Olympia Snowe: “I would like to thank Mr. Studds, Mr. Saxton, Mr. Young, and the other members of the committee for including language…”

“I would like to thank Mr. Studds, Mr. Saxton, Mr. Young, and the other members of the committee for including language in H.R. 2760 to create a special committee of the Pinniped- Fishery Interaction Task Force that will study the problem of seal predation on aquaculture pens in Maine. Mainers and visitors to my State very much enjoy and appreciate the healthy populations of seals living along our coast. Seals account for a significant share of coastal Maine's great appeal to people all over the world. But unfortunately, as Maine's salmon aquaculture industry has developed in recent years, some seals have begun to invade fish pens for an easy meal, damaging the pens and releasing fish in the process. The Maine aquaculture industry estimates the cost of this damage in the millions of dollars. Not all seals exhibit this predatory behavior, but the ones that do seem to repeat their predations. Clearly, something must be done to ensure the peaceful coexistence of both seals and the aquaculture industry on the coast of Maine. The special committee of the Pinniped-Fishery Interaction Task Force will analyze the problem in Maine, identify existing nonlethal means of mitigation, recommend research on additional means of mitigation, and examine whether limited intentional lethal takes of seals should be permitted if nonlethal alternatives do not succeed in protecting salmon pens from seals.”