Thank you very much.

Mr. THOMPSON. Thank you, Congressman.

Mr. MATSUNAGA. Mr. Chairman, if I may, I wish to present for your consideration at this point a statement by the distinguished Senator from Hawaii, the Honorable Daniel K. Inouye, and ask that it be inserted in the record.

Mr. THOMPSON. Without objection, it may be inserted in the record. (The statement referred to follows:)

STATEMENT BY HON. DANIEL K. INOUYE, A U.S. SENATOR FROM THE STATE OF HAWAII

Mr. Chairman, while a Member of Congress representing the State of Hawaii in 1961 and in a statement to this same committee through my then administrative assistant, Mr. Alfred Laureta, I urged serious consideration be given to a bill to increase the amount authorized to be appropriated annually to carry out the program for the conservation and restoration of the Hawaiian nene goose and to extend such a program for an additional 5 years. That statement was printed as part of the hearings record for May 9, 10, 11, 1961, by this same Subcommittee on Fish and Wildlife.

Mr. Chairman, I do not wish to go into the details of that same statement inasmuch as pertinent and specific facts were then fully presented. I simply would like to remind you of the hearings record of that period.

Since 1962, I have urged passage of a similar bill in the Senate. In this current session of Congress, S. 791 has been introduced. I have been urging the Senate Commerce Committee to give favorable consideration to it.

As you may recall, about 5 years ago, Congress appropriated some $75,000 to be spent at the rate of $15,000 annually to study the nene and to preserve it from extinction. The program since then has proven to be successful, but it is far from complete. A sum of $125,000 to be spent for the same program over the next 5 years is being requested. The urgency is underscored by the fact that the appropriations have expired on June 30, 1964. Unless S. 791 is reported out favorably in the Senate, and H.R. 505 in the House, the premature ending will cause a severe setback to the nene geese conservation program.

I realize that in the totality of the business of the Subcommittee on Fish and Wildlife, a bill to attempt to restore and conserve the nene geese population may not be too significant a program. However, please let me assure you that to conservationists and to the people of Hawaii, where the nene is the official State bird, the possible extinction of this rare species is a source of great concern.

My previous bill, as introduced in the House, had to be revised, inasmuch as that bill was geared to the extension of an existent program, and, therefore, referred to the enabling act concerned in proposing certain amendments. My present bill simply requests appropriation of the sum of $25,000 per annum for a period of 5 years.

I respectfully request serious and urgent consideration be given to favorable passage of H.R. 505.

Mr. MATSUNAGA. May I also present for the record, Mr. Chairman, and request that a letter addressed to the chairman from the Governor of Hawaii be inserted in the record at this point.

Mr. THOMPSON. Thank you. The chairman has such letter in his possession and we are glad to hear from our old colleague. You may assure him that his comments will be taken into consideration and made part of the record.

(The letter referred to follows:)

Hon. T. A. THOMPSON,

STATE OF HAWAII, Honolulu, May 24, 1965.

Chairman, House Subcommittee on Fisheries and Wildlife Conservation,
Longworth House Office Building, Washington, D.C.

DEAR CONGRESSMAN THOMPSON: It has come to my attention that your committee will hold hearings on the Hawaii nene goose conservation and restoration bill (H.R. 505) on May 26, 1965. As this measure is of great importance to the

people of the State of Hawaii, and to the Nation, I would like to express my strong support for the bill and urge that your committee give it favorable consideration.

Since 1949 we have maintained a nene restoration project in Hawaii in an attempt to return this unique bird from the brink of extinction. At that time there were an estimated 50 wild nene left in the world. To date, 200 birds have been reared in captivity and of these 196 have been released to integrate with the wild flocks. It is gratifying to note that several captive-reared geese have mated with wild birds and produced young in recent years. This technique is almost unprecedented in the science of wildlife management. Our successes have come to the attention of conservationists around the world.

The nene is listed as "endangered" by the Committee on Rare and Endangered Wildlife Species in the preliminary report prepared by the Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife, U.S. Department of Interior. Under the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act (Public Law 88-578) we are hoping to acquire lands in Hawaii for use as sanctuaries for this species. We have received moneys from the World Wildlife Fund, a private conservation organization, to transport nene from England (the original stock was sent from Hawaii) for release on the island of Maui, where the nene was once found. Many international conservation agencies as well as all our local groups have expressed concern over the demise of the Hawaiian goose, and supported our efforts to restore it.

In 1949 the Territorial legislature appropriated $6,000 to initiate the captive rearing project and the program continued at a modest level of intensity for almost 10 years, thanks primarily to the efforts of volunteers and private organizations. In 1957 the nene was declared the official bird of the then Territory of Hawaii by the Territorial legislature. Then through the enactment of S. 4249 (Public Law 85-891) in 1958, the sum of $15,000 a year for a period of 5 years was made available to carry out a program for the conservation, restoration, and management of the Hawaiian nene goose. You, Representative Gross and others assisted me in passing this bill. Although the funds authorized by the above act expired in 1964 the nene restoration program has continued to the present with funds made available by the Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife.

