1-1 By: Eiland (Senate Sponsor - Jackson) H.C.R. No. 177 1-2 (In the Senate - Received from the House May 7, 2001; 1-3 May 7, 2001, read first time and referred to Committee on Natural 1-4 Resources; May 11, 2001, reported favorably by the following vote: 1-5 Yeas 6, Nays 0; May 11, 2001, sent to printer.) 1-6 HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 1-7 WHEREAS, Each year during the months of February, March, and 1-8 April the Texas Gulf Coast experiences the "stranding season," the 1-9 time when the majority of dolphin and whale strandings occur, and 1-10 the Texas Marine Mammal Stranding Network is campaigning to raise 1-11 public awareness about the season and what to do if a stranded 1-12 mammal is discovered; and 1-13 WHEREAS, Founded in 1980, the network is a nonprofit, 1-14 volunteer organization dedicated to the understanding and 1-15 conservation of marine mammals; it is the only agency licensed 1-16 under the federal Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 to handle 1-17 stranded marine mammals, whether dead or alive, on the Texas coast; 1-18 and 1-19 WHEREAS, In the Galveston area alone, the network recovers 1-20 from 10 to 20 animals a week during the stranding season; when 1-21 animals are recovered alive, the network provides rescue and 1-22 rehabilitation, including medical treatment and 24-hour-a-day 1-23 observation; in every case, the stranded animal provides valuable 1-24 information, both biological and environmental; and 1-25 WHEREAS, More than 90 percent of the mammals recovered by the 1-26 network are bottlenose dolphins; because these dolphins eat the 1-27 same fish that humans do, they serve as an indicator of the 1-28 condition of the marine environment; recent research on stranded 1-29 mammals has indicated an increased incidence of heavy metals, 1-30 mercury, and other pollutants, which can contribute to cancer, 1-31 infectious arthritis, lung disease, and other ailments; and 1-32 WHEREAS, The network encourages the public to be aware of the 1-33 stranding season and to call it at 1-800-9MAMMAL whenever a 1-34 stranded mammal is discovered; network volunteers stationed along 1-35 the Texas Gulf Coast will respond immediately; if the animal is 1-36 found alive, it is important to keep the animal wet while waiting 1-37 for the volunteers; and 1-38 WHEREAS, The stranding season and its implications are of 1-39 critical importance to the citizens of Texas, and the public can 1-40 render significant service by reporting every stranded mammal to 1-41 the Texas Marine Mammal Stranding Network; now, therefore, be it 1-42 RESOLVED, That the 77th Legislature of the State of Texas 1-43 hereby designate March 2001 as Dolphin Awareness Month and commend 1-44 the admirable rescue, research, and educational work of the Texas 1-45 Marine Mammal Stranding Network. 1-46 * * * * *