Legislature(2001 - 2002)

02/25/2002 03:52 PM House FSH

Audio Topic
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
HB 283-APPOINTMENTS TO BOARD OF FISHERIES                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR WILSON  said that the  next matter before  the committee                                                               
would be HOUSE BILL NO. 283,  "An Act relating to appointments to                                                               
the Board  of Fisheries and  to the  ex officio secretary  of the                                                               
Board of Fisheries."                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Number 1761                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  SCALZI  moved  to  adopt CSHB  283,  version  22-                                                               
LS1083\L.   There being  no objection, Version  L was  before the                                                               
committee.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE SCALZI  said that the  purpose of the bill  was to                                                               
have  designated seats,  similar to  other resource  boards.   He                                                               
said that  potential board members  would "have to pass  the red-                                                               
face  test"   in  front  of   the  legislature  to   prove  their                                                               
qualifications  to serve.   Representative  Scalzi said  that the                                                               
changes in the proposed CS were  a result of discussions from the                                                               
previous  meeting.   He mentioned  the discussion  on a  stronger                                                               
subsistence representation.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE SCALZI gave a breakdown  of the new makeup for the                                                               
board in  Version L.   There would be  two members with  at least                                                               
five years  of commercial fishing  throughout the  state, engaged                                                               
in the  profession of commercial  fishing in the state,  and they                                                               
would  hold  commercial  fishery  entry permits  or  interim  use                                                               
permits  issued  by  the Commercial  Fisheries  Entry  Commission                                                               
(CFEC).  Two  members would have at least  five year's experience                                                               
in  sport fishing,  personal use  fishing, or  a commercial-sport                                                               
operation, or combined experience  in those activities, and would                                                               
hold  a sport  or  personal  fishing licenses  or  permits.   Two                                                               
members  would  have  to  be   recognized  as  representative  of                                                               
subsistence   users  with   at   least  five   years  of   active                                                               
participation in subsistence  fishing in the state.   He said one                                                               
member would be  at-large, giving the governor  some latitude for                                                               
placing a designee on the board.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Number 1595                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  SCALZI  went through  the  makeup  of five  other                                                               
boards  in the  state  that  deal with  resources  and gave  some                                                               
examples.   He  said  that  they shared  a  broad approach,  with                                                               
designated seats.   He said he would like to  see more discussion                                                               
on  the  bill but  urged  it  be  moved  to the  House  Resources                                                               
Standing Committee.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Number 1451                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR  STEVENS asked  what the  thinking was  in deleting  the                                                               
portion  that  designates the  commissioner  as  the "ex  officio                                                               
secretary".                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  SCALZI said  that the  deletion would  be changed                                                               
and apologized  for not catching the  mistake.  He said  that one                                                               
public member  was added and  it was not  his intent to  take the                                                               
commissioner out.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Number 1256                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
PAUL SHADURA, Kenai  Peninsula Fisherman's Association, testified                                                               
via teleconference.  He said  his association has come before the                                                               
committee "many times"  to express its discontent  with the Board                                                               
of  Fisheries  process.   He  said  that the  board's  convoluted                                                               
process  has  destroyed the  faith  of  Alaskan residents.    Mr.                                                               
Shadura  said  that  the  commercial   fishing  industry  has  no                                                               
advocates, understanding,  or justice on the  Board of Fisheries.                                                               
He  told of  a  "two-week  ordeal" with  the  Board of  Fisheries                                                               
concerning  Cook Inlet  issues.   He read  from his  testimony at                                                               
that meeting:                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
     I'm here before you now  to tell you that the fishermen                                                                    
     in  Cook  Inlet  would  like  to  be  able  to  discuss                                                                    
     solutions instead of being here  debating who gets what                                                                    
     and  when.   That is  the  reason that  we cannot  move                                                                    
     forward.  We have no  regulatory stability.  How can we                                                                    
     as  a  business  community  plan and  develop  for  the                                                                    
     future if  we are  constantly re-regulated  every year?                                                                    
     What kind  of game  plan can we  design when  the rules                                                                    
     are  changed constantly?   So  let us  just be  honest,                                                                    
