288 



In 1969, 1970, and 1971 there has been no harvest of females. 



We have been getting an unusual situation in that it appears that 

 something is happening to their survival in the ocean. In a previous 

 period when the herd was about the size it is now the population was 

 increasing in numbers at a rapid rate. We got many more returns of 

 fur seals into the harvest than we are getting now, so it appeal's that 

 something is happening in the oceans to cause a greater mortality 

 while they are at sea before they return. 



Mr. DiNGELL. Now, you are coming to a point that is precisely the 

 same as was made by another witness at a time earlier. 



That witness indicated that something bad is happening to the sur- 

 vival rat« of the Pribilof seal herds, and he indicated that it was this 



year. 



Apparently there has been something happening for a little while. 



Do you have any knowledge of what it is, is it pollution, or what 

 is it? 



Dr. Harry. We do not know precisely what it is. 



We do know^ it is something that is happening in the oceans. It 

 might be a temporary weather condition, or a temporary environmental 

 condition that will correct itself. 



There could be something else, such as pesticides for example, work- 

 ing on the psysiology of these things, or other contaminants, or it 

 could be a combination of things. 



Mr. DiNGELL. Do yo have any research program to find out what 

 is causing this ? 



Dr. Harry. Practically about all we can do to determine what is 

 hapj>eining or what the situation will be, is just what we have done. The 

 only way we can regulate it practically is to eliminate the kill of 

 females. If it is a temporary thing, then in a number of years this 

 relationship will change. 



Mr. DiNGELL. Any halting of the harvest of females will not tell 

 you what is causing the death on the high seas. 



Mr. Pollock. I understand the natural enemies of the fur seal are 

 the killer whales, and maybe sharks, you know, and it could be that 

 maybe there is a prevalence of them in the particular areas where 

 they have been. 



I think our figures generally show ballpark estimates of something 

 like a mortality of 50 percent in the first year for the pups, and about 

 30 percent in the second year, which is really quite high. 



Dr. Harry. We do have ideas for attempting to determine whether, 

 for example, some of these contaminants may be affecting the 

 physiology. 



For example, from the information that we have just from our sam- 

 pling program at sea, we are attempting to correlate the amounts of 

 contaminants with pregnancy rates. 



Mr. DiNGELL. Are you saying that you are doing this at sea? 



Dr. Harry. Yes. 



Mr. DiNGELL. Mr. Pelly, did you have a question ? 



Mr. Pelly. Well, I simply wanted to ask to have inserted in the 

 record with your approval, Mr. Chairman, a statement having to do 

 with what one of the witnesses said last week ; namely, that he would 

 be willing to see the management program for the seal herds eliminated, 

 and leave it to the whims of nature. 



