22 



Mr. Hall. I do not think I personally would gain anything more 

 by being in the water as opposed to just observing them either from 

 a film or from a whale-watching boat or some other facility. 



Senator Kerry. I am not saying I am inherently negative about 

 it, but I am having a hard time defining what is specifically posi- 

 tive about it that at least in the unknown, until you have a much 

 better sense of the impact and repercussions, it is nard to 



Mr. Hall. Well, Senator, we have limited it to these four facili- 

 ties. This is not a widespread activity. This is very limited activity 

 that is occurring at this time. 



Mr. Collins. Senator, to be fair, these four facilities have been 

 in operation since prior to the most recent amendments to the pub- 

 lic display provisions of the act, when the education and conserva- 

 tion program requirements were added. So, some of those require- 

 ments that were added in 1988 might not have been incorporated 

 into those permits. But that is one of the major reasons why the 

 four programs have been limited to those four on an experimental 

 basis until the study can be completed. 



Once the studv is finished and we have been able to evaluate the 

 results we will be able to make a better determination in light of 

 the 88 amendments and whether this is beneficial. 



Senator Kerry. Well, I think there are more questions. I will 

 wait until the next panel to sort of pursue that a little more. 



Senator Pressler. 



OPENmG STATEMENT OF SENATOR PRESSLER 



Senator Pressler. I have to run off to another meeting, but I 

 want to compliment you for holding this hearing and compliment 

 the witnesses. I have been listening. I do have some questions to 

 leave for the record. 



I wanted to say in my landlocked home State of South Dakota 

 many young people may not have the opportunity to travel to 

 coastal regions of the United States to see the oceans and few ma- 

 rine mammals first hand. That is why the Marine Life Aquarium 

 in Rapid City, SD, is such a valuable resource for our awareness 

 in education about marine mammals in my State. 



The Marine Life Aquarium has been educating South Dakotans 

 and others since 1963. The Aquarium allows year-round visitors, 

 more than 80,000 last year, tne unique experience of firsthand 

 interaction with marine mammals not possible from reading books 

 or viewing videos. The aquarium offers educational and entertain- 

 ing marine mammal presentations geared to the residents of a 

 landlocked region and with sensitivity to Native American view- 

 points on the environment. 



The aquarium retrieving service is an important education tool 

 for area schools and teachers. For example, 5,000 children partici- 

 pated in Operation Ocean, a free educational program this past 

 spring. This aquarium also provides access to students for research 

 and development. 



The mammals at the Marine Life Aquarium also enjoy a safe and 

 healthy environment. The animals at tne Marine Life Aquarium re- 

 ceive first-rate care and medical attention. In addition, the training 

 staff provides a changing environment for the animals, thus allow- 

 ing them to use their natural curiosity and predatory skills. 