     straightforward men and women.   Why doesn't your body,                                                                    
     the   legislative  hand   of   the  state   -  and   as                                                                    
     administrative directors  because you're  all appointed                                                                    
     by the governor - just say  to us, "The State of Alaska                                                                    
     does  not want  a commercial  fishing industry  in Cook                                                                    
     Inlet, Alaska"  or "The State  of Alaska does  not want                                                                    
     to allow the commercial  fishing industry in Cook Inlet                                                                    
     a viable opportunity to harvest salmon."                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
MR.  SHADURA  said that  the  board  answered with  actions  that                                                               
"destabilized and collapsed  any hopes for the future."   He said                                                               
habitat  concerns  were disregarded,  and  the  local users  were                                                               
relegated to the  "backseat."  He asked the  committee to support                                                               
the  fisheries   community,  residents,  and  the   heritage  and                                                               
lifestyle that make  Alaska and Alaskans unique  by supporting HB
283 in  its original form.   He said that  he did not  agree with                                                               
the proposed  CS and that  it was not  in line with  the original                                                               
intent.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Number 1107                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
DON JOHNSON  testified via  teleconference.  He  said he  did not                                                               
support HB 283  because the "quota comparisons"  "[smell] like an                                                               
apples  and oranges  case."   He said  that fisheries  are public                                                               
trusts,  unlike  the  examples given  earlier  by  Representative                                                               
Scalzi.  He  said it should be handled differently  because it is                                                               
a public  issue.  Mr. Johnson  said that as far  as the knowledge                                                               
of board  members, he  did not  have a  problem with  the current                                                               
members'  level of  knowledge.   Mr. Johnson  told the  committee                                                               
that he did  not think the process of the  board was perfect, but                                                               
he said that he  had "reasonable faith" in it.   He said that the                                                               
current statute  requires the governor  to "select people  with a                                                               
diversity of  interests and difference  in points of views."   He                                                               
said that the bill takes  the same consideration into its wording                                                               
but  also  adds  a  "quota  system"  that  defeats  the  goal  of                                                               
diversity.    He  said  that   the  allocated  seats  only  allow                                                               
"basically three" viewpoints.   He said he  believes AS 16.05.221                                                               
is adequate and that the bill is not needed.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Number 0836                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
FRANK  LIBAL  testified via  teleconference.    He said  that  he                                                               
supports HB 283,  and that he believes some of  the problems that                                                               
emanate from the  board's decisions could be corrected.   He said                                                               
that  he sees  a problem  in  the current  selection process  for                                                               
members  of the  Board of  Fisheries.   It is  currently weighted                                                               
strongly in favor of terminal fisheries  advocates.  He said as a                                                               
saltwater sport troller and guide,  his interests would be better                                                               
served  by  board  members with  unprejudiced  attitudes  towards                                                               
mixed-stock fisheries.  He said  this bill would provide a better                                                               
representation of his interests.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
MR. LIBAL said that in his  opinion, as board members continue to                                                               
serve repeated  terms on  the board,  the opportunity  arises for                                                               
individuals to  promote their  own personal  agendas.   Mr. Libal                                                               
said that  the reduction of  resident king salmon limits  to five                                                               
per year  was contrary to  the wishes  of the advisory  board for                                                               
the   Cook   Inlet   area.     These   committees   are   elected                                                               
representatives of  the residents of  Alaska.  He said  that when                                                               
the advisory  committees are disregarded, the  citizens of Alaska                                                               
are  disenfranchised.   He  said  that in  effect,  the Board  of                                                               
Fisheries   stole  a   portion  of   the  culture   from  coastal                                                               
communities.  Enacting term limits  would prevent similar actions                                                               
in the future.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Number 0703                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
LANCE  NELSON,  Assistant  Attorney  General,  Natural  Resources                                                               
Section Civil Division (Anchorage),  Department of Law, testified                                                               
via teleconference.   He said that he was assigned  to advise the                                                               
Board   of  Fisheries   in   their  meetings.      He  said   the                                                               
administration's   concerns  were   largely   addressed  by   Don                                                               
Johnson's remarks.   He said that the current  board could easily                                                               
