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  Regulation. The Company's marine protein operations are subject to federal,
state and local laws and regulations relating to the location and periods in
which fishing may be conducted, as well as environmental and safety matters.
The Company, through its operation of fishing vessels, is subject to the
jurisdiction of the U.S. Coast Guard, the National Transportation Safety Board
and the U.S. Customs Service. The U.S. Coast Guard and the National
Transportation Safety Board set safety standards and are authorized to
investigate vessel accidents and recommend improved safety standards. The U.S.
Customs Service is authorized to inspect vessels at will.
 
  The marine protein operations of the Company also are subject to federal,
state and local laws and regulations relating to the protection of the
environment, including the federal Water Pollution Control Act of 1972, which
was significantly modified in 1977 to deal with toxic water pollutants and re-
named as the Clean Water Act, and which imposes strict controls against the
discharge of oil and other water pollutants into navigable waters. The Clean
Water Act provides penalties for any discharge of pollutants in reportable
quantities and, along with the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, imposes substantial
liability for the costs of oil removal, remediation and damages. The Company's
marine protein operations also are subject to the federal Clean Air Act, as
amended; the federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, which regulates
treatment, storage and disposal of hazardous wastes; the federal Comprehensive
Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, which imposes
liability, without regard to fault, on certain classes of persons that
contributed to the release of any "hazardous substance" into the environment;
and the federal Occupational Safety and Health Act ("OSHA"). The OSHA hazard
communications standard, the Environmental Protection Agency community right-
to-know regulations under Title III of the federal Superfund Amendment and
Reauthorization Act and similar state statutes require the Company to organize
information about hazardous materials used or produced in its operations.
Certain of this information must be provided to employees, state and local
governmental authorities and local citizens. Numerous other environmental laws
and regulations, along with similar state laws, also apply to the marine
protein operations of the Company, and all such laws and regulations are
subject to change.
 
  The Company has made, and anticipates that it will make in the future,
expenditures in the ordinary course of its business in connection with
environmental matters. Such expenditures have not been material in the past and
are not expected to be material in the future. However, there is no assurance
that environmental laws and regulations enacted in the future will not
adversely affect the Company's marine protein operations.
 
OIL AND GAS OPERATIONS
 
  The Company's only significant remaining oil and gas exploration and
production activity is the production of natural gas in Bolivia. During fiscal
1995, the Company sold its U.S. oil and gas properties in the Gulf of Mexico
for $4.0 million cash and an $8.9 million receivable representing (i) a
production payment entitling Zapata to a share of revenues from certain
properties and (ii) a share of future proceeds from a revenuing sharing
agreement. No gain or loss resulted from the sales. The Company conducts oil
and gas operations through its wholly owned subsidiary, Zapata Exploration
Company ("Zapex").
 
  The Company's decision to sell its U.S. properties did not impact its
Bolivian oil and gas operations. The Company believes the value of the Bolivian
operation would be enhanced by the construction of a proposed gas pipeline
connecting Bolivia's gas producing regions to gas markets in Brazil. The
governments of Bolivia and Brazil currently support this project and a multi-
national group has been formed to construct and operate the pipeline. The
project is progressing toward commencement of construction. Pipeline operations
are currently projected to commence during the late 1990s.
 
  In 1987, the Company wrote off its remaining investment in its oil and gas
properties in Bolivia (held by a joint venture in which the Company has an
approximate 25% interest), and all cash proceeds received by the Company
thereafter that relate to periods prior to 1988 have been recognized as
revenues. The write-off resulted from the failure of the Bolivian state-owned
petroleum company to honor its commitment to pay the joint venture for gas
deliveries on a timely basis and to remit past-due payments on an agreed
schedule. The
 
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