William R. Richardson: “Mr. speaker, the Gilchrest approach offers the dolphin a better chance than the alternatives. Let me say that the Studds…”

“Mr. speaker, the Gilchrest approach offers the dolphin a better chance than the alternatives. Let me say that the Studds approach is also in my judgment a good alternative, but this one is much better because we would not be going it alone. Internationally we would be supported by many countries using the approach of Wayne Gilchrest. Mr. Speaker, the argument is very simple. If fleets do not receive some reward for their changed behavior soon, they will revert to their old and easier ways of fishing. Dolphin casualties are going to rise. Under this proposal, we are going to keep international monitoring programs all in effect. This legislation is critical for both the environmental and international communities. I hope my colleagues will support this bill that is fair, is necessary. It is moderate and has broad support. Mr. Speaker, who can be greener than Al Gore, the Vice President of the United States who supports this bill? This bill is the next step in the process of minimizing the impact of tuna fishing on dolphin populations in the marine ecosystem. In 1972, over 400,000 dolphins died in tuna nets. Last year that number was just over 3,000. The Saxton-Gilchrest bill, of which I am a cosponsor, locks into a place a 99 percent improvement in environmental protection. Dolphin protection in international waters cannot be carried out by the United States alone. If we go the alternative route, everyone will say, there goes the United States, on its own again.”