be appointed by the system outlined  in the proposed CS.  He said                                                               
that  he was  not sure  if this  bill would  address concerns  of                                                               
those who are  unhappy with the makeup of the  current board.  He                                                               
also said  that there could  be seven commercial  fishermen, five                                                               
of which  could also be  sport fishermen,  subsistence fishermen,                                                               
or public members  at large.  He said that  seat designations are                                                               
not effective in building the  best possible board.  Designations                                                               
are  always  in  dispute  because   there  are  myriad  types  of                                                               
commercial,  sport,  and  subsistence  fishing.   He  said  board                                                               
members  should represent  the entire  public,  not just  certain                                                               
constituencies.  He said seven  seats are not enough to represent                                                               
all of the constituencies in the state.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Number 0532                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE SCALZI asked, since the  Board of Fisheries is set                                                               
up by the  legislature, and if it is the  legislature's intent to                                                               
have  designated  seats, would  it  not  be consistent  with  the                                                               
legislative process.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
MR. NELSON  said it would  be.  He added  that he was  not taking                                                               
issue with  the legal issues  of the bill.   He said that  he was                                                               
addressing the policy issues.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE SCALZI said  that it is very  difficult to confirm                                                               
a board member  who does not "pass the red-face  test" of meeting                                                               
criteria  to hold  a seat.   He  gave the  example of  two sport-                                                               
fishing seats.   He said  that he  did not think  the legislature                                                               
would look  at a commercial  fisherman who holds a  sport license                                                               
as passing the red-face test to sit as a sport fish member.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Number 0303                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
ROBERT  HEYANO,  Bristol  Bay  Economic  Development  Corporation                                                               
(BBEDC), testified via  teleconference.  He said  that BBEDC does                                                               
not support HB  283.  He said that the  past and existing members                                                               
of the  board are  knowledgeable in all  fishery issues  and that                                                               
they  support  the current  system  of  governor appointment  and                                                               
legislative approval of board members.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Number 0188                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
NANCY  HILLSTRAND testified  via  teleconference.   She told  the                                                               
committee  that  she  has  witnessed   the  board  process  as  a                                                               
fisherman and  processor in  the state.   She  said that  she has                                                               
seen the  demise of  viable fisheries because  of a  past board's                                                               
focus  on  allocation  instead of  biological  complexity.    Ms.                                                               
Hillstrand  said designated  seats may  be a  good idea,  but the                                                               
fisheries are not simply an  allocative process.  The board needs                                                               
to  have a  balance  between conservation  and development  along                                                               
with the  expertise in working  with joint boards,  agencies, and                                                               
others within  the state.   She said she  has never seen  a board                                                               
work as  hard as the present  one at trying to  balance the goals                                                               
of development, utilization, and conservation.   It has created a                                                               
sustainable  salmon   policy,  management  plans   for  shellfish                                                               
protection,  and nearshore  fisheries for  local residents.   She                                                               
said  that she  is speaking  from a  statewide perspective.   Ms.                                                               
Hillstrand said  she does not  get everything she wants,  but she                                                               
said with  such a  complex issue, people  cannot always  get what                                                               
they  want.   She called  the process  of managing  the fisheries                                                               
"complex."   She  listed many  agencies and  interests that  must                                                               
interact in order for fisheries to be managed properly.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
TAPE 02-5, SIDE A                                                                                                               
Number 0050                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
GERALD  (JERRY)   McCUNE,  United  Fishermen  of   Alaska  (UFA),                                                               
testified before  the committee.   He  said that  the UFA  is not                                                               
questioning the  members of the  board or  their work ethic.   He                                                               
said that  commercial fishermen are  committed to  be responsible                                                               
to  the resource,  as  is the  board.   He  said  that the  UFA's                                                               
frustration  comes   from  its  having  put   names  forward  for                                                               
appointment on  the board  for the  past eight  years.   In eight                                                               
years  there  has only  been  one  strong representative  of  the                                                               
industry appointed.   He said  that commercial fishing is  a "big                                                               
use" and  the UFA  would like a  strong voice on  the board.   He                                                               
