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THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary


For Immediate Release October 25, 1994
             PRESIDENT CLINTON NAMES FOUR TO INTER-AMERICAN 
                        TROPICAL TUNA COMMISSION 

     The President today announced his intention to appoint Barbara H.

Britten of California, M. Austin Forman of Florida, James T. McCarthy of California and Michael F. Tillman of California to be U. S. Commissioners of the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission.

Ms. Barbara Britten of Davis, California is an environmental consultant. Previously, she was the Washington Representative of the American Cetacean Society and a Member of three U.S. Delegations to the International Whaling Commission. She has participated in dozens of local, regional, national and international conferences and symposia on marine environmental affairs. Her expertise includes international commercial whaling, the Marine Mammal Protection Act, the Endangered Species Act, marine debris and driftnets and entanglement.

Mr. M. Austin Forman of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida is an entrepreneur and community leader. His memberships include the Board of Directors of Florida Atlantic University Foundation. He has been Supervisor, Tindall Hammock Soil and Water Conservation District, Member of the Marine Advisory Board for Fort Lauderdale. His memberships also include the International Game Fish Association, Unified Sportsmen of Florida and several environmental organizations. His family built the Hamilton M. and Blanche C. Forman Oceanographic Institute at Nova-Southeastern University in Broward County.

Mr. James T. McCarthy of San Diego, California began with Bumble Bee Seafoods' company operations in 1973, assuming positions of ever-increasing responsibility before departing in 1989 as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. He is one of the founders of the United States Tuna Foundation and a former officer and director of the Tuna Research Foundation, Inc. Mr. McCarthy oversees Olmeda Investment Company, Inc., which he founded, and is a Director of Arts Alive! Foundation for the Performing Arts, which supports the San Diego area's performing and fine arts.

Dr. Michael F. Tillman is the Science and Research Director, Southwest Region, for the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration National Marine Fisheries Service in LaJolla, California. This means overseeing research programs on Pacific fisheries, marine mammals and endangered species. He is also Deputy Commissioner, International Whaling Commission, having been appointed by President Clinton. Dr. Tillman is a member of the Tlingit Indian Tribe of southeastern Alaska. He will be the U.S. government representative to the Commission.

The Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC) was established in 1950 to coordinate international research on tuna in the eastern Pacific Ocean, and to make regulatory proposals to conserve the species in a manner which will allow a maximum sustainable catch.

In 1992, the IATTC was given the additional role of reporting on international compliance with the Dolphin Conservation Act. Participating nations include the U.S., Costa Rica, France, Japan, Nicaragua, Panama, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Mexico and Canada. The Commission is staffed through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

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