Vol 78, No 108
Eugene, Oregon 97403
Wednesday, March 9, 1977
I^^Seajvsalmon controversy prompts study I
By ARDEN SNYDER
Of the Emerald
Research beginning next month in the
Rogue River Area will determine whether or
not sea lions and seals are threatening
fresh water salmon. The research was pre
cipitated by concern over the indiscnminate
killings of seals and sea lions >n fresh water
areas and with the fishermen s anger with
the animals harboring in those areas
Bruce Mate, assistant professor at
Oregon State University (OSU), will direct
the project over a two-year period Mate, a
few other scientists and a federal observer
will study the eating habits of 100 sea lions
and seals (less than one per cent of the total
population). The study will focus on those
animals which have migrated inland, some
as much as 40 miles, to fresh water areas
The animals will be killed humanely, says
Mate, and their stomach contents analyzed
to see what amount of salmon is actually
consumed
There has been a lot of emotionalism on
both sides, between animal lovers who feel
we are slaughtering seals needlessly and
fishermen who base their prejudices
against the animats on supposition," says
Mate "The study will make the facts evi
dent It is a conservation effort "
Mate s study is the first fresh water study
on seals' and sea lions eating habits.
Sponsored by OSU's Sea Grant Program,
the study was approved by the National
Marine Fisheries Service last August. The
study was supported by environmental or
ganizations including National Audubon
Society, Sierra Club and the Wilderness
Society
Mate says no part of the dead animal will
be wasted. The tissue and other matter will
be sent to various institutions for scientific
use.
"I encourage research and a rational ap
proach," says John Harville, director of
Pacific Marine Fisheries Commission. He is
disturbed over recent headline editorials
which he says push people into a polarized
view.
Harville says a significant number of
animals are being killed or injured illegally.
He would prefer an alternative such as
harassment.
"We used a sonic technique to drive the
animals away before," he says. ‘They
would follow the fishermen s boats. Any
sort of harassment is illegal now, according
to the Marine Mammals Protection Act
(MMPA) of 1972.
"Strong lobbying persists in major
amendments to the act, says Mate. One
proposed amendment is for the eradication
of seals and sea lions in river systems.
"Those seals would eat humans if they
could," says Jack Marincovitch, secretary
of the Columbia River Gillnetter’s Associa
tion (or Fishermen s Protective Union).
They consume about 100 pounds a day."
Mate says although the animals do eat
salmon, the amount is not significant
enough to decimate salmon runs. He says
an important point is that the seals and lions
also eat lamprey eels, which prey on sal
mon. This could counterbalance the seals
and sea lions’ consumption of salmon.
Diana Pope, head of the Wildlife Commit
tee of the Sierra Club in Portland, says her
only concern is, "If Mate’s study is an iso
lated piece of research, it may backfire.’’
Other factors such as timber cut on spawn
ing grounds, dams and the recent drought
should be taken into account, she says.
Women’s Day celebration attracts crowds
By HEATHER McCLENAGHAN
Of the Emerald
Stronq winds and gray skies
didn't deter several hundred
Eugene women from celebrating
International Women's Day at the
Atrium building Tuesday.
The lobby of the indoor shop
ping center was packed with
women who watched 90 minutes
of dancing, kung fu and gymnas
tics, listened to speakers, sang
songs and folk-danced
The Eugene event was one of
many throughout the world com
memorating the successful un
ionization attempts of New York
City garment workers in 1909. No
Drug alert hits Eugene,
warns of deadly imposter
The University Drug Information Center (DIC) has issued a drug
alert for a deadly heroin mixture and tablets being sold as stimulants,
but which also contain depressants.
According to DIC Director Mark Miller, a drug sold in the Eugene
area as heroin actually contained procaine, an anesthetic, and lactose,
a sugar-based substance.
The heroin substance, sold as a light brown powder at a high price,
reportedly caused headaches and nausea in some users. Miller said
allergic reactions and possible fatal cases of pneumonia could also
result from using the powder.
In the Corvallis area, a yellow, double-domed tablet, scored on one
side, has been sold as a form of stimulant. An analysis of the tablet,
Miller said, showed it contained no amphetamines, but rather consisted
of four other substances, including depressants. Miller said the tablets
could result in sedation, blurred vision, dry mouth, flushing and delirium
with respiratory depression in higher dosages.
Miller has requested anyone coming in contact with suspicious
substances contact him, anonymously, at 686-5411 to have the drugs
analyzed.
national celebration ot Interna
tional Women's Day is official in
this country, but March 8 is set
aside as a holiday in most prog
ressive socialist countries
Sue Sattel of the Feminist
Theory Collective told the audi
ence of women's role in the
American labor force and the spe
cial problems women face as
workers in a capitalist society.
Women, Sattel said, face a double
burden of exploitation in the Un
ited States. Women are expected
to stay home, raise a new genera
tion of workers and function as
unpaid domestic laborers, Sattel
said When the demands of
monopoly capital call for women
to enter the labor force, then
women work at the least
prestigious, lowest-paid jobs, Sat
tel added.
The Wallflower Order Dance
Collective presented an improvi
sational dance on the theme of
working women. The Wallflowers
danced to the music of two area
women musicians.
A self defense exhibition by
Amazon Kung Fu drew repeated
applause.
"These women absolutely
radiate strength," one observer
said. "They're so fantastically
graceful but still so overwhelm
ingly powerful that it's almost
scary to watch."
Women’s music was provided
by feminist folksinger Susan
Arrow who led the crowd in old
and new tunes dealing with op
pression, workplace organizing
and liberation.
A highlight of the program was a
mass folkdancing lesson led by
members of a Eugene women's
bluegrass group. Clapping,
stomping and hooting, the par
ticipants ringed the lobby of the
Atrium with noisy energy.
A party sponsored by the local
chapter of the National Organiza
tion for Women at George's Gar
age wrapped up Eugene's obser
vance of International Women's
Day.
Agents were planned and coor
dinated by a group of women cal
ling themselves the March 8 Coali
tion.
"I really want to thank Iris Dud
man, one of the women in the coal
ition, for making this day possi
ble,'1 said program emcee
Michelle Meyers. "Without Iris'
energy none of this would have
happened."
Dudman had to work and was
unable to attend the celebration.
todai|—
fcstac 77
Art instructor Grace
Hampton recalls her ex
periences as one of 500
U S. delegates to Festac
'77. a celebration of black
culture and history, hosted
by Nigeria. See Page 8.
Drought
The three governors of
Oregon. Washington and
Idaho gathered Tuesday to
draw up strategies for
combating the continuing
Northwest drought. See
Page 9 for the latest de
velopments on this and
other legislative issues.
2. 4. 5-T
A court order halted ef
forts by the Siuslaw Na
tional Forest management
to employ herbicides con
taining 2, 4, 5-T. Environ
mental footnotes on Page
12 looks into the factors
leading to the court's deci
sion.