We are finally achieving some positive results in building up the wild flock of nene on the island of Hawaii (now estimated at 250) and reestablishing a nucleus of flock on Maui. We feel that this program should be continued, preferably at a higher level of intensity for at least another 5 years. H.R. 505 will enable us to do exactly that.

I feel that as the near extinction of the nene was brought about by the ignorance and shortsightedness of man, it is incumbent upon us to make every possible effort to ameliorate the status of what is considered the rarest waterfowl in the world.

I, therefore, strongly urge you and your committee to recommend passage of this bill.

Warmest personal regards. May the Almighty be with you and yours always. Sincerely,

Mr. MATSUNAGA. Thank you very much.
Mr. PELLY. Mr. Chairman.

JOHN A. BURNS, Governor.

I want to compliment my colleague for his very fine statement. Mr. MATSUNAGA. Thank you.

Mr. PELLY. On page 2 the statement is made that, "*** approximately 147 captive-reared birds have been released ***," but I don't recall any statement in the gentleman's testimony as to the actual number of birds that now exist.

Mr. MATSUNAGA. Right now, if I recall correctly, with the 260 which have been reared in captivity, we have about 400 in total. Mr. THOMPSON. It is estimated to be 260, I understand.

Mr. MATSUNAGA. 260 reared in captivity, but the total population is about 400 right now.

Mr. PELLY. In other words, as a result of the legislation which was passed in 1958, it can be said that the population of the nene goose has increased from 157, then, to now more than 400.

Mr. MATSUNAGA. About 400; yes.

Mr. PELLY. So that the program has been successful.

Mr. MATSUNAGA. To a degree, yes. But we have had to bring them in from England also, Mr. Pelly, when our population was really getting low, and these birds, which were brought back from England, were originally birds which had been taken to England from Hawaii.

So you can see the nene has played a role in international relations as well. We have been highly praised by Britishers for the effort we are making in preserving this rare specie, and they have helped us to replenish our dwindling population. For some reason or other, the nene seems to take very well in England.

Mr. PELLY. How about Washington, D.C.? Do we have any in our very fine zoo?

Mr. MATSUNAGA. We have a couple, as I understand it, in the zoo. Mr. PELLY. Do they reproduce in capacity in the zoo?

Mr. MATSUNAGA. This I do not know. Perhaps the expert from the Fish and Wildlife may be able to answer that.

Mr. PELLY. That is all, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. THOMPSON. Are there any further questions? Thank you. Mr. MATSUNAGA. Mr. Chairman, I might point out this: That there might be a legal question involved, and I request that this matter be taken up by the subcommittee, in that that statute which we intend to extend here has already expired, and the language of H.R. 505 may raise a question of the effectiveness of this bill; that is, by merely changing $15,000 to $25,000 and 5 years to 10 years.

If the subcommittee determines that the language is defective in order to carry out the intent of the bill, I would suggest that the language of S. 791, introduced by Senator Inouye, be used instead.

Mr. PELLY. Mr. Chairman. That raises the point that I intended to wait and ask the representative of the Fish and Wildlife Service. Why is this legislation needed at all? You have already indicated in your statement that funds have been requested for 1966 in the Presidents budget, and I cannot understand, if this program has expired, how in turn can the Department go on under authority that it says it has and request funds?

Mr. THOMPSON. The Chair may state that the legislation was introduced prior to the knowledge being made known that the Department thought it had the continuing authority to accomplish the purpose of this legislation.

Therefore, the Chair wanted to hold these meetings to, No. 1, point up the importance of this State bird, and No. 2, bring out and clarify just what the legal situation is.

I think the hearings will bring this to a point more quickly than any private conferences between the parties would.

Mr. MATSUNAGA. I certainly appreciate the advice given me, Mr. Chairman, because counsel do change and opinions of the same counsel even change from time to time. This way we have it on the record and, because the nene is our State bird, and certainly we cannot afford to let it go extinct, at least we will have it on the record here as to the feelings of the Interior Department at this time, and we may depend upon it for appropriations in the future even if the bill as proposed by me is determined to be unnecessary.

Mr. THOMPSON. I might state to the gentleman that, upon invitation of the gentleman from Hawaii, this subcommittee or some members of it might want to look at the habitat.

Mr. MATSUNAGA. Yes. I am a strong believer, as John Keats was, that "a thing of beauty is a joy forever," and, in the humdrum of our work, I think we members of Congress deserve some joy, and if you do go to Hawaii, you will have the joy of seeing this beautiful bird

of ours.

Mr. THOMPSON. Thank you, Mr. Matsunaga.

Mr. MATSUNAGA. Thank you very much.

