David Skaggs: “Mr. Chairman, we currently have a voluntary agreement which has resulted in a huge decrease in dolphin mortality…”

“Mr. Chairman, we currently have a voluntary agreement which has resulted in a huge decrease in dolphin mortality associated with tuna fishing. This bill would change U.S. law so that that voluntary agreement can essentially be incorporated into a new binding international agreement and standard. The issue of dolphin safe labeling is at the heart of this matter. I believe this bill would make that labeling truer; that is, more accurate, not less, and fewer dolphin kills, not more, and with no tuna being able to bear the dolphin safe label if impartial international observers determined there had been any dolphin kills. Mr. Chairman, this bill locks in a change in fishing practices and standards with a demonstrated track record of reducing exactly the sort of thing that we want to eliminate, unnecessary mortality for dolphin associated with tuna fishing. I cannot understand why Greenpeace, any number of other reputable environmental organizations, would back this if they did not see that as the truth. Mr. Chairman, I support this bill. I believe we need to pass it to continue to make progress in further reducing the dolphin mortality associated with fishing for tuna. I think we all agree about that goal, the goal of saving dolphins.”