237 



We have now a proposal from the laboratory under review for the 

 taking of some whales for scientific purposes. 



Mr. Potter. How many ? 



Mr. Terry. I do not recall. 



Mr. Potter. Would you supply that information for the record ? 



Mr. Terry. Yes; I think, perhaps, Dr. Perrin can answer that, but 

 we will supply it. 



Mr. DiNGELL. Without objection, so ordered. 



(Information to be supplied follows :) 



Proposal foe a Scientific Permit To Take Sperm Whales 



The Marine Mammal Biological Laboratory of the National Marine Fisheries 

 Service has submitted a research proposal to take 30 sperm whales. 



This proposed collecting program is in supiwrt of specific research recommen- 

 dations that arose from the International Whaling Commission's (IWC) Special 

 Meeting on Sperm Whale Biology and Stock Assessments held in Honolulu in 



March 1970. ^ u. • , ^* 



The specific purposes of this proposed sampling program are to obtain better 

 data on (1) age at sexual maturity; (2) duration of the lactation period; and 

 (3) rate of accumulation of growth layers in the teeth of immature whales. 

 This proposal is presently being evaluated by the National Marine Fisheries 



Service. 



whaling scientific permits 



The International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling authorizes con- 

 tracting governments to grant special scientific permits to take whales for 

 scientific research. The Division of Resource Management of the BCF has been 

 delegated by the Director to review and recommend action on requests received 

 for such permits. . 



The Marine Mammal Biological Laboratory, BCF, which carries out the 

 research activities recommended by the Scientific Committee of the International 

 Whaling Commission is required to obtain a permit. The permits are issued for a 

 variety of purposes, but the primary need is for the taking of undersize gray 

 and sperm whales to obtain more precise information on the reproductive biology 

 and population dynamics. 



All permits are issued for only one-year duration. Permits issued to Ford Wilke, 

 Director, Marine Mammal Biological Laboratory since 1964 are listed below : 



Number 

 Year requested Species 



1964 20 Gray whales. 



1965"" 50 Sperm whales. 



' "" 5 Minke whales. 



1966 . 50 Sperm whales (22 taken). 



'" "' " 60 Gray whales. 



1967 .. 50 Sperm whales (50 taken). 

 jQjl Graywhales. 



1968 ... 100 Sperm whales (53 taken). 

 100 Graywhales. 



1969 100 Sperm whales (34 taken). 



jpp Graywhales. 



1970 100 Sperm whales. 



The whales are collected by the Del Monte Fishing Company of Richmond, 

 California. After the scientific information has been obtained the whales are 

 then processed by that company. 



Other permits are issued to non-Federal scientists to carry out experiments 

 on a limited basis. These are summarized below : 



Mr. DiNGELL. I note the figures here, according to the information 

 we have is that in 1968 permits requested were for 100 sperm whales 

 and 100 gray whales. 



The information we have is that 53 sperm whales were taken. 



