Legislature(2011 - 2012)CAPITOL 120
03/01/2012 05:00 PM House FISHERIES
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HCR25 | |
| HB332 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | HB 332 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | HCR 25 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
HOUSE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON FISHERIES
March 1, 2012
5:04 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Steve Thompson, Chair
Representative Craig Johnson, Vice Chair
Representative Alan Austerman
Representative Bob Herron
Representative Lance Pruitt
Representative Scott Kawasaki
Representative Bob Miller
MEMBERS ABSENT
All members present
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 25
Celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Wildlife and Sport Fish
Restoration Program.
- MOVED CSHCR 25(FSH) OUT OF COMMITTEE
HOUSE BILL NO. 332
"An Act establishing the Alaska Chinook research and restoration
endowment fund and relating to grants from the fund."
- MOVED CSHB 332(FSH) OUT OF COMMITTEE
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: HCR 25
SHORT TITLE: WILDLIFE & SPORT FISH RESTORATION PROGRAM
SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) NEUMAN
02/22/12 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
02/22/12 (H) FSH
03/01/12 (H) FSH AT 5:00 PM CAPITOL 120
BILL: HB 332
SHORT TITLE: CHINOOK RESEARCH & RESTORATION ENDOWMENT
SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) HERRON
02/20/12 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
02/20/12 (H) FSH, FIN
03/01/12 (H) FSH AT 5:00 PM CAPITOL 120
WITNESS REGISTER
REPRESENTATIVE MARK NEUMAN
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Presented HCR 25, as the prime sponsor of
the resolution.
LISA EVANS, Assistant Director
Division of Sport Fish
Alaska Department of Fish & Game (ADF&G)
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of HCR 25.
REPRESENTATIVE BOB HERRON
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Presented HB 332 as the prime sponsor of
the bill.
KAREN GILLIS, Executive Director
Bering Sea Fishermen's Association
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of HB 332.
JOHN STARKY
Association of Village Council Presidents
Bethel, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified during discussion of HB 332.
ROSE FOSDICK, Vice President
Natural Resources
Kawerak Incorporated
Nome, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of HB 332.
STAN ZURAY
Yukon River Drainage Fisheries Association
Tanana, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of HB 332.
FRITZ JOHNSON, Regional Fisheries Coordinator
Bristol Bay Economic Development Corporation
Dillingham, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of HB 332.
JOSEPH FAITH
Dillingham, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of HB 332.
TIM ANDREWS
Association of Village Council Presidents (AVCP)
Bethel, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of HB 332.
GERRY MCCUNE, Lobbyist
Cordova District Fishermen United
Cordova, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of HB 332.
ERIC VOLK, Chief of Research for Anadromous Fisheries
Division of Commercial Fisheries
Alaska Department of Fish & Game
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified during discussion of HB 332.
ACTION NARRATIVE
5:04:08 PM
CHAIR STEVE THOMPSON called the House Special Committee on
Fisheries meeting to order at 5:04 p.m. Representatives
Thompson, Herron, Austerman, Miller, and Kawasaki were present
at the call to order. Representatives Johnson and Pruitt
arrived as the meeting was in progress.
HCR 25-WILDLIFE & SPORT FISH RESTORATION PROGRAM
5:04:31 PM
CHAIR THOMPSON announced that the first order of business would
be HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 25, Celebrating the 75th
anniversary of the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program.
5:04:57 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MARK NEUMAN, Alaska State Legislature, presented
HCR 25 as the prime sponsor. He said that the wildlife and
sport fish restoration program was being commemorated on its
75th anniversary with recognition to sportsmen, industry, and
state and federal agencies that have been active in preserving
this heritage. He reported that wildlife restoration began with
the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act of 1937, which
established funding for restoration of wildlife and the
acquisition, development, and management of habitats. He noted
that this act was amended in 1970 to provide funding for hunter
training programs and public shooting ranges. He noted that in
1950 the Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Act used a
federal excise tax on fishing gear and motor boat fuel to fund
grant money for fishery conservation, boating access, and
aquatic education. He declared that these all created an
effective "user pay - user benefit system." He declared that,
since 1939, the contributions to state fish and wildlife
agencies from wildlife and sport fish restoration programs had
exceeded $13 billion. He emphasized that this was "a model of
conservation unique to the rest of the world" and:
it is my hope that the Alaska State Legislature, on
the 75th Anniversary of the nation's greatest
conservation story, recognizes the leading roles that
hunters, anglers, boaters, recreational shooters, and
industry, and state and federal wildlife agencies all
have played in restoring healthy populations of fish
and wildlife and other natural resources by passing
this resolution.
