1/ Atlantic Coast pack figures are included in the total column only for 1960-68 In 1969 and 1970. Atlantic Coast pack is included in Hawaii and American Samon pack Figures may not add to total because of rounding

2/ Various sized cases converted to the equivalent of 48 No 1/2 cans to the case

3/ Not available

4/ Preliminary

ALASKA CHAPTER, SIERRA CLUB,
Anchorage, Alaska.

DEAR SENATOR STEVENS: The Alaska Chapter of the Sierra Club shares the motives of those conservationists who are fighting to protect Alaska's sea mammals. We are especially eager for laws which will protect endangered species.

However, we feel that those who support a total ban on the killing of sea mammals need to be better informed on the situation in Alaska. According to the 1970 Census, the median family income of Anchorage's outlying area (over 95% white) is $14,537 per year. On the other hand, median family cash income for the Eskimo coastal district of Wade-Hampton is $3,270 per year. Eskimos depend on seal, walrus and whale meat for subsistence. Taking away this meat would be like taking away the white man's cow.

For thousands of years, in addition to the meat, Eskimos have depended upon the skins of these animals for clothes and on the ivory for tools. A small but still significant part of their limited cash income today derives from the arts and crafts items made from these resources.

The Alaska Chapter of the Sierra Club supports what Eskimo hunters themselves would very much like to have: comprehensive scientific studies relating to the relative numbers of sea mammals remaining. We support a moratorium on any future large-scale commercial sea-mammal hunting pending completion of these studies.

The Alaska Chapter is also concerned about what will happen to the North Pacific Fur Seal Commission agreements if a bill banning sea mammal killing passes. Would sea mammal killing on the high seas increase?

We feel certain that in your environmental concern, which we share, you will support substitute bills which will protect sea mammals without imposing the greatest economic hardship on the poorest segment of the Alaskan population.

Yours truly,

CYNTHIA WENTWORTH.

CITY OF BARROW, RESOLUTION 72-3

Relating to pending federal legislation pertaining to the protection of certain ocean mammals.

Be it resolved by the City Council of the city of Barrow:

Whereas legislation is pending before the United States Senate which has as its stated purpose the protection of ocean mammals; and

Whereas, though praiseworthy in its intention of protecting depletion of the stocks of sea mammals, adoption of the legislation would generate numerous problems for Eskimos of Alaska's Arctic Slope and Bering Sea regions who pursue traditional subsistence patterns of life; and

Whereas provision is made in the pending legislation for the taking of ocean mammals by traditional means for subsistence purposes, but not for purposes of direct or indirect commercial gain; and

Whereas residents of the Arctic Slope villages of Barrow, Wainwright, and Point Hope, and residents of villages bordering the Bering Straits depend upon the taking of whales, seals, walruses, and polar bears for food, as well as for the making of clothing and articles of apparel and for creation of crafts for sale, generating a small, but not insignificant, economy for the villages of the Arctic and Bering Sea regions of Alaska; and

Whereas residents of the village of Arctic Alaska have not had an opportunity to testify regarding the legislation under consideration and believe that it would be in their best interests and to the benefit of the honorable members of the United States Senate to better understand the importance of the taking of marine mammals to the economy and culture of the Eskimo residents of the areas concerned;

Be it resolved by the city council of the city of Barrow that the United States Senate Subcommittee on Oceans and Atmosphere is respectfully requisted to schedule further hearings on the proposed legislation prior to submission of the subcommittee report to the full committee and to the United States Senate; and

Be it further resolved that the honorable members of the subcommittee are cordially invited to schedule hearings on the proposed legislation in the community of Barrow so that residents of the villages that would be most affected

76-491 O 72 pt. 1 46

by the proposed legislation would have an opportunity to appear and to testify personally before the subcommittee on this matter of such vital significance and importance to them.

Copies of this resolution shall be sent to the Honorable Warren G. Magnuson, Chairman, Senate Commerce Committee; the Honorable Ernest F. Hollings, Chairman, Senate Subcommittee on Oceans and Atmosphere; and to the Honorable Ted Stevens and the Honorable Mike Gravel, United States Senators, and the Honorable Nick Begich, United States Representative, members of the Alaska delegation in the United States Congress.

Adopted this 27th day of March, 1972.
Attest: Ann Adams, Secretary.

WILLIAM E. NOLAK, President, City Council of Barrow.

To: Max

From: Bob

MEMORANDUM

Re: Mary Jo's telephoned figures on Ocean Going Mammals

Number of people effected: 29,000 excluding 600 on Pribilofs that is, 29,000

total.

