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states to lose management control of this valuable resource. A cessation of har- 

 vesting would result in increased natural mortality caused by overcrowding on 

 the rookeries and increased demands on the fishery resources which support the 

 seals, and are also utilized by man. The result would be no real improvement of 

 the herd, but only an increase of mortality by starvation, disease, parasites and 

 other natural causes. It is possible that the fur seal population might be seriously 

 jeopardized due to a drastic population decline caused by the factors previously 

 described, unless present population controls are continued. Finally, if harvest- 

 ing were curtailed, the 600 Pribilof Aleuts would lose the ability to support 

 themselves in their ancestral home. 



Another critical side effect resulting from termination of "The Fur Seal 

 Treaty" might be the resumption of pelagic seal hunting by other nations. Japan 

 has expressed the desire to harvest fur seals in this manner. If the United States 

 fails to manage this resource, other countries may have a justifiable reason for 

 resuming pelagic hunting. The compensation provisions of H.R. 10420, in all 

 likelihood, will not be adequate to prevent this possibility. There would be little 

 if any reason for a foreign nation to accept this compensation when the potential 

 and biological justification for harvesting a larger number of fur seals on the 

 high seas exist. Such high seas hunting is non-selective with respect to sex and 

 age of animals taken, and there is a substantial loss due to wounding and sinking. 



The present fur seal harvest program is subjected to constant and critical 

 review. Any rational analysis of this program will reveal that it is not detrimen- 

 tal to the species. 



OCEANIC HAIB SEALS 



The term oceanic hair seals is used to differentiate between resident hair seals 

 (i.e., land-breeding harbor seals) and those populations and species present 

 mainly, or entirely beyond the three mile limit of state territorial waters. The 

 oceanic species include ice-breeding harbor seals, ringed seals, ribbon seals and 

 bearded seals. All of these species are presently taken by resident Alaskans, 

 primarily Eskimos. These seals are not the object of commercial exploitation by 

 American nationals. However, there is a substantial commercial harvest or rib- 

 bon and bearded seals by the Soviet Union. As pointed out in a report by the 

 Honorable Ted Stevens, Senator from Alaska (Congressional Record, VI, 117, No. 

 100, 29 June 1971), these species presently appear to have stable populations. 

 Estimates of numbers are: bearded seals — 300,000; ringed seals — 250,000; ice- 

 breeding harbor seals — 200,000 ; and ribbon seals — 150,000. Ribbon seals are prob- 

 ably experiencing a slow increase in numbers, after having been reduced by 

 Soviet commercial sealing operations during the early 1960's. 



The estimated annual harvest of all hair seals in Alaska is about 25,000 to 

 30,000 animals. Approximately half of these are taken by Eskimos and used for 

 food, clothing and the home manufacture of articles for sale. 



To date, all four of the oceanic hair seals have been the subjects of full time 

 research programs spon.sored by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, and 

 directed toward sustained yield management. Regulations, as necessary, have 

 been promulgated to attain this objective. 



WALRUS 



The Pacific walrus constitutes a population of marine mammals which is 

 presently the subject of continuing investigation and management by the Alaska 

 Department of Fish and Game. The commercial value of walruses for ivory was 

 responsible for their initial decline during the period 1860 through 1920, and 

 prompted the close management attention presently devoted to them by the 

 Alaska Department of Fish and Game. 



State regulations pertaining to walrus include : 1) a walrus refuge in northern 

 Bristol Bay; 2) a permit system regulating the purchase and sale of raw ivory ; 

 and 3) a trophy hunting bag limit of one adult bull per year. However, there are 

 provisions permitting residents who depend upon walrus for food, to take up 

 to five adult cows or subadults (eitlier sex) each year. 



During the hunting season, Alaska Department of Fish and Game personnel 

 are stationed at the major walrus hunting sites to enforce the regulations and 

 conduct ongoing research programs. This effort requires five department em- 

 ployees for the entire spring hunting season, as well as the full time attention 

 of two biologistsL 



There are estimated to be 70,000 to 110,000 Pacific walruses at this time and the 

 population is continuing to increase. 