5:09:00 PM
LISA EVANS, Assistant Director, Division of Sport Fish, Alaska
Department of Fish & Game (ADF&G), testified that the Alaska
Department of Fish & Game supported HCR 25 and its recognition
of the most successful fish and wildlife restoration and
management program in the world. She stated that the unique
"user pay - user benefit system" had allowed the ADF&G to
actively manage the state fish and wildlife resources to ensure
opportunities for the present and the future. She reported that
the wildlife and sport fish restoration program had paid nearly
$666 million to ADF&G since 1942, which had been essential to
the operation and management for research, education, and public
access to the resources.
5:10:33 PM
MS. EVANS reported that Whittier was the only natural, ice free,
deep water port in Southcentral Alaska, was close to Anchorage,
and was the gateway to Prince William Sound and its numerous
sport fishing and recreational boating opportunities. She
stated that the sport fish restoration and angler license
dollars had been used to rehabilitate and improve the old boat
launch ramp facilities and mooring dock. She said that a
significant amount of wildlife restoration dollars had been
spent on monitoring the population size, calf production and
survival, adult mortality, health and body conditions, and meat
assessment for human consumption of the Western Arctic Caribou
herd.
5:12:33 PM
MS. EVANS offered a final example of combined wildlife and sport
fish restoration dollars, which were leveraged with private
donations and volunteer efforts, to sponsor introductory events
to encourage anglers and hunters to enjoy the abundance in
Alaska. These skills-oriented programs, including Becoming an
Outdoorswoman, hunter education, outdoor youth days, and Alaska
Conservation camp, ensured the future of the "user pay - user
benefit system." She summarized that the Wildlife and Sport
Fish Restoration Program was an American legacy that was
beneficial to everyone, and she expressed her gratitude to the
user groups which provided the funding.
5:14:52 PM
REPRESENTATIVE NEUMAN, in response to Representative Johnson,
said that an amendment to add others to the list of those
receiving copies of the resolution would be welcomed.
5:16:04 PM
REPRESENTATIVE JOHNSON moved to adopt Conceptual Amendment 1, as
follows:
Page 2, line 27, after "sent to the"
Insert "Safari Club International (SCI) Alaska,
National Assembly of Sportsmen's Caucuses,"
There being no objection, it was so ordered.
5:16:43 PM
REPRESENTATIVE JOHNSON moved to report HCR 25, Version 27-
LS1350\M, as amended, out of committee with the accompanying
individual recommendations and zero fiscal note. There being no
objection, CSHCR 25(FSH) was reported from the House Special
Committee on Fisheries.
5:17:05 PM
The committee took an at-ease from 5:17 p.m. to 5:19 p.m.
HB 332-CHINOOK RESEARCH & RESTORATION ENDOWMENT
5:19:35 PM
CHAIR THOMPSON announced that the final order of business would
be HOUSE BILL NO. 332, "An Act establishing the Alaska Chinook
research and restoration endowment fund and relating to grants
from the fund."
5:19:54 PM
REPRESENTATIVE JOHNSON moved to adopt the proposed committee
substitute (CS) for HB 332, Version 27-LS1395\M, Kirsch,
2/23/12, as the working document.
CHAIR THOMPSON objected for discussion.
