198 



Mr. McKernax. Well, your question dealt with the commercial 

 exploitation bv the United States. 



The Department of Commerce will issue such a permit if one were 

 issued. That is mv understanding. There is no problem there. 



Thev do not intend to issue it so far as I know, and there is no 

 thouHit that the United States is going to use this particular quota. 



B\^the same token. I would point out that the T nited States, it it 

 wanted to, could take these species off the endangered species list, and 

 in such case, the Department of Commerce could administratively 

 provide for permits for that whaling station, or some other 



That, of course, does not imply under any circumstances that either 

 the Department of the Interior intends to do that or that there is any 

 suggestion that it will do that, nor is there any suggestion that the De- 

 pamnent of Commerce will issue such a license. ^^ ^. _ 



Mr. Potter. The workings of the International Whaling Commis- 

 sion are beyond me. , . , . ^ ^- j; 



Have any steps been taken under the North Atlantic Convention for 

 the North "Atlantic fisheries for the further regulation of the harp 

 seal by Canada ? 



Mr! McKerxax. Yes. Harp and hood seals. 



Mr. Potter. Will you supply that for the record ? 



Mr. McKerxax. I think I can tell you right now. 



At this last meeting, there was a disagreement between the sealing 

 nations, and there is to be a special meeting of the three nations later 

 this year. So, at the present time, I cannot give you the numbers to be 

 harvested during the next season because there will be a special meet- 

 ing dealing with this particular problem this fall or winter. 



Mr. DixGELL. Mr. McKernan, will you describe to the committee, 

 if you please, the size, composition, budget, and function of the Inter- 

 national Whaling Commission, how many people they have, what the 

 staff is ? 



Mr. McKerxax. There is a part-time secretary who arranges for 

 the meetings. 



Mr. DixGELL. VTimt does that part-time secretary do, if you please ? 

 Is it a typist, or what ? 



Mr. McKerxax. No. It is a professional, a man who retired from 

 the Department of Interior — I beg your pardon. You asked what 

 now? 



Mr. DixGELL. "VMiat is the composition ? 



Mr. McKerxax. In the case of the Whaling Commission, there is 

 a retired British civil servant, who is a part-time secretary, and he 

 has secretarial help. 



Now, they collect and bring together the statistics of the Whaling 

 Commission and make them available. 



The research and analysis is done by committees composed of sci- 

 entists and technical people from the meml^er nations so that the staff 

 of the Wlialing Commission itself is very small, it really arranges 

 for the meetings and reports and sees that the reports are published 

 each year. 



Mr.'DixGELL. That is all? 



Mr. McKerxax. Tliat is all. 



Mr. DixGELL. What is the cash budget for this agency ? 



