Lee Metcalf: “in the last few years a multi-million dollar tourist industry has been carefully built up in California, Oregon…”

“in the last few years a multi-million dollar tourist industry has been carefully built up in California, Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia. It is whale-watching. It has become a multimillion dollar industry in the last few years, and in fact, just to show Members how much, I stopped at a little hotel several miles from the water out in Washington State and walked over to their rack. I picked up all these brochures, and all of these are ones that deal with whale-watching, just to show the Members what an industry it is. Mr. Speaker, it is a wonderful industry. Its numerous small entrepreneurs take individuals or groups out onto the Puget Sound or Straits of Juan de Fuca or the Georgia Straits, or actually outside into the Pacific Ocean at certain times. There are only two species of whales that are targeted near the coast now, the gray whales and the orcas. Over the years, the last 3 or 4 or 5 years, they have become used to boats. It is easy to get close to them. They do not mind the boats there. They are not tame, but they are very tolerant. The people get a wonderful experience to go out and see these huge animals out there in their native state, and they are either moving or lolling, but it is a time that you can really feel close to something that has not been available to people in this way. Sometimes the animals will come up and even rub against the boats. Mr. Speaker, this is about to change dramatically.…”