5:20:18 PM
REPRESENTATIVE BOB HERRON, Alaska State Legislature, presented
HB 332 and paraphrased from the sponsor statement [Included in
members' packets]. He explained that the proposed bill created
an Alaska Chinook salmon research and restoration fund in the
Department of Revenue (DOR), with grants only being issued to
qualifying organizations. He announced that the Chinook salmon
was the state fish of Alaska, and was an important staple food,
economically important for commercial fisheries, and a prized
sport fish resource. He declared that, as shifts in Chinook
salmon populations predicated the shifts in other salmon
species, the proposed legislation could support research to
eliminate any declines in its abundance. He reported that
"eight of the fourteen currently listed stocks of concern are
Chinook salmon stocks," and that most of the major Chinook
stocks were in a decline. He declared that the fund would not
be a dedicated fund, would establish a grant account within the
general fund, and would seek a 5 percent real rate of return.
He explained that the Commissioner of the Alaska Department of
Fish & Game would identify the available appropriations, and the
legislature would determine what to appropriate to the grant
account from the fund. He said that the grant account would be
used for research and restoration for Chinook salmon, as well as
reimbursement to the departments for costs associated with the
fund. He expressed his hope that there would be matching
private and federal grants to the fund. He explained that the
administrative board, consisting of the commissioner of ADF&G,
as well as six public members with experience harvesting Chinook
salmon, would be appointed by the governor. He pointed out that
the rules for the board would be outlined in the proposed
legislation. He read from the sponsor statement:
This legislation would create a stable, long-term
source of funding to support high quality
interdisciplinary research. ... With this
legislation, Alaska can increase its understanding of
Chinook salmon and hopefully learn how to best target
remediation efforts in order to begin restoring this
vital resource.
5:24:13 PM
REPRESENTATIVE AUSTERMAN asked if the stocks of concern would
have priority over other research or restoration projects.
REPRESENTATIVE HERRON offered his belief that the board should
be involved in the project decisions.
5:24:58 PM
REPRESENTATIVE AUSTERMAN directed attention to page 6, line 15,
of Version M, and asked if experience was necessary for both
research and restoration.
REPRESENTATIVE HERRON expressed his agreement that this was a
good point and suggested that the committee discuss this
further.
5:26:05 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MILLER asked if these efforts were confined to
Chinook salmon.
REPRESENTATIVE HERRON replied that the intent was to target
Chinook salmon, but deferred to other testifiers for more
definition.
5:27:36 PM
KAREN GILLIS, Executive Director, Bering Sea Fishermen's
Association, said that the organization had been active in
research and restoration projects in the Arctic Yukon-Kuskokwim
areas. Referring to a handout [Included in members' packets]
titled "Comprehensive Defense for House Bill 332," she directed
attention to the graph on page 3, which showed the overall
decline in Chinook salmon harvest since 1982. She declared that
research became increasingly more important as fish populations
declined, and the impact became greater on ocean eco systems.
She noted that research allowed policy makers to determine
policies and courses of action. She emphasized that the
establishment of an effective program to address the causes of
the Chinook decline would require multi-disciplinary research
across the full salmon life cycle.
5:29:48 PM
MS. GILLIS listed some of the highlights from programs
associated with Bering Sea Fishermen's Association. She stated
that the Arctic Yukon Kuskokwim Sustainable Salmon Initiative
(AYKSSI) had spent $22 million funding research projects to
better understand the causes for the variability of all five
salmon species and to support the development of improved
fisheries management tools. She talked about the development of
a research action plan for the Arctic Yukon Kuskokwim region
Chinook salmon, to identify which variables and processes were
the most likely causative factors of recent declines and to
produce a detailed set of research priorities and questions
which would target the key drivers of Chinook salmon abundance.
She shared that an expert panel was working to identify research
questions, and hypotheses, and to draft example summaries of
proposed research to guide future research efforts. She
identified that the next project was for escapement goals to
ensure sustainable fisheries, and would offer advice on the most
appropriate management efforts. After consideration of a broad
range of approaches and analytical frameworks, such as the best
methods for dealing with limited data situations, it would
decide the best methods for determining escapement goals in
different drainage systems, and the best model for establishment
of escapement goals in subsistence dominated fisheries. She
went on to explain that techniques would be developed to
incorporate uncertainty and risk into management evaluation.
