00                            HOUSE BILL NO. 308                                                                          
01 "An Act related to exchanging public land for privately held riverbank and stream bank                                  
02 lands."                                                                                                                 
03 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                                
04    * Section 1.  AS 16.05 is amended by adding a new section to read:                                                 
05            Sec. 16.05.096.  Identification of privately held land along fishing river                                 
06       and stream banks.  (a)  The commissioner shall identify undeveloped privately                                   
07       owned land along rivers and streams that support sport fish in significant numbers or                             
08       of significant size, beginning with those parcels along rivers and streams that are                               
09       within five miles walking distance of a public road.  In this subsection,                                         
10                 (1)  "significant numbers" means in sufficient numbers to support                                       
11                      (A)  a pleasurable catch and release fishery; or                                                   
12                      (B)  a commercial or subsistence fishery;                                                          
13                 (2)  "significant size" means at least as large as the average for an adult                             
14       fish of the species in Alaska.                                                                                    

01            (b)  The commissioner shall classify each parcel identified under (a) of this                                
02       section based on the degree to which acquisition of the parcel would enhance public                               
03       access to a desirable fishing area as either a highly desirable, moderately desirable, or                         
04       not moderately desirable public access location, based on the relative size and                                   
05       numbers of wild fish in the river or stream and whether development of the parcel                                 
06       would have a detrimental impact on fishing access at that river or stream.                                        
07            (c)  The commissioner shall provide a list of the parcels identified and their                               
08       classification to the commissioner of natural resources.                                                          
09    * Sec. 2.  AS 38.50 is amended by adding a new section to read:                                                    
10            Sec. 38.50.015.  Exchange for river and stream bank property.  The                                         
11       commissioner shall endeavor to exchange public land for the privately held land                                   
12       identified by the commissioner of fish and game under AS 16.05.096.  The                                          
13       commissioner shall consider the classification of each parcel by the Department of                                
14       Fish and Game and, in negotiating for or arranging an exchange, give priority to land                             
15       likely to be developed in the near future if the land remains in private ownership.  The                          
16       commissioner shall first endeavor to obtain by exchange land in the following                                     
17       drainages:                                                                                                        
18                 (1)  Anchor River;                                                                                      
19                 (2)  Deep Creek, adjacent to Ninilchik;                                                                 
20                 (3)  all streams and rivers that intersect the George Parks Highway                                     
21       between miles 50 and 150 that support fish of significant size, as that term is defined                           
22       in AS 16.05.096(a); and                                                                                           
23                 (4)  all land that is                                                                                   
24                      (A)  adjacent to a highly desirable fishing area;                                                  
25                      (B)  likely to be developed in the near future; and                                                
26                      (C)  located within two miles of a public road.