332 



growth of herds, with ultimate starvation the result of overpopulation. 

 Thus a careful balance must be maintained. 



Mr. Chairman, there is one more subject to which I would like to 

 direct remarks, and that concerns the capture and importation of 

 animals for the purpose of stocking private game preser\'es. This con- 

 cept and everything connected with it goes against the grain of every 

 humanitarian and conservationist, and it should be halted. 



Mr. Chairman, I believe that the principles contained m H.R. 7240 

 would go a long way toward ending the ills I have outlined. H.R. 7240 

 would do the following : 



(1) Prevent the importation of any ocean mammal, polar bear, or 

 exotic animal, or their byproducts, that is endangered or was taken 

 by inhumane methods. This will not hinder any treaty obligation we 

 now have, but it will necessitate the determination of what humane 

 methods of slaughter or capture are. Parenthetically, let me say here 

 that I do not believe that the planned visit to the Pribilofs by the 

 Department of the Interior to determine the humaneness or inhu- 

 maneness of clubbing a seal to death can truly be considered an ob- 

 jective trip, as a result of the preliminary publicity and the Aleuts' 

 awareness of the impending trip. 



(2) Prevent the inhumane methods of capture or killing of any 

 animal within the United States or its territories. 



(3) Eliminate the stocking of private game preserves with ani- 

 mals imported into this country, unless the stocking is for conserva- 

 tion purposes. 



Mr. Chairman, the purposes of this bill can best be achieved i± 

 they are combined with the machinery contained in H.R. 10420, which 

 calls for licensing and the establishment of quota systems. I am also 

 asking at this time for the institution of mandatory Federal licensing, 

 at minimal fees, for all trapping and hunting on Federal property. 

 H.R. 9754, which has already received hearings by this subcommittee, 

 contains the essence of whati am proposing, but it should also require 

 the mandatory licensing regardless of the presence of a "cooperative 

 Federal- State agreement." 



This legislative combination eliminates many of the questions that 

 had arisen concerning the feasibility of H.R. 7240, and would cer- 

 tainly seem to satisfy the questions raised by the Department of the 

 Interior in their report on mv bill. 



Thank you, Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, for giv- 

 ing me this opportunity to testify. I know that my bill as well as the 

 others will receive your careful consideration, and I am grateful to 

 you. 



Mr. DiNGELL. The subcommittee thanks you for your excellent 

 statement. 



Our good friend from Massachusetts, the Honorable Silvio Conte, 

 will be our next witness. 



STATEMENT OF HON. SILVIO 0. CONTE, A REPRESENTATIVE IN 

 CONGRESS PROM THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS 



Mr. CoNTE. Mr. Chairman, I welcome this opportunity to express 

 my support of the Ocean Mammal Protection Act of 1971. 



Over the past few months I have received a heavy volume of mail 

 from my constituents making their views known on the subject of 