She declared that some changes in salmon production were a
result of natural causes and were inevitable; however, there
were situations that could be addressed through policy and
decision making. She pointed out that there were several
endowment funded programs in Alaska, which conducted high
quality, long term, and interdisciplinary research necessary to
advance their missions. She mentioned the Pacific Salmon
Commission's Northern Boundary and Trans Boundary Rivers
restoration enhancement fund and the North Pacific Research
Board. She said that some other examples of endowment funding
included the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council and the
Prince William Sound Oil Spill Recovery Institute.
MS. GILLIS summarized by stating that research was necessary to
manage resources. She offered the option to either continue to
seek annual funding for an issue that demanded millions of
dollars over several years, or to set aside money to prevent the
further decline of these stocks. She offered her belief that
there were serious future problems for Chinook salmon in Alaska,
and declared that it was necessary to immediately research
prevention from further declines.
5:35:16 PM
CHAIR THOMPSON asked about if there was any research being
conducted on ocean acidification in the Bering Sea.
MS. GILLIS said that ocean acidification was one of the
priorities for the North Pacific Research Board, but that she
was not aware of specific plans for a research program.
5:36:02 PM
JOHN STARKY, Association of Village Council Presidents, reported
that Chinook salmon were annually the first run in the Yukon and
Kuskokwim Rivers, and he detailed their commercial, cultural,
nutritional, economic, and social value. He declared that the
declining Chinook populations were barely replacing themselves,
even without any harvest. He stated that a $25 million
endowment fund was a great investment for research and a way for
the state to fulfill its constitutional mandate for sustained
yield and common use of a resource. He offered his belief that
the Community Development Quota (CDQ) programs in Western Alaska
would also help endow the fund and would encourage investment.
He named several other possible sources, including the Pacific
Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund. He declared that the endowment
fund was a great partnership with ADF&G.
5:41:00 PM
MR. STARKY, responding to an earlier question by Representative
Austerman, directed attention to page 6 of the proposed bill
which listed the priorities for grant funding. He then
responded to an earlier question whether this legislation was
only directed towards Chinook salmon, explaining that all the
other salmon stocks would benefit from any research.
5:42:29 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MILLER inquired about any expectations for the
duration of the research project prior to having reliable data
to take any action.
MR. STARKY, in response, stated that, although there was not a
specific time frame, the AYKSSI had formed a Chinook expert
panel to develop a research plan, which included the setting of
escapement goals.
5:44:33 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MILLER asked if there were Chinook salmon
elsewhere in the world, and if there was any other research to
help solve the puzzle in Alaska.
MR. STARKY replied that the Chinook panel had accumulated all
the research from across the state, and that the one-time strong
Chinook salmon runs along the western United States seaboard
were now endangered or in decline.
5:46:13 PM
ROSE FOSDICK, Vice President, Natural Resources, Kawerak
Incorporated, testified in support of proposed HB 332 and
directed attention to the submitted letter of support. [Included
in members' packets] She pointed to the attached spreadsheet,
which outlined the failure to attain the escapement goals for
salmon returning to the Norton Sound rivers over the prior nine
years. She declared that subsistence fishermen were no longer
able to harvest. She noted that many changes were happening in
the Bering Sea, but that the impacts were still unknown.
5:48:42 PM
STAN ZURAY, Yukon River Drainage Fisheries Association,
testified in support of HB 332, and mentioned his background as
a subsistence and commercial fisherman for 40 years, as well as
his work on Chinook monitoring projects in the area. He
paraphrased from a prepared statement, which read as follows
[original punctuation provided] [Included in members' packets]:
The Chinook salmon which are such a critical
foundation for cultures, communities and economies
along the Yukon River have declined dramatically in
recent years. Yukon River Chinook salmon runs
declined to disaster levels from 1998 to 2002. After
a brief improvement from 2003 to 2006, runs have
declined since, with escapement goals to Canada not
met in 2007, 2008, or 2010, and subsistence harvest
restricted. Overall, "mean run size of Canadian-
origin Chinook for the period 1998-2010 declined 45%
compared to the period 1982-1997."
