DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR AND RELATED

AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS FOR 1971

HEARINGS

BEFORE A

SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE

1. 8. Congress. Horde!

1

COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

NINETY-FIRST CONGRESS

SECOND SESSION

SUBCOMMITTEE ON DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR AND RELATED AGENCIES,

JULIA BUTLER HANSEN, Washington, Chairman

COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

GEORGE H. MAHON, Texas, Chairman

PAUL M. WILSON, Clerk and Staff Director

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS FOR 1971

TUESDAY, MARCH 3, 1970.

BUREAU OF SPORT FISHERIES AND WILDLIFE

WITNESSES

REPRESENTING THE BUREAU

DR. JOHN S. GOTTSCHALK, DIRECTOR

ABRAM V. TUNISON, DEPUTY DIRECTOR

NOBLE E. BUELL, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, OPERATIONS

SAMUEL BENJAMIN, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, ADMINISTRATION
AND ENGINEERING

DR. WARREN J. WISBY, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL FISHERIES
CENTER AND AQUARIUM

WALTER KIRKNESS, ACTING DEPUTY ASSISTANT DIRECTOR,
RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT, BUREAU OF COMMERCIAL

FISHERIES

ROY E. PELTO, BUDGET OFFICER

REPRESENTING THE DEPARTMENT

DR. LESLIE L. GLASGOW, ASSISTANT SECRETARY, FISH AND
WILDLIFE, PARKS AND MARINE RESOURCES

CHARLES H. MEACHAM, COMMISSIONER, FISH AND WILDLIFE
SPENCER H. SMITH, STAFF ASSISTANT

RICHARD R. HITE, DIRECTOR OF BUDGET

Mrs. HANSEN. The committee will come to order.

The Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife is before us this morning and it is a pleasure as always to welcome you back, Mr. Gottschalk.

Mr. GOTTSCHALK. Thank you, Madam Chairman.

Mrs. HANSEN. The committee has probably received a better education on ecology from your Bureau than from any other that appears before us. You and the U.S. Forest Service usually are able to inform us on a wide range of very exciting subjects in the world of environment and outdoor activity.

We also have the pleasure of welcoming the Commissioner of Fish and Wildlife, Mr. Meacham. It is a great pleasure to see you again. The last time we met was at the dedication of the fish protein plant in my district.

It is also a pleasure to welcome back Dr. Glasgow, the Assistant Secretary of Fish and Wildlife.

Dr. GLASGOW. Thank you, Madam Chairman.

Mr. Gottschalk, will you insert your general statement in the record and summarize it for us?

(1)

Mr. GOTTSCHALK. Thank you, Madam Chairman, but before we do that, may I invite you to inquire of the Assistant Secretary and the Commissioner to see whether they might have anything to say. Mrs. HANSEN. I would be delighted.

STATEMENT OF DR. LESLIE L. GLASGOW

Dr. Glasgow, will you insert in the record your general statement and summarize it for us?

Dr. GLASGOW. Yes, Madam Chairman, I would, and I will be brief because I know you have a busy schedule.

(The statement follows:)

STATEMENT OF DR. LESLIE L. GLASGOW, ASSISTANT SECRETARY

Two weeks ago I accompanied Secretary Hickel in his appearance before the subcommittee to kick off the fiscal year 1971 budget requests for the Department. At that time, the Secretary gave his ideas on the role the Department must play over the next few years. General terms were used and broad programs were discussed. Today, I am happy to appear before the subcommittee to introduce the Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife budget for 1971 and to highlight with a personal note of urgency the programs mentioned previously.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

Recent headlines regarding misuse of pesticides, industrial development, and land abuse are stinging indictments of the callous manner in which we have allowed deterioration in our environment. Such deterioration can no longer be tolerated. We must restore, to the greatest extent possible, America's out-of doors, the environment, and our use of renewable natural resources to a more balanced state.

The Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife has been engaged in environmental protection through pesticides research for more than 25 years. This year, we propose to expand pesticide monitoring, and to broaden our research efforts to determine the impact of a number of environmental pollutants on fish and wildlife.