Mr. THOMPSON. I would now like to call the charming lady from Hawaii, Hon. Patsy Mink. Welcome to the subcommittee.

STATEMENT OF HON. PATSY T. MINK, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF HAWAII

Mrs. MINK. Mr. Chairman and members of the Subcommittee on Fisheries and Wildlife Conservation, I am most happy to have this opportunity to support H.R. 505. This bill, sponsored by my senior colleague from Hawaii, Mr. Matsunaga, would prolong and intensify the program of preservation of the Hawaiian nene goose.

State and Federal efforts in this regard already have drawn worldwide interest, especially in view of the fact that the nene goose is sometimes considered the world's rarest waterfowl.

The program came in the nick of time to save from extinction a water bird that was able to adapt itself to life on a lava flow, but not life in proximity to man. The bird is of especial signficance in the cultural life of Hawaii.

Vast flocks of nene had been reduced to just 10 known birds in the whole world when restoration efforts were started by the then Territory of Hawaii in 1949.

The efforts of hunters, in the period before the birds were protected from them, wild dogs, and wild pigs were driving them to extinction. In 1958, the Congress authorized a 5-year Federal program of research, propagation, and management of the nene goose, with annual appropriations of $15,000 a year.

And now, Mr. Matsunaga's bill, which I wholeheartedly support, would provide $25,000 a year and extend the program for 5 more

years.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Hawaii State Department of Agriculture have done a magnificient job. The nene population now is estimated at more than 300 birds, and the time has come when more land must be provided for its habitat on the lava slopes of the island of Hawaii.

As I have said, Hawaii takes a special interest in the continued existence of this bird. Not only is it found nowhere else than Hawaii, but it is the Aloha State's official State bird. And its existence is interwoven with Hawaii's Polynesian past. Its skin was used in the ceremonial costumes of the ancient Hawaiians and the bird itself occupies an important place in Hawaiian myth and folklore.

In addition, the success of propagation efforts thus far are being watched very closely by wildlife conservation organizations throughout the world.

The nene is found in its wild state nowhere else in the world than in Hawaii, although a captive flock is maintained in England.

I strongly urge that these efforts to save it from extinction be approved by this subcommittee, the full Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee and the Congress.

Mr. THOMPSON. Thank you very much, Mrs. Mink, for an excellent

statement.

Would the Department like to be heard on this legislation?

STATEMENTS OF LANSING A. PARKER, ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, BUREAU OF SPORT FISHERIES AND WILDLIFE, AND DAVID B. FINNEGAN, ATTORNEY-ADVISER, OFFICE OF LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Mr. PARKER. Mr. Chairman, I am Associate Director of the Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife. I am Lansing Parker, and I have with me today David Finnegan of the Associate Solicitor's Office for Legislation.

I have a short statement. I know the committee wants to move along. I would ask that it be introduced in the record and I will be ready for questions after making this short observation.

Mr. THOMPSON. Without objection, the statement may be made part of the record.

(The statement referred to follows:)

STATEMENT OF LANSING A. PARKER, ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, BUREAU OF SPORT FISHERIES AND WILDLIFE, FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR H.R. 505 would amend the act of September 2, 1958, which authorized the annual appropriation of $15,000 for a five-year period for a nene restoration program. The Secretary of the Interior was directed by that act to promote research, propagation, and management needed to restore this endangered Hawaiian goose.

Under the terms of the act, the program terminated June 30, 1964. The bill will extend the program for an additional 5 years and raise the annual appropriation ceiling to $25,000.

The nene is one of the rarest species of waterfowl in the world. At one time there were as many as 25,000 birds-all in the Hawaiian Islands. Predation, uncontrolled hunting, and loss of habitat drove the goose to the brink of extinction. From a low of about 1 dozen in 1927, the number has increased to about 400 birds due to the heroic efforts of game managers and aviculturists. About half of this number is in captivity. In the wild, the goose is now found only on the islands of Hawaii and Maui.

The Federal Government recognizes its responsibility for the nene which is included in the category of waterfowl covered by Migratory Bird Treaties with Great Britain (for Canada) and with Mexico. The State of Hawaii likewise recognizes its obligation to promote the welfare of the nene, the official State bird, and is contributing its own manpower, money, and facilities to the program. Under authority of the 1958 act, the Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife obligated $15,000 for each of the 5 years for the goose restoration project. This project has been carried out by the State's division of fish and game under contract. These funds plus substantial contributions by the State through personnel services, equipment, execution of leases for sanctuary purposes, and direct contributions of funds have made possible the modest success realized thus far. Present sanctuaries were established largely through the cooperation of interested landowners and grazing lessees.

The State has improved its facilities for propagating and conditioning nene geese for liberation. In 1964, 37 goslings were reared. To date, about 150 geese have been released to the wild. Most of these birds were reared at Pohakuloa,