5:50:53 PM
MR. ZURAY declared that more studies were necessary as it was
unknown, at this time, what was a quality Chinook salmon run.
He declared that various monitoring projects to study the
Chinook were start and stop efforts, and did not provide
adequate data. He said that the average subsistence Chinook
size in 2010 was about 10.2 pounds, and that, during the last
year, the Chinook runs were minimal and many fish camps were not
being attended. He pointed out that, although the runs had been
restricted from commercial use, the subsistence fishing was now
to a critical point.
5:54:59 PM
FRITZ JOHNSON, Regional Fisheries Coordinator, Bristol Bay
Economic Development Corporation, urged passage of proposed HB
332 as there were enhanced restrictions on commercial and sport
fishing of Chinook salmon.
5:55:56 PM
JOSEPH FAITH testified in support of proposed HB 332, and said
that Chinook fishing defined Alaska to the rest of the world and
were important to subsistence and commercial fishermen. He
expressed concern for the escapement goals for Chinook and
sockeye salmon.
5:57:26 PM
TIM ANDREWS, Association of Village Council Presidents (AVCP),
testified in support of proposed HB 332. He stated that the
decline in Chinook salmon was particularly hard on the
subsistence and commercial fishermen on the Yukon River. He
reported that, although the annual area per capita consumption
of salmon was about 320 pounds, between 2008 and 2010, the
subsistence harvest of Chinook salmon on the Yukon River had
fallen "near or below the minimum amount necessary for
subsistence." He declared that, as these same problems were now
appearing on the Kuskokwim River, the necessary subsistence
levels for both rivers might not be attainable this year. He
declared that the value of the Lower Yukon River commercial
Chinook fishery had plunged from $10 million in 1992 to $6500 in
2011, with a corresponding decline of use, value, and income
from commercial fishing permits. He listed the subsistence
restrictions on the Kuskokwim River in 2011.
6:03:22 PM
MR. ANDREWS said that it would be impossible to express the
cultural, economic, and social importance of the Chinook fishery
in the Lower Kuskokwim River. The salmon were not returning and
it was necessary to find out the reasons.
6:04:36 PM
GERRY MCCUNE, Lobbyist, Cordova District Fishermen United,
testified in support of HB 332, and stated that the proposed
bill would be a good approach for obtaining research. Directing
attention to page 6, lines 12 and 13, of the proposed bill, he
expressed his concern that "based on the number of Alaska
residents dependent on the stocks" was not a good baseline for
research as it could be interpreted in many ways.
6:06:36 PM
CHAIR THOMPSON, indicating that there had been a request for the
study of ocean acidification, asked if there was any more
information available.
6:07:23 PM
ERIC VOLK, Chief of Research for Anadromous Fisheries, Division
of Commercial Fisheries, Alaska Department of Fish & Game,
replied that he did not have any specific information for ocean
acidification. He acknowledged that there was concern for the
Chinook salmon. He said that the projected Sacramento River and
Klamath River Chinook salmon runs in California were good, after
years of being depressed. He noted that the Southeast Alaska
Chinook salmon runs had also been doing "pretty good." He
clarified that there were still concerns for the Western Alaska
Chinook salmon runs, specifically the Yukon, the Kuskokwim, and
the Unalakleet Rivers.
6:09:39 PM
REPRESENTATIVE KAWASAKI asked if enough money had been allocated
for Yukon Chinook salmon studies.
MR. VOLK replied that the problems were complex, and the AYKSSI
had made some progress. He mentioned the complexity for
understanding the origins of wild stocks captured in distant
water fisheries, and understanding where the problems existed:
in fresh water, near shore marine, or in the open ocean. He
allowed that ocean acidification could enter into the problem,
though it was still unknown.
REPRESENTATIVE KAWASAKI asked how the department established its
target priorities for study.
