H-4037              _______________________________________________

                                           HOUSE JOINT MEMORIAL NO. 4031

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              50th Legislature                              1988 Regular Session

By Representatives Haugen, Hargrove, Basich, S. Wilson, Bumgarner, Zellinsky and Rasmussen

Read first time 1/15/88 and referred to Committee on Natural Resources.

TO THE HONORABLE RONALD REAGAN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, AND TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AND TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES, IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED:

          We, your Memorialists, the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Washington, in legislative session assembled, respectfully represent and petition as follows:

          WHEREAS, In the late 1960's and early 1970's the nation recognized that many marine mammal populations were threatened or depleted, and that legislative measures were needed to protect marine mammal populations; and

          WHEREAS, In 1972 the United States Congress passed the Marine Mammal Protection Act in an effort to restore and increase marine mammal populations; and

          WHEREAS, Since the passage of the Act some marine mammal populations have substantially increased; and

          WHEREAS, The larger populations of some species result in an increase in adverse interactions with sport and commercial fisheries that have resulted in damage and loss of fishing gear and a decrease in the number of fish caught; and

          WHEREAS, The Act allows commercial fishermen to use lethal measures to reduce the damage caused by marine mammals interfering with fishing nets and eating netted fish, it does not allow local, state, and federal authorities to use similar measures in the limited cases in which other resources are in need of protection;  and

          WHEREAS, The state of Washington, in cooperation with the federal government, desires to develop methods to better resolve marine mammal and fishery conflicts;  and

          WHEREAS, Adequate funding of marine mammal research continues to be important in the management of marine resources; and

          WHEREAS, The Pacific Marine Fisheries Commission, which includes representatives from fish and wildlife management agencies, has analyzed the Act and recommended amendments to address the concerns identified by fisheries managers; and

          WHEREAS, The current appropriation authorization for the Marine Mammal Protection Act will expire on September 30, 1988, at which time Congress will have an opportunity to modify and improve the Act;

          NOW, THEREFORE, Your Memorialists respectfully pray that the Congress of the United States amend the Marine Mammal Protection Act to grant local, state, and federal governments the authority to use the same measures against marine mammals considered to be nuisances as commercial fishermen are currently allowed to use; to permit state and federal governments to take marine mammals in accordance with management plans if the taking is consistent with the Endangered Species Act; to provide for the option of cooperative state and federal management programs for selected marine mammals; and to provide increased federal funding for state marine mammal research programs to better carry out the intent of the Marine Mammal Protection Act;  and

          BE IT RESOLVED, That copies of this Memorial be immediately transmitted to the Honorable Ronald Reagan, President of the United States, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and each member of Congress from the State of Washington.