of this valuable food fish and for increasing the abundance and promoting the wisest utilization thereof. Through its Division of Fisheries Biology, the Fish and Wildlife Service is directed to institute a 6-year research program for the purposes stated above. In the conduct of this program it is expected that the Division of Fisheries Biology will invite the cooperation of the marine biologists of the several States, and of educational institutions and laboratories devoted to fisheries research. The bill is to take effect immediately upon enactment and the Fish and Wildlife Service is directed to make application through appropriate channels to the War Assets Administration for such boats and other equipment as may be suitable and available in connection with the research program. The Department of the Interior has advised your committee that it favors a program of the nature outlined in H. R. 2501. AMENDING THE ACT OF AUGUST 8, 1946, RELATING TO INVESTIGATION AND ERADICATION OF PREDATORY SEA LAMPREYS OF THE GREAT LAKES MAY 26, 1949.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State-of the Union and ordered to be printed Mr. THOMPSON, from the Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, submitted the following REPORT (To accompany H. J. Res. 202] The Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, to whom was referred the joint resolution (H. J. Res. 202) to amend the act of August 8, 1946, relating to investigation and eradication of predatory sea lampreys of the Great Lakes, and for other purposes, having considered the same, report favorably thereon without amendment and recommend that the joint resolution do pass. Within recent years the important fisheries of the Great Lakes have been declining at an alarming rate. The purpose of this bill, House Joint Resolution 202, is twofold. It would continue for an indefinite time the existing program of investigations of the abundance and distribution of sea lampreys, experiments in developing control measures, and elimination and eradication of the sea lamprey from the Great Lakes. In addition, the bill would authorize a survey of the Great Lakes area to determine what localities would be most suitable for the establishment of fish hatcheries and rearing ponds if, and when, it becomes desirable for the Federal Government to operate such fish hatcheries and rearing ponds in that area. The bill would also authorize the appropriation of such sum of money as might be necessary to carry out its purposes and objectives. It has been known for a number of years that the predatory, parasitic sea lamprey has been causing increasing damage to the commercial fish of the Great Lakes and particularly to the valuable lake trout which formerly were in great abundance. By Public Law 672, Seventy-ninth Congress, second session, approved August 8, 1946, a program of investigation of the abundance and distribution of sea lampreys and their elimination and eradication from the Great Lakes was authorized to be conducted by the Department of the Interior over a period of 10 years. Public Law 672 authorized not to exceed $20,000 per annum to carry out its objectives. Your committee believes that this bill, House Joint Resolution 202, which amends section 1 of Public Law 672, is more realistic in that it does not specify a particular period for the prosecution of a sea-lamprey-control program. The Department of the Interior has reported unfavorably in the past on bills which would authorize the establishment of one or more fish hatcheries at specified locations in the State of Michigan. This bill authorizes and directs the Director of the Fish and Wildlife Service to report to Congress not later than December 31, 1950, the results of a survey of the Great Lakes area to determine the most suitable localities for the establishment of fish hatcheries and rearing ponds if and when it become desirable for the Federal Government to operate such activities. Your committee believes that such a survey and report are most important. Previous reports of the Department of the Interior on this question have not, in the opinion of the committee, adequately proven that the establishment of fish hatcheries and rearing ponds would not be valuable in the interest of rehabilitating the fisheries of the Great Lakes. Rather than specify the maximum annual authorized appropriation, your committee believes it desirable to leave this point open, to be gaged according to the actual requirements each year. The report of the Acting Secretary of the Interior, dated May 11, 1949, is as follows: DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY, Hon. S. O. BLAND, Chairman, Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, House of Representatives. MY DEAR MR. BLAND: Reference is made to your request for a report on House Joint Resolution 202, a joint resolution to amend the act of August 8, 1946, relating to investigation and eradication of predatory sea lampreys of the Great Lakes, and for other purposes. I recommend enactment of the proposed legislation. The bill would continue for an indefinite time the existing program of investigations of the abundance and distribution of sea lampreys, experiments in developing control measures, and the elimination and eradication of the sea lamprey of the Great Lakes. In addition, the bill would authorize a survey of the Great Lakes area to determine what localities would be most suitable for the establishment of fish hatcheries and rearing ponds if and when it becomes