MR. VOLK, in response to Representative Kawasaki, said that the
priority was often an attempt to address issues that were most
central to the management regime, although he acknowledged the
importance for the gathering of knowledge. Specifically, he
suggested that it was necessary to gather fundamental
information, beginning with juvenile escapement numbers, and
including near shore marine research to understand the
abundance, distribution, and survival of juvenile fish in their
first year of marine life. He declared that this knowledge
could often increase forecasting capabilities, citing the NOAA
pink salmon forecasting program. He also recommended an
expanded baseline for Chinook genetic studies, with investments
in marker development to identify their origin, as genetics was
an important aspect for future fisheries management.
6:15:42 PM
CHAIR THOMPSON asked if Mr. Volk was involved with monitoring
the by-catch and the origins of those fish.
MR. VOLK replied that he was not directly involved with the by-
catch monitoring; however, he did work toward scientifically
sampling the pollock industry by-catch in order to determine its
origins.
6:17:04 PM
MR. VOLK, in response to Representative Austerman, said that he
would include a study of the out migration rate for the salmon
smolt as part of his basic information package. He declared
that these could be difficult projects.
REPRESENTATIVE AUSTERMAN asked what the ADF&G position was on
the proposed bill, and if they felt it would be a collaborative
effort.
MR. VOLK deferred his response.
6:18:39 PM
REPRESENTATIVE HERRON asked if the creation of an endowment fund
would be helpful.
MR. VOLK replied that the fund was one possible solution to
generate revenue.
REPRESENTATIVE HERRON suggested that it would be "extremely
beneficial" to the ADF&G constitutional mandate to participate
in this collaborative research.
MR. VOLK replied that collaborative projects were always sought,
as interdisciplinary research approaches were often valuable.
He opined that a study should be for the salmon eco-system, and
not limited to salmon-centric.
6:20:42 PM
REPRESENTATIVE HERRON asked if the endowment fund was needed for
salmon research.
MR. VOLK replied that there were many gaps in the knowledge
regarding Chinook, and that it would require funding to address
those gaps in a logical, organized way.
6:21:18 PM
REPRESENTATIVE KAWASAKI, noting that the proposed legislation
appointed six board members, asked if they would agree with
ADF&G to areas for research funding.
MR. VOLK replied that he did not know, as there were many points
of view.
6:22:10 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MILLER asked if Chinook salmon lived in areas
other than the North Pacific.
MR. VOLK replied that Chinook salmon were located all along the
Pacific Rim, primarily between the Sacramento River and Western
Alaska, with additional populations in Russia. He reported that
Chinook salmon had been introduced into the Southern Hemisphere,
as there were no native salmonids.
REPRESENTATIVE MILLER asked if there were salmon in the North
Atlantic, and was there any information to be gained from those
stocks.
MR. VOLK replied that there was one species of salmon in the
Atlantic, known as the Atlantic Salmon, and most of that
population had been overfished, although some still existed in
Iceland.
6:23:56 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MILLER asked whether sea lice were an
environmental condition that plagued wild salmon populations.
MR. VOLK replied that there was concern for sea lice as it
proliferated in the farmed salmon in British Columbia. He
opined that some wild fish that migrated near the farmed fish
net pens were affected.
REPRESENTATIVE MILLER asked how long would Mr. Volk suggest for
the study.
MR. VOLK replied that it was important to have continuity to a
study, and that it would be premature to make a time prediction.
He pointed to the value in a long term solution for funding.
REPRESENTATIVE MILLER asked if the studies relied on local
knowledge of the people who had been observing the runs.
MR. VOLK replied that one of the biggest challenges he faced in
earlier studies was the inability to capture this traditional
knowledge and incorporate it into the studies.
REPRESENTATIVE MILLER asked if traditional knowledge would be
considered a long term study.
MR. VOLK expressed his agreement.
6:26:54 PM
CHAIR THOMPSON recommended that the committee read a book titled
King Of Fish, which detailed the history of fishing in early
Europe and in the Americas.
