293 



With all of your computers over there and the availability of the 

 laws, have you had an opportunity to verify any of this informa- 

 tion? 



Mr. Gehringer. I am unaware of it. I am not sure whether the 

 appropriate people have had that exact information. 



Mr. Leggett. That is correct, that five ships took 45 percent? 



Mr. Jensen. Of the observed sample? 



Mr. Leggett. Of the observed sample. 



Mr. Gehringer. Not the total. 



Mr. Leggett. And five trips accounted for 45 percent of the mor- 

 tality of the observed sample, and how many trips were taken in ad- 

 dition to those five trips ? 



Mr. Gehringer. This is based on a total of 55 trips. 



Mr. Leggett. And this would be 55 ships presumptively, right? 



Mr. Gehringer. Correct. 



Mr. Leggett. So that one-tenth accounted for 45 percent of your 

 sample? 



Mr. Gehringer. Remember, sir, our sampling program is not de- 

 signed to specify a particular ship by name. It is to obtain a sample 

 which provides a cross section of what the fleet is doing. We have 

 not attempted to place observers on particular vessels on any other 

 selection basis. 



Mr. Leggett. All right. 



Mr. McCloskey. 



Mr. McCloskey. What is the GS level of an observer? 



Mr. Gehringer. GS-5 and GS-7. 



Mr. McCloskey. A GS-5 is paid how much? 



Mr. Gehringer. Roughly $9,000 to $10,000. 



Mr. McCloskey. What is the period of training necessary to make 

 that individual a competent observer capable of distinguishing the 

 number of porpoise in a set determining the number injured and 

 killed? 



Mr. Gehringer. The training period is 3 weeks, sir. 



Mr. McCloskey. Under the present law, are you entitled to charge 

 as part of the application fee for boats seeking licenses to fish on 

 porpoise the cost of the observer program? 



Mr. Blatt. Mr. McCloskey, we have looked into that, and at this 

 point in time under the existing legislation, we do not believe that 

 is possible. 



Mr. McCloskey. Now, wait a minute. 



Do you exact a fee from the applicant for a fishing license? 



Mr. Blatt. Yes, that is for administrative costs, yes. sir. 



Mr. McCloskey. Under your mandate to enforce the Marine Mam- 

 mal Protection Act, what is different about the cost of an observer 

 program from the other administrative costs? 



Mr. Blatt. Mr. McCloskey, there are several cases that we feel 

 limit the ability of the administration. To assess a fee to benefit the 

 entire program, there are some cases which say that the person re- 

 ceiving the license is the person who should pay an appropriate fee 

 based upon his benefit, and it is not for the entire program. That is a 

 public cost. 



