4m 



The Submerged Lands Act of 1953 confirms the respective State 

 titles to the ownership, inchiding marine animal life within the 3-mile 

 zone of State coastlines. 



Therefore, ocean mammals living in this zone by Federal statute are 

 resident species that fall within State jurisdiction. 



Exceptions to this are the fur seal, the majority of the cetaceans 

 which reside largely in territorial and international waters. 



We would like to see H.R. 10420 amended in a manner that will 

 reserve to the States the full rights, protection, and management of 

 these animals that live immediately on our coastline and within our 

 3-mile limit and have the provisions of H.R. 10420, or some similar 

 legislation apply to those animals that inhabit, primarily, territory 

 and international waters. 



Briefly, that is a summation of our statement. 



I think we can give you all the statistics we have on these various 

 species and it would probably be redundant at this point because it 

 has been given to you by many other proper authorities. 



One other thing I would like to comment on is section 109 of the 

 bill which is entitled "Coo])eration With the States." 



This section directs the Secretary to develop cooperative arrange- 

 ments with appropriate officials of the several States for conservation 

 and protection of ocean mammals. 



The second provides further that such arrangements shall pre- 

 scribe the circumstances under which marine mammals which pass 

 tlirough or reside within territorial waters of any State may be taken 

 and further, that any marine mammal taken within the scope of such 

 cooperative arrangement shall be deemed to have been lawfully taken 

 within the meaning of the title. 



The international association believes that such cooperative arrange- 

 ment could be useful in achieving a successful program for develop- 

 ment of marine mammals, not to preempt the State programs of 

 management of marine mammals, but as an incentive for greater 

 efforts. 



Federal matching funds provided for the purpose of conducting 

 management and research programs could further accelerate and im- 

 prove the efforts already undertaken by State agencies. 



Such cooperative programs could apply to those ocean mammals 

 such as the sea otter, seals, sea lion, walrus, manatee which are truly 

 resident species as well as cetaceas that reside in territorial and in- 

 ternational waters. 



California and Oregon are currently confronted with a loss of sea 

 lions. We had this last year and both States got together. We collected 

 animals, subjected them to thorough examination and in these inves- 

 tigations we found a most conspicuous cause to be a disease known as 

 leptospirosus( ? ) . 



We also found high levels of Dl )T and its derivatives and mercury 

 in the livers of these animals. 



There is a need — or I just, got word before I left home yesterday that 

 again some of these sick animals are showing up and we are initiating 

 another project to further evaluate the thing. 



This is an example of regional and perhaps a national problem that 

 deserves investigation and we are aw^are that the Federal Government 

 could assist, conceivably conduct the research within its own shop 



