67 



the sustained yield include, but are not limited to, humane harvesting and 

 protection. ) " 



Section 101, Prohibitions, is satisfactory in its general thrust. However, it 

 seems that Section 103 should be included on line 20, page 3 as an exception. 

 Otherwise the issuance of permits becomes meaningless. 



Under Section 107, Exceptions, subsection (a)(2), page 12 needs to be re- 

 worded or deleted to insure that Alaskan Indians, Aleuts, and Eskimos are 

 permitted to continue the sale of native craftwork made from products of ocean 

 mammals not listed as rare or endangered. At the same time, Section 107(a) 

 needs to specifically prohibit the sale of native fishing and hunting rights to 

 safeguard against possible exploitation. 



Section 108, International Program, should be revised to delete the word "pro- 

 tection" on lines 6-7, page 13 and substitute the phrase "scientific wildlife man- 

 agement including, but not limited to, protection and taking." 



The National Wildlife Federation heartily endorses the thrust of Section 109, 

 Cooperation with States. However, we recommend that the words "conservation 

 and protection" on lines 14^15, page 13 be deleted and in their place the words 

 "scientific wildlife management" be substituted. 



Under Section 110, North Pacific Fur Seal Convention, it appears that subsec- 

 tion (2) prejudges the outcome of the review that the Secretary of Interior is 

 directed to make earlier in Section 110 and concludes that nine thousand fur 

 seal skins each for Japan and Canada will not exceed the bounds of sound 

 management. This subsection needs rewording to eliminate what could be a 

 continued over-commitment of fur seal skins. 



The concept of a Marine Mammal Commission as outlined in Title II, Sections 

 201, 202, 204, 205, 206, and 207 of H.R. 10420 is acceptable to the Federation. 

 However, we recommend that the direction of the Commission be changed 

 to provide that the Commission in cooperation with the State Department seek 

 to work out international agreements covering the scientific management of all 

 marine mammals. Ideally, these agreements should be based on the same 

 philosophy as that underlying the North Pacific Fur Seal Treaty. We feel that 

 the Commission should first conduct research and fact finding studies and then 

 determine and set limits for the taking and protection of all ocean mammals. 



The addition of a "Committee of Scientific Advisors on Marine Mammals" 

 as described in Section 203, constitutes, in our judgment, excessive bureaucratic 

 layering which could accomplish little of a constructive nature. We recom- 

 mend deletion of Section 203. 



Mr. Chairman, that completes my si)ecific comments on the contents of H.R. 

 10420. We feel that from the bill can emerge a piece of sound legislation that will 

 accomplish the goals we all seek. 



In conclusion, we would point out that the greatest danger to wildlife in the 

 world today is that opposition to hunting or commercial harvest of surplus ani- 

 mals will be erroneously interi>reted and accepted by the uninformed as "con- 

 servation". As long as hunting or harvest is conducted on a sound biological basis, 

 "killing", as deplorable as it is to some, is not a conservation issue. It is a philo- 

 sophical issue or a moral question that each person must decide for himself, and 

 the National Wildlife Federation respects all philosophical viewpoints of indi- 

 viduals whatever they may be. While sincere people on both sides of the philo- 

 sophical question of to hunt or not to hunt or to harvest surplus or provide total 

 protection, are preoccupied with quarreling over the moral issues involved, wild- 

 life's real enemies — greed, avarice, environmental degradation, and loss of suit- 

 able habitat — will continue to accelerate. 



The National Wildlife Federation is supported by representatives of the 

 hunter and protectionist alike. We hope that these wildlife enthusiasts of 

 different philosophical persuasions will unite in the continuing fight to conserve 

 and enlarge wildlife habitat and to preserve the natural environment, the real 

 key to wuldlife abundance, while respecting each others right to moral judgments. 



Thank you for this opportunity to testify. 



Background Information — Ocean Mammals 



1. current status (including population) 

 a. General: 



The marine mammals are a varied group of animals representing four orders 

 of the class Mammalia ; Cetacea (the whales, dolphins and porpoises) ; Camivora 

 (the sea otter) ; Pinnipedia (the seals, seal lions and walruses) ; and Sirenia 



