507 



forcement staffs, research facilities, and such necessary equipment as 

 boats and airplanes. 



The language of section 109 should be developed in close coopera- 

 tion with the States, and we suggest that the committee contact the 

 International Association of Grame, Fish, and Conservation Com- 

 missioners, which is the official organization of State, provincial, and 

 other wildlife agencies. As J stated, much of the success of a marine 

 mammals management program rests on securing the cooperation of 

 the affected States. Everyone must realize that the States are inter- 

 ested in the resource and have supported research in addition to man- 

 agement and law enforcement efforts. Present demands on their funds 

 make it impossible to do as much as they would like. They are not 

 unlike other elements of government, including the Federal Govern- 

 ment, in their need for funds. 



Section 110 — North Pacific Fur Seal Convention— On page 14, 

 line 4, the words "curtailed" or "terminated" are negative. It is possi- 

 ble that the convention should be expended or continued. Therefore, 

 we suggest that the word "amended" would be more appropriate and 

 in keeping with the thrust of this proposal. 



Section 110 raises another question. If, as the language currently 

 suggests, the convention were to be curtailed or terminated, the sup- 

 position must be that the fur seals are found to be in decreasing 

 population status. If this is so, then why would the settlement require 

 the killing of 18,000 animals annually as is proposed in paragraph 

 (2) of that section? Such an action, as I hope my statement earlier 

 made clear, would be contrary to the principles of wildlife man- 

 agement. Decisions should be based on biological factors, not 

 arithmetic. 



TITLE II MARINE MAMMAL COMMISSION 



We believe that creation of a commission as proposed would be 

 wastefully expensive and of little value. We would much prefer to 

 see the money and effort that would be lavished on another layer of 

 unnecessary bureaucracy invested in a cooperative Federal-State 

 marine mammals program of the kind we have described. The com- 

 mission can do nothing, in our view, that the Secretary is not already 

 empowered and better equipped to do. The commission would be 

 competitive with the Secretary, both for support funds and for the 

 design and implementation of the overall program. Some may argue 

 that a commission will perform a watchdog function. But how many 

 watchdogs do we need ? Congress has oversight responsibility, and if 

 it is not going to be used, then we will need watchdogs to keep an eye 

 on the watchdogs. 



We believe that the resource would benefit from the appointment 

 of a Scientific Advisory Committee on marine mammals to the Secre- 

 tary as generally contemplated in section 203. The Secretary already 

 has authority to appoint committees, and Congress' instruction that 

 this be done may be helpful in getting such a committee appointed and 

 necessary funds appropriated for its functions. 



Again, we would suggest that the Advisory Committee have repre- 

 sented among its membership knowledgeable scientists from the 

 State agencies most intimately concerned with the management of 

 the marine mammal resource. Through exercise of its oversight respon- 



