms who serve 

 as the independent local sales agents for the majority of the nation's manu- 

 facturers of food, grocery, or related products, including canned tuna and sea- 

 food products. On the average each food broker represents 23 manufacturers, 

 providing an economical and efficient sales service to each. 



Food brokers are concerned that overly restrictive regulation of the United 

 States tuna fleet fishing for tuna in association with porpoise will affect the 

 supply of tuna to consumers. Over 50 percent of the U.S. domestically caught 

 yellowfin tuna is in association with porpoise. Tuna is a nutritious source of 

 protein for people. Tuna is recommended by physicians for patients in need 

 of certain special diets. American consumers use over 1.5 billion cans of tuna 

 annually, or a per capita consumption of 3.1 pounds. Food brokers believe 

 that it is vital to Americans that an adequate supply of this nutritious food 

 roduct continue to be provided. 



Food brokers and the tuna fishing industry recognize the need to minimize 

 the harm to porpoises when commercial tuna purse-seiners use porpoise with 

 yellowfin tuna as an aid in netting the tuna. 



The tuna fishing industry has made significant advances since enactment 

 by the Congress of the Marine Mammal Protection Act in 1972. Fishermen 

 need porpoises as guides to locate tuna. Fishermen have a vital interest in 

 maintaining porpoise populations. Efforts initiated or further advanced have 

 included : 



1. Improving nets with Medina Panels and fine mesh aprons to aid porpoise 

 rescue ; 



2. Using crew members in the nets to assist porpoises in escaping from the 

 nets; 



3. Reversing boats, "backing down" so porpoises are released as the corkline 

 sinks below the ocean surface ; 



4. Establishing workshops and training sessions for tuna boat skippers. 

 Better fishing procedures undertaken by the U.S. Tuna fishing industry in 



conjunction with the National Marine Fisheries Service to protect porpoises 

 where there is an association is estimated to have reduced the porpoise mor- 

 tality rate 75 percent since 1971. Approximately 99 percent of the porpoises 

 encircled by the U.S. tuna fishermen are released. Protecting porpoises is im- 

 portant to meet the requirements of the law, but to fishermen, who depend on 

 porpoises to aid in tuna fishing, the well-being of porpoises has the added 

 incentive of a continued livelihood. Improved fishing techniques resulting from 

 future research hopefully will continue to preserve porpoises, nutritious tuna 

 supplies for consumers, and a vital tuna fishing industry. 



Despite advances made by the U.S. tuna fishing fleet the fishermen have 

 become hamstrung by Court decisions of the Act and regulations that cripple 

 the fishermen engaging in tuna fishing. Congress must act to get the tuna 

 fishing industry at sea and fishing again. If no action is taken consumer sup- 

 plies will become disrupted. Creating more workable standards that will 

 continue to preserve porpoises and American tuna industry is necessary. 



The complexity of Court decisions and subsequent regulatory processes, have, 

 to say the least, created havoc in the tuna fishing industry. Conflicting reports 

 concerning quota and Court decisions have ultimately resulted in tuna boat 

 fishermen ceasing fishing and returning to port in February. For consumers 

 the effect is, as reports indicate, a sharply reduced 1977 tuna catch. 



Foreign fleets continue to fish unrestricted in association with porpoise while 

 the U.S. tuna fleet, having made the most advances to protect porpoises, is not 

 fishing because of regulatory restraints. If action is not taken soon, foreign 

 fleets will catch most of the Pacific tuna ouota. leaving the U.S. tuna fleet in 

 financial distress. Pornoises will be harmed more bv nermittiner foreign fleets 

 to fish unrestricted without tbe competition of the U.S. tuna fle?t. Estimates 

 of the kill rate of porpoises bv foreign vessels is approximately two and one- 

 half times the current U.S. rate. The key to the porpoise mortality problem 

 is a healthy United States tuna fleet. 



