340 



exist— possibly more than half the world's total. The bear population 

 of Greenland.' once hisrh. has severely declined as a result of excessive 

 hunting. Similar overhunting has reduced the population in the Soviet 

 sector of the bear's range. 



The decline of the polar bear is traced in "Wildlife in Danger, by 

 James Fisher, Xoel Simon, and Jack Vincent, at pages 71-72: 



The decline of the polar bear dates from the 17th century, when the opening 

 up of Arctic waters to shipping led to vigorous hunting. During the next cen- 

 turies white bears were heavily hunted in Spitsbergen. Novaya Zemlya. islands 

 in the Bering Sea. Baffin Bay. Hudson Bay. and many other places. The decline 

 of the whaling industry in the latter pari: of the 19th century caused the whalers 

 to transfer their attention to sealing which in turn led to mounting pressure on 

 the polar bear, notably in the Canadian Eastern Arctic, the Greenland Sea, 

 Franz Josef Land. and'Spitsbergen. As the fur trade developed, the exploitation 

 of the bear was further stimulated. 



For countless years the Arctic seas have provided the polar bear with adequate 

 security : but it is practically defenseless against hunting with precision weapom; 

 from powered boats (which are growing very popular in some parts of the ani- 

 mal's range) or from aircraft. Hunting from aircaft has recently become a fa vo- 

 lte sport in Alaska where polar bears are fairly common on the ice that lies north 

 of the Bering Straits. * * * This form of hunting has now been banned over the 

 mainland and territorial waters : but there is at present nothing to prevent the 

 technique from being employed in international waters beyond the 3-mile limit. 



Dr. S. M. Uspensky, the Riissian authority on the species, believes that in recent 

 decades the range of the polar bear has been gradually reduced, as a result of 

 the onset of milder climatic conditions in the Arctic. * * * A contributory factor 

 has been the increase in the numbers of humans and domestic livestock in the 

 Arctic in recent years, which has resulted in a higher incidence of disease, 

 notably from the Trichinella parasite, which has inevitably affected the bear. 



Thus, we see a magnificent creature declining. He does not threaten 

 man. He offers no commercially essential products for man. He is, 

 however, a handsome trophy, and so he is sacrificed to those who mark 

 their accomplishment by the number of heads over their mantle.^ 



Xow it is clear that the United States, and the United States' citi- 

 zens, do not bear the sole blame for the devastation of ocean mammals. 

 Japan and the Soviet Union, in fact, account for most of the world's 

 •whaling. Xot all hunters of polar bears are Americans. But, even given 

 that it is not within this country- 's exclusive control to halt the slaugh- 

 ter of whales, polar bears, walruses, and other species, our actions can 

 have an enormously powerful trickle-down effe€t. For example, while 

 we engage in little whaling, we do account for about one-third of the 

 consumption of whale products. If we close our doors to the importa- 

 tion of ocean mammal products, therefore, we inevitably must decrease 

 the profitability of their destruction, and. in turn, we increase the like- 

 lihood of cessation of that destruction. 



Thus, we must ban the import of all ocean mammal products. The 

 Ocean Mammal Protection Act does this. 



Since we do participate directly in the destruction, we must also ban 

 this, as the Ocean Mammal Protection Act does. There must be no 

 loopholes, no exemptions, save the ones provided in the act for the 

 native populations and limited so that the taking must "be done in 

 accordance with customary traditions and as an adjunct of the native 

 culture." Thus.*we cannot allow a loophole for tuna fishermen, in whose 

 nets some 250.r>0r) porpoises die annually. 



Third, we must encourasre the Secretary of State to negotiate inter- 

 national agreements for the protection of the ocean mammals. Sorne 

 international activities do exist — the International "Whaling Commis- 

 sion, established pursuant to the International TVIialing Convention, 