desirable for the Federal Government to operate such fish hatcheries and rearing ponds in the Great Lakes area. The bill also would authorize the appropriation of such sums of money as might be necessary to carry out its purposes and objectives. Unquestionably sea lampreys have had a very damaging effect on the valuable fisheries of the Great Lakes, and any steps which would result in their elimination and eradication are well worth while. It is doubtful that a successful program could be completed within the limited period designated in the act of August 8, 1946, even with the wholehearted cooperation of conservation agencies of the various States and the commercial fishing industry. Thus the amendment as contained in section 1 is more realistic. Investigations conducted under the authority of the act of August 8, 1946, have revealed the extremely complicated and widespread nature of the problem. It has become evident that the sea lamprey is a serious problem in Lake Huron and Lake Michigan, and is now appearing in Lake Superior. It resorts to many different streams in its spawning migration, and it is during this period of its existence that control measures are expected to be most effective. However, the initial studies have not been conclusive in showing which, of at least a dozen different methods of attack, will be most effective. There is, therefore, an urgent necessity for expanding the programa to a much greater degree in order to follow through on the various leads which have been pointed out by the initial studies. Over a period of years a number of bills have been introduced from time to time which would authorize the establishment of one or more fish hatcheries at specified locations in the State of Michigan. Consistently this Department has reported unfavorably on such bills on the ground that it has not been demonstrated that fish hatcheries and rearing ponds alone or at the specified places would contribute materially to the rehabilitation and development of the valuable fisheries of the Great Lakes. Rather, this Department has felt that the greatest need for fishcultural facilities is one that would combine research and fish-hatchery operations in order that the real needs of the conservation problems might be determined intelligently. The authorization contained in section 3 of the proposed bill for a survey of the Great Lakes area to determine what localities would be most suitable for the establishment of fish hatcheries and rearing ponds, of course, is an integral part of that program. It is quite possible that the proposed survey, including a review of possible improvements in method, could lead to favorable recommendation within the time limit specified in section 3. This Department has not received clearance from the Bureau of the Budget on the submission of this report. Therefore, I cannot advise you concerning the relationship of the views expressed herein to the program of the President. Sincerely yours, OSCAR L. CHAPMAN, Acting Secretary of the Interior. CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW In compliance with paragraph 2a of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, changes in existing law made by the bill, as introduced, are shown as follows (existing law proposed to be omitted is enclosed in black brackets, new matter is printed in italics, existing law in which no change is proposed is shown in roman): JOINT RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING AND DIRECTING THE DIRECTOR OF THE FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR TO INVESTIGATE AND ERADICATE THE PREDATORY SEA LAMPREYS OF THE GREAT LAKES. PUBLIC LAW 672, SEVENTY-NINTH CONGRESS, APPROVED August 8, 1946 That the Director of the Fish and Wildlife Service of the Department of the Interior is hereby authorized and directed to prosecute, for a period of not to exceed ten years from the date of approval of this joint resolution,] investigations of the abundance and distribution of sea lampreys [,] and their effects on fishes, experiments to develop control measures, and a vigorous program for the elimination and eradication of sea lamprey populations of the Great Lakes. SEC. 2. In carrying out the foregoing purposes and objectives the Director of the Fish and Wildlife Service is authorized to cooperate with the official conservation agencies of the States bordering on the Great Lakes, with the commercial fishing industry, and with other governmental or private agencies, organizations, or individuals having jurisdiction over or an interest in the fisheries of the Great Lakes. SEC. 3. That the Director of the Fish and Wildlife Service of the Department of the Interior is hereby authorized and directed to survey the Great Lakes area to determine what localities would be most suitable for the establishment of fish hatcheries and rearing ponds if, and when, it becomes desirable for the Federal Government to operate such fish hatcheries and rearing ponds in the Great Lakes area. The Director of the Fish and Wildlife Service is authorized and directed to report to the Congress not later than December 31, 1950, the results of his survey and to make recommendations with respect thereto. [SEC. 3.] SEC. 4. There is authorized to be appropriated from time to time, out of any moneys in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, such sums as may be necessary [not to exceed $20,000 per annum] to carry out the purposes and objectives of this joint resolution. O H. Repts., 81-1, vol. 3-112 |