449 



and of equal importance on a personal, if you will, intuitive informa- 

 tion that they have gathered over the many years of invesitigaJtions 

 of marine m^ammial resources. 



They pointed out the necessity for recognizing stocks, a term which 

 I personally do not like, but which is functional and usable, stocks 

 that are different within even a single species. 



For instance, I differentiate between ocean hair seals and land- 

 breeding hair iseals. 



They also pointed out the differences in the status of certain species, 

 including the fact that two have been in fact exterminated at the hands 

 of man. Several are in aibsolutely no danger of being exterminated 

 and some are even in between, obviously being overexploited at the 

 present time. 



It is unclear at the present time what influence or effect the House of 

 Representatives bill H.R. 10420 would have on existing programs, on 

 ongoing or continuing programs, on responsibilities for effective and, 

 most important, responsive management research and enforcement 

 programs. 



Also, it is unclear in a review of H.R. 10420 what the actual inltent 

 with regard to a very important species such as the fur seal may be. 



I have reviewed these bills, albeit as a person not familiar with 

 legal terminology or procedures. 



From the very first bills introduced w*hich, in fact, would place 

 a total moratorium on the harvesting of all marine manimals to the 

 bill currently under discussion, whether these are successive attempts 

 to accomplish the same objective is unknown. 



It seems oibvious to anyone sitting in this room today that it is 

 not the intent of this particular bill to curtail, except on the basis 

 of much sound biological information the utilization, the wise utiliza- 

 tion of our resources. 



We strongly recommend revdsions in H.R. 10420 to include only the 

 endangered or diminishing species. 



As indicated in the first part of this bill and including the broad 

 categories of porpoises, dolphins, and whales, however excluding the 

 coastal dwelling beluga whales which also incidentally are natives of 

 the coastal waters of Alaska within the United States. 



We recommend the State of Alaska, because of its direct involve- 

 ment on a very local level with man utilizing the resource in the field 

 in the interest of marine mammal resources, should have responsi- 

 bility or a major force at least in the, management decisions affecting 

 the resources under consideration. 



In addition, we would also request jurisdiction of those populations, 

 stocks if you will, which are, in fact, resident within the State's ter- 

 ritorial waters. 



We also recommend that current Federal management programs 

 concerning the North Pacific fur seals be continued and that the North 

 Pacific fur seal treaty not be abrogated. 



Certainly, we have little to say regarding the management or pro- 

 tection of manatees, again a question of what is necessary to insure 

 their perpetuation on both a State and Federal level. 



Perhaps with that brief summary I should attempt to enlarge per- 

 haps upon specific questions which may be asked. 



Thank you. 