ALASKA PIPELINE

Wise resource management dictates the necessity to investigate the effect on fish and wildlife resources in Alaska occasioned by the proposed pipeline. Studies of Arctic and subarctic regions pose an unusual and demanding challenge. We are ready to accept this challenge, not in the sense of an isolated study, but as part of the Department's total environment study effort. Because of the extent of our ignorance about the Arctic habitat, there will be a necessity for followup studies to discover long-range effects on the Alaskan countryside. Indirect annihilation through habitat destruction is at least as effective, though a more subtle means of wiping out a species than direct killing. As the human population increases and demands on land use diversify and intensify, more and more of the earth's surface becomes unfit for our wildlife resources. The oil development in the Arctic is but one manifestation of this principle. The Arctic Slope development also produces many side effects-among them, pollution and pesticide poisoning. Wildlife-the numbers and kinds of the past-cannot live in this altered environment. Necessary steps must be taken to preserve the rapidly diminishing wildlife habitat.

HABITAT PRESERVATION

Use of the Migratory Bird Conservation Account provides one opportunity to acquire now the lands that will not be available in a few years. The rapid escalation of land prices, along with the time lag from preliminary negotiation until final settlement, create additional problems which must be considered. Next year, it will be more difficult to acquire the needed land than it is this year. In fiscal year 1971,the Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife will place emphasis on continuing the acquisition of lands needed to complete refuges already started, and on the acquisition of waterfowl production areas.

INCREASED PROTECTION

Environmental abuse is not the only conservation phenomenon we now recognize. Protection of wildlife, particularly endangered species, is requiring more strenuous efforts and law enforcement both of hunting regulations and importation limitations must be adopted to prevent further inroads into our essential resource base.

This responsibility, coupled with the regulation of illegally exploited fish and wildlife, will require additional support. Assisting the States in controlling exploitation of species of fish and wildlife threatened with worldwide extinction is directed by the Endangered Species Conservation Act; this is a new challenge added by Congress in 1969 to the Bureau's already multifaceted mission. In addition, the Bureau is proposing to provide technical assistance to foreign countries and organizations through the special foreign currency program, so these countries can cooperate more effectively in protecting fish and wildlife in danger of extinction.

MARINE SPORT FISHING

The national demand for recreational marine fishing is tremendous. The Bureau's marine game fishing research programs provide information necessary for the Nation's total fishery management capability.

Exploitation of marine game in international waters can be regarded only through international agreement; therefore, we have here a direct responsibility that lies with the Federal Government and is carried out by the Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife.

Americans generally have more time on their hands. Much of this is being devoted to recreational pursuits. Facilities must be provided which can offer the health-promoting recreation desired by these Americans. Wildlife-oriented recreation, though now only a small portion of the Nation's total recreational opportunities, will play an increasing role in America's leisure time. Development of wildlife-oriented recreation is a new and natural program for the National Wildlife Refuge System.

I believe that in our drive toward progress, Americans can always afford to take a few moments to look back over their shoulders to an earlier period in history. The discovery of the steamboat "Bertrand" on the De Soto National Wildlife Refuge has given us an opportunity to do just that. Cooperation between the Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife and the National Park Service has resulted in the retrieval of over 2 million artifacts last year from this sunken vessel. Work on the "Bertrand" and its cargo must be continued, so as to insure the maximum historical public benefit and enjoyment from the preserved steamship and its relics.

These are programs that I view as special highlights of the Bureau's work proposed for 1971. I appreciate this chance to appear before you in support of all the proposed increases. I hope that the committee supports the Bureau's total budget, and grants the requested increases.

Dr. GLASGOW. I am glad to be here. I was here with the Secretary about 2 weeks ago and I thought the meeting was very good. I said very little, but I enjoyed it. I watched, kept my ears open, and learned a great deal. It was my first attendance at a budget hearing. I would like to summarize very briefly the statement that I have.

RENEWABLE LIVING NATURAL RESOURCES

First I would like to discuss a little bit the aspects of renewable natural resources. In Sport Fisheries and Wildlife, we are dealing almost wholly with renewable living resources.

Mrs. HANSEN. Do you think the Bureau of the Budget believes that? Dr. GLASGOW. I am going to convince them this is true, if I possibly can. These are resources, many of them, that have been mistreated over the years. It is time that we recognize this. These resources will be here with us forever, if we manage them properly. If we do not, some of them are going to disappear and that is the