1 Figures obtained from Mr. McKnight with the Department of Game, State of Alaska.

2 Not under State jurisdiction.

3 State controlled harvest-maybe once every 5 years, 955 taken in 1970.

ALASKA RURAL DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL, MARCH 16, 1972

The members of the Alaska Rural Development Council, being representative of the federal and state agencies and organizations concerned with improvement of the conditions of rural life in Alaska, are opposed to passage of House Bill 10420, in its present form, and any similar totally-restrictive bills in the Senate regarding protection of marine mammals. Our primary opposition is to Section 107 (a) (3); that such taking of marine mammals for subsistence purposes by Indian, Aleut, or Eskimo peoples "is not done for purposes of direct or indirect commercial sale."

First, we feel that this bill, which will have a major impact on a large part of the population of Alaska, should at least be subject to public hearings in rural and metropolitan areas of Alaska before being considered. Second, if this bill becomes law, it immediately destroys the Native arts and crafts cottage-industry as it apparently precludes the sales of any parts of the sea mammals, or any items made from the tanned skins, or objects of art carved from the tusks or teeth. The cultures of these coastal Native peoples are firmly based on the full utilization of the sea mammals. To impose the dominant societies' cultural norm of waste of a valuable resource is not only counter to their cultural beliefs, but is also contrary to present U.S. policy on waste pollution.

In addition, this arts and crafts trade is, in many villages, a major source of cash income for the village. Contrary to popular opinion, passage of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act will not solve the financial problems of these people for the near future. There is no money available to the Native people from this Act for the first two years, and total disbursements of cash over the first five years are estimated at $550 per person. The lands allotted

under this Act have value only for subsistence use for a long time to come, as it has been estimated that it will take about 25 years to complete the surveying on the 40 million acres at the present level of funding. So it can be seen, that to destroy this Native arts and crafts industry by legislative fiat is to condemn these peoples to a poverty and welfare existence within an inflated cash economy. We, therefore, strongly urge the Marine Mammals Bill not be considered for passage until public hearings are held in Alaska, and until the bill is amended to allow the continuance of the Native arts and crafts industry.

Introduced: 3/2/72
Referred: State Affairs

IN THE SENATE, BY THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE, BY REQUEST SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION No. 59, IN THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA, SEVENTH LEGISLATURE— -SECOND SESSION

Relating to pending federal legislation pertaining to protection of ocean mammals.

Be it resolved by the Legislature of the State of Alaska :

Whereas legislation is pending before the United States Senate which has as its stated purpose the protection of ocean mammals; and

Whereas, although the basic intent of this legislation may be praiseworthy, there is a grave danger that passage of present proposals would work a severe hardship for many of Alaska's peoples who must depend for their very existence on ocean mammals; and

Whereas under the terms of pending legislation persons would allegedly be permitted to hunt ocean mammals for subsistence living by traditional means and so long as waste did not occur, but not for any commercial end; and

Whereas what is meant by this language is not clear and has not been made clear in hearings held to date; and

Whereas hundreds of Alaskans depend on the ocean mammals for subsistence, and subsistence dependence goes far beyond the food utilization, such as the making of clothes and goods which are worn or sold to form the only economy of many villages; and

Whereas these Alaskans directly affected by passage of this far-reaching legislation have not had full opportunity to testify regarding the full impact of the pending legislation upon their social and economic well-being;

Be it resolved by the Alaska Legislature that the United States Senate Subcommittee on Oceans and Atmosphere is urgently requested to hold further public hearings on the proposed legislation which would afford Alaskans the opportunity to appear and testify personally before the committee on this issue of vital importance to them.

Copies of this resolution shall be sent to the Honorable Warren G. Magnuson, Chairman, Senate Commerce Committee; the Honorable Ernest F. Hollings, Chairman, Senate Subcommittee on Oceans and Atmosphere; and to the Honorable Ted Stevens and the Honorable Mike Gravel, U.S. Senators, and the Honorable Nick Begich, U.S. Representative, members of the Alaska delegation in Congress.

SJR 59 passed the House March 22, 1972.

SJR 59 passed the Senate March 7, 1972.

The Resolution was signed by the Governor of Alaska-March 1972.

[United States Department of Commerce News]

GRAY WHALE CENSUS DOWN 15 PERCENT

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) reports that the number of gray whales counted during the annual southward migration between December 18 and February 8 is down about 15 percent from the average count since the census began five years ago. The Fisheries Service is a component of the Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

NMFS Director Philip M. Roedel said that although the counts were quite consistent from 1967-68 through 1970-71, the decrease this season does not necessarily indicate a decline in the gray whale population. Two NMFS observers stood equal numbers of morning and afternoon watches during the