MARINE MAMMAL PROTECTION AUTHORIZATION 



TUESDAY, MARCH 15, 1977 



House of Representatives, 

 Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, 



Subcommittee on Fisheries and 

 Wildlife Conservation and the Environment, 



Washington, D.C. 



The subcommittee met, pursuant to notice, at 2:14 p.m., in room 

 2220, Longworth House Office Building, Hon. Robert L. Leggett, 

 chairman of the subcommittee, presiding. 



Mr. Leggett. The meeting of the Fisheries and Wildlife Con- 

 servation and the Environment will please come to order. 



On my left is one of my new subcommittee counsel, Mr. Rob 

 Thornton. 



This afternoon, the subcommittee will hold hearings on H.R. 4740, 

 a bill Congressman Forsythe joined me in introducing, which would 

 authorize appropriations for fiscal year 1978 to carry out the Marine 

 Mammal Protection Act. 



As I am sure all of you are aware, the Marine Mammal Protection 

 Act was enacted in 1972 in order to insure the protection and con- 

 servation of marine mammals. The act gives the Secretary of Com- 

 merce the responsibility to implement the act with respect to whales, 

 dolphins, porpoises, and seals. 



The Secretary of the Interior is given the responsibility with 

 respect to polar bears, walruses, sea otters, manatees, and dugongs. 



In addition, the act provided for the establishment of a three- 

 member Marine Mammal Commission, which is charged with the 

 responsibility for monitoring the implementation of the act and 

 conducting a review of the condition of the stocks of marine mam- 

 mals and of the methods for their protection and conservation. 



This act and the regulations promulgated under the act have 

 generated a considerable amount of controversy and litigation. 

 Most of the controversy centers around the application of the act 

 to the fishing of tuna by setting on porpoise. 



This subcommittee has considered the issues involving the tuna- 

 porpoise problem at great length, holding 9 days of hearings on 

 the question since the beginning of 1975, two of which were held 

 this year. 



It is my desire that we not rehash the substance of the tuna- 

 porpoise problem at this time, but rather focus on the appropriate 

 levels of funding needed by the various agencies and the Marine 

 Mammal Commission to effectively carry out their responsibilities 

 under the act. 



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