410 



much confidence he has in you that his information will not be 



released. 



Mr. Pelly. I am sure every researcher is something like a news- 

 paper reporter. He wants to protect the sources of his information 

 and nobody will quarrel with that, but I think in general the impres- 

 sion should not get out that you want to cover up information, because 

 the public's opinion is the thing that is going to help you accomplish 



your objectives. . , • 



Dr. Ray. We do not mean to set up an exclusive hierarchy at all. 



Mr. Pelly. I think you can classify your mail. 



Well, thank you very much for some very fine testimony. Thank 

 you, Mr. Chairman. 



Mr. Lennon. The gentleman from Virginia, Mr. Downing. 



Mr. Downing. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 



Getting back to the porpoise for a minute, does that animal die in 

 the net or when he is brought up into the boat? How does his death 



come about ? 



Dr. NoRRis. Most of the deaths are due to drowning when the animals 

 dive into the net and become entangled below the surface and the 

 porpoises drown after taking a lungful of water. They drown in a 

 matter of a very few seconds. 



Some get over the corkline of the net and in their confusion, because 

 their school has been torn apart by the purse seine net operation, they 

 are caught by sharks so that there is some mortality outside the net, 

 even for the animals that do escape. 



There are occasional animals that get killed on deck, but most of it 

 is by drowning. 



Mr. Downing. In your statement you say something which is re- 

 assuring to me at least. You say it is not true that most are in danger 

 of extinction ; two marine mammals have become extinct at the hand 

 of man, some are now seriously depleted, and some are in good 

 condition. 



Are most of our resources in a safe status ? Do I draw that conclu- 

 sion from your statement? 



Dr. NoRRis. Safe from extinction, yes, badly depleted in many cases, 

 also yes. 



Many local stocks or populations are on the verge of extinction or 

 virtually wiped out, also yes. So a species may survive like the blue 

 whale, for example, and yet, a local population may essentially be gone 

 and the species be surviving elsewhere. 



It is important that we preserve not only the species but the popula- 

 tion structure as well, since this part of the way animals have evolved 

 in the world and have managed to meet the changes in the environment 

 that assail it. 



Mr. Downing. "Wliat are the two marine mammals you refer to in 

 your statement that have become extinct ? 



Dr. NoRRis. The Steller's sea cow and the Caribbean monk seal. 



Mr. Downing. Wiat mammals are on the critical list now that 

 might disappear? 



Mr. ScHEViLL. You are pressing me for some very fuzzy figures 

 which are all we have on present estimates of some of these popula- 

 tions. 



