35 



agencies and the Congress. Now, animal protectionists are trying to change this 

 long accepted statutory provision via a court challenge. 



7. Clarify that the Act's prohibition on the importation of marine mammals from 

 species designated as depleted only applies to animals taken from a stock which was 

 depleted at the time of the taking. The Act's purposes are not furthered by applying 

 th^ prohibition to animals taken from stocks which were not depleted at the time 

 of the taking. Similarly, animals bom in captivity should also be allowed to be im- 

 ported even if the wild population is considered depleted. Protecting depleted stocks 

 in the wild makes good sense. Interfering with breeding programs including captive 

 animals does not. 



8. Codify existing agency practice that the issuance of permits for public display, 

 scientific research or enhancing the survival or recovery of a species is not a major 

 federal action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment which 

 requires a fiill environmental impact statement. 



9. Establish an expedited procedure whereby beached and stranded animals 

 which cannot be returned to tne wild may be returned to the federal government 

 for care or allowed to be maintained at the responding facility or another appro- 

 priate facility. 



We have proposed another amendment which is related to the Section 114 legisla- 

 tion being developed by this Committee, the fishing industry and the conservation 

 community. Although that amendment is not the suoject of this hearing, we ask for 

 its consideration as you develop your legislation on Section 114. 



VI. CONCLUSION 



The contributions of the public display and scientific research communities to the 

 conservation of marine mammals and the protection of the ecosystem upon which 

 they depend is chronicled in the millions oi visitors who come to our facilities each 

 year and who leave with a renewed dedication to marine conservation. They are 

 chronicled in the thousands of research projects funded by AA2I'A and AlUance 

 members. And, they are chronicled in the vast sums spent on the rescue and reha- 

 bilitation of stranded marine mammals who would die on our beaches without the 

 voluntary commitment of resources made by AAZPA and Alliance members. 



AAZPA and Alliance members look forward to continuing their efforts under the 

 MMPA and respectfully request the adoption of our certain clarifying amendments. 



Senator Kerry. Thank you very much. Why do you not share 

 with the committee now, the members of the panel for the record. 



Mr. Prescott. Thank you. With me today are Eleanor Fries, the 

 director of education, the Aquarium for Wildlife Conservation; Dr. 

 Michael Hutchins, director of conservation and science for the 

 American Association of Zoological Parks and Aquariums; Dr. Rae 

 Stone, marine mammal veterinarian and coowner of Dolphin 

 Quest, Hawaii; Dr. Jim McBain, corporate director of veterinary 

 medicine. Sea World; and John Kirtland, member of the board of 

 directors, the International Marine Animal Trainers Association. 



Senator Kerry. Fine. Thank you very much. Dr. Grandy, why do 

 you not go now so we get an opposite view at this point, and then 

 we will turn to Mr. MacDonald for some whale watching specific 

 comments, and then we will have a dialog. 



STATEMENT OF DR. JOHN GRANDY, VICE PRESmENT FOR 

 WILDLIFE AND HABITAT PROTECTION, HUMANE SOCIETY 

 OF THE UNITED STATES; ACCOMPANIED BY DR. NAOMI 

 ROSE, MARINE MAMMAL SCIENTIST, HUMANE SOCIETY OF 

 THE UNITED STATES 



Dr. Grandy. Good afternoon, Senator Kerry. I am Dr. John 

 Grandy. I am vice president for wildlife and habitat protection for 

 the Humane Society of the United States. 



I thank you for the opportunity to testify on behalf of the Hu- 

 mane Society and 16 other member organizations of the Marine 

 Mammal Protection Coalition, and our combined membership and 