6:27:51 PM
CHAIR THOMPSON closed public testimony. [The committee treated
Chair Thompson's prior objection to the motion to adopt the
proposed committee substitute (CS) for HB 332, Version 27-
LS1395\M, Kirsch, 2/23/12, as the working document, as
withdrawn; it was officially withdrawn later in the hearing.]
6:28:06 PM
REPRESENTATIVE HERRON moved to adopt Conceptual Amendment 1, as
follows:
Page 6, line 12, following "based on the"
Delete "number of"
Insert "dependence of"
Page 6, line 13, following "residents"
Delete "dependent"
There being no objection, it was so ordered.
6:29:12 PM
REPRESENTATIVE HERRON moved to adopt Conceptual Amendment 2, as
follows:
Page 6, lines 15 and 19, following "research"
Delete "and"
Insert "and/or"
There being no objection, it was so ordered.
6:30:23 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MILLER, referring to page 5, line 24, Version M,
asked what "shall consider" would compel the board to do. He
asked for more information about the "process and structure" of
the board. Directing attention to page 5, line 25, he asked
which board regulations were referenced with "adopting its
regulations."
REPRESENTATIVE HERRON deferred to a legal response.
6:31:49 PM
MS. GILLIS stated that page 5, line 25 of Version M, referred to
the regulations of the Alaska Chinook Salmon Research and
Restoration Endowment Fund Board.
6:32:26 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MILLER asked if a more precise definition for
"shall consider" on page 5, line 24, Version M, was necessary.
REPRESENTATIVE AUSTERMAN expressed his agreement that the intent
could be clarified.
REPRESENTATIVE HERRON offered his belief that the intent was for
consideration, but not for obligation.
6:33:49 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MILLER asked for more definition to the structure
and the process of the North Pacific Research Board.
MS. GILLIS described the structure of the North Pacific Research
Board (NPRB) to include:
a board itself, a scientific technical committee that
makes recommendations to the board; however, proposals
are sought, [and] received by NPRB and they go through
an independent peer review process. There's an
independent peer review data base that includes
researchers from around the world and those proposals
are matched up with the expertise of the individuals
in the data base. They require at least three
independent peer reviews for each proposal.
MS. GILLIS explained that those reviews were returned to the
science board, reviewed, and prioritized with recommendations to
the endowment board. She opined that the structure had been
"deemed of great scientific integrity" and that the NPRB conduct
had been applauded for its transparency and broad use of
scientific experts.
REPRESENTATIVE MILLER asked if the NPRB structure was recorded.
MS. GILLIS replied that it was written.
6:35:58 PM
REPRESENTATIVE KAWASAKI asked why an endowment fund was being
considered on lieu of other funding.
REPRESENTATIVE HERRON explained that the endowment fund would be
within the Department of Revenue, and its board within the
Department of Commerce, Community & Economic Development. He
reported that the legislature would annually consider
appropriation of earnings from the fund.
CHAIR THOMPSON clarified that various other groups could also
contribute to the endowment fund.
REPRESENTATIVE HERRON offered his belief that the fund principle
could attract "significant match money, knowing that that money
stays in a principle ... you can only use the earnings."
6:37:53 PM
REPRESENTATIVE KAWASAKI commented that the concept of the
proposed bill and the long term strategy for funding research
were good. He questioned the wisdom of creating a board, which
could have regional priorities. He offered his belief that
Alaska Department of Fish & Game needed the research funding.
6:40:04 PM
REPRESENTATIVE HERRON stated that the proposed bill set high
standards so that research was directed to areas of concern.
6:41:02 PM
CHAIR THOMPSON removed his objection.
6:41:10 PM
REPRESENTATIVE AUSTERMAN moved to report CSHB 332, Version 27-
LS1395\M, Kirsch, 2/23/12, as amended, out of committee with
individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes.
There being no objection, CSHB 332(FSH) was reported from the
House Special Committee on Fisheries.
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committee, the House
Special Committee on Fisheries meeting was adjourned at 6:41
p.m.