said sport  fishing is a  big use  in some areas,  but commercial                                                               
fishing touches the  state from Nome to Sitka.   He said there is                                                               
nobody on the  board who has fished  all over the state  or has a                                                               
sense of all the fisheries in the state.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Number 0268                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE KERTTULA  asked Mr.  McCune what he  thought about                                                               
the possibility  of having all  seven members of the  board being                                                               
commercial fishermen.   She asked  if he thought it  important to                                                               
see  the board  "broadened  out,"  not knowing  who  or what  the                                                               
policies of the next administration may be.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
MR. McCUNE  said he was  not sure  what Lance Nelson  was talking                                                               
about  in  his   statement  that  all  seven   members  could  be                                                               
commercial fishermen.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  KERTTULA  said  that to  her  understanding,  the                                                               
concern  was about  sport fishers  who are  also holding  limited                                                               
entry  permits.   She  said that  it  is a  problem  that is  not                                                               
specified, so  all the members  could be commercial  fishermen as                                                               
well as in  the other categories.   She asked if that  was in the                                                               
intent.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Number 0415                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
MR. McCUNE  said that the UFA  was not happy "paring  it down" to                                                               
"two,  two, two,  one."    He said  that  subsistence is  already                                                               
protected by regional  federal subsistence boards.   He said that                                                               
the UFA would  be open to limiting the sport  fish seats to those                                                               
who do not hold a limited entry permit.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Number 0520                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR STEVENS asked  about the issue of term limits.   He said                                                               
that to his  understanding, one could be  appointed, serve, leave                                                               
the board, and then return and serve again later.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
MR. McCUNE  said that  six years would  provide diversity  to the                                                               
board and give enough time for  a member to "get their feet wet."                                                               
He said that  it would not preclude a person  from coming back to                                                               
the board after a period of being off of the board.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE KERTTULA asked about the  average length of a term                                                               
on the board and what the longest term was.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
MR. McCUNE  said that the  longest was a  20-year term.   He said                                                               
that the average term depends on the governor.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Number 0726                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE SCALZI  said that he  would like to move  the bill                                                               
out of committee  because it is a  work in progress.   He said he                                                               
would  like  to move  the  [Version  L]  to the  House  Resources                                                               
Standing Committee  and take more  public comment.  He  said that                                                               
he would  not have a  problem with adding language  assuring that                                                               
commercial fishermen were not appointed  to the board for a sport                                                               
fish seat.   He went back  to his assertion that  the legislature                                                               
would not appoint members who did not pass the red-face test.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Number 0886                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE KERTTULA  said that her other  concern was whether                                                               
the bill would preclude people  who had been active fishermen but                                                               
just recently quit.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE SCALZI said  that it was not  his original intent,                                                               
but after  the UFA met,  they specified that they  wanted current                                                               
fishermen.  He  said that it was unfortunate to  lose the pool of                                                               
knowledge that  members who no  longer fished could bring  to the                                                               
table, but he added that he went with what the UFA asked for.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE KERTTULA proposed perhaps  including those who had                                                               
fished within the past ten years for consideration.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Number 0963                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR  STEVENS made  a motion  to move  CSHB 283,  version 22-                                                               
LS1083\L, out of committee with  individual recommendations and a                                                               
zero fiscal note.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Number 0975                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE COGHILL  objected to make  sure there was  a vote.                                                               
He said he had some concerns  about the language on the makeup of                                                               
the board.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
A  roll call  vote  was taken.    Representatives Scalzi,  Dyson,                                                               
Kerttula,  Stevens, and  Wilson voted  to move  Version L  out of                                                               
committee.    Representative  Coghill voted  against  moving  it.                                                               
Therefore, CSHB 283  (FSH) was reported out of  the House Special                                                               
Committee on Fisheries by a vote of 5 - 1.                                                                                      

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