351 



Mr. Felando. Yes ; I think the gross sale figures for all pet foods is 

 around $80 million a year. How much can be attributed to tuna, I do 

 not know. 



All of the tuna is used, if not for human food, for pet food and other 

 products, ranging from vitamins to cattle feed. 



Mr. Kyeos. What about the west coast? Are there Japanese tuna 

 fishermen out there? 



Mr. Felando. Yes ; they are our main competitors. 



Mr. Kyros. Do you know if they have indicated the same concern 

 for the dolphin and porpoises that you have this morning? 



Mr. Felando. They are trying to learn our techniques and I think 

 they have one vessel that just this year tried to fish in our area and 

 compete with us, but mostly their techniques are with the long line. 

 Most of the fish is caught by long line and they have not yet made a 

 substantial impact in the type of gear that we are operating. 



Mr. Kyros. Not nets, but hooks ? 



Mr. Felando. That is right. 



Mr. Kyros. So they do not have the same problem with the nets that 

 you do with the dolphins ? 



Mr. Felando. Not as yet, because they do not have as many vessels. 

 They have undertaken a program now to try to figure how we are 

 doing it and so we expect them to come in within a short time and 

 compete directly with us. 



Mr. Kyros. Are there any other foreign fishermen who fish the tuna ? 



Mr. Felando. Oh, yes, the French, Spanish, Mexicans, Costa Ricans, 

 Panamanians, Canadians, Ecuadorians, and Peruvians. 



Mr. Kyros. Do you think we need an international agreement with 

 them to make universal use of these nets ? 



Mr. Felando. There is no question in my mind that taking singular 

 action against a U.S. fisherman will not solve this problem. 



Mr. Kyros. So there should then be an international law ? 



Mr. Felando. I think the answer is really solving the technical prob- 

 lem and I think by working with us in solving this problem I feel 

 that having a law in itself will not particularly, if it is directed toward 

 U.S. -flag vessels, will not solve the problem. 



I think it is a technical problem. That is where the efforts should be 

 directed. I think we have the answer. Time will show if we are right. 



I would like to see more attention toward the problem solving rather 

 than just the passing of laws. 



Mr. Kyros. Other than your own initiative in solving it, you say 

 that nothing else has been done, particularly by the Federal 

 Government ? 



Mr. Felando. They have tried to come up with ideas in recent years 

 and we have worked with them, but the idea that they came up with 

 which was a gate, we advised them that we felt that this was not the 

 answer and so their first efforts in this area with regard to these escape 

 mechanisms have not been successful. 



So far the facts are showing that our escape mechanisms, our devices 

 through the years have been more successful. 



Mr. Kyros' Thank you very much. I appreciate your testimony. 



Mr. DiNGELL. Mr. de la Garza ? 



Mr. DE LA Garza. No questions. 



Mr. DiNGELL. Mr. Potter? 



