Legislature(1993 - 1994)
03/12/1993 08:30 AM House FSH
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
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= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
HOUSE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON FISHERIES
MARCH 12, 1993
8:30 a.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Carl E. Moses, Chairman
Representative Harley Olberg, Vice-Chairman
Representative Gail Phillips
Representative Irene Nicholia
MEMBERS ABSENT
Representative Cliff Davidson
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
HB 140 "An Act relating to the king salmon tag fee."
MOVED OUT WITH A DO PASS RECOMMENDATION
*HJR 34 Requesting the Department of Commerce to give a
high priority to fisheries development project
grants for the Alaska salmon industry.
MOVED OUT WITH A DO PASS RECOMMENDATION
*HCR 9 Relating to management of the community
development fisheries quota program and fisheries
development by the state.
HELD IN COMMITTEE FOR FURTHER CONSIDERATION
(* first public hearing)
WITNESS REGISTER
Chris Mitchell, Executive Director
Alaska Fisheries Development Foundation
508 West Second St., Suite 12
Anchorage, AK 99501
Phone: 276-7315
Position Statement: Supported HJR 34
Bob Herron, Legislative Aide
to Representative Lyman Hoffman
State Capitol, Room 503
Juneau, Alaska 99801-1182
Phone: 465-4453
Position Statement: Gave an overview of HCR 9
Karl Ohls, Fisheries Development Specialist
Bering Sea Fishermen's Association
725 Christensen Drive
Anchorage, Alaska 99504
Phone: 279-6519
Position Statement: Supported HCR 9
Bruce Weyhrauch
Alaska Crab Coalition
302 Gold St.
Juneau, Alaska 99801
Phone: 586-2210
Position Statement: Questioned the CDQ program
John Walsh, Deputy Director
Division of Rural Development
Department of Community and Regional Affairs
P.O. Box 112100
Juneau, Alaska 99801-2100
Phone: 465-4898
Position Statement: Supported HCR 9; recommended changes to
CSHCR 9 (FSH)
PREVIOUS ACTION
BILL: HB 140
SHORT TITLE: FEES FOR NONRESIDENT KING SALMON TAG
BILL VERSION:
SPONSOR(S): REPRESENTATIVE(S) HUDSON,Phillips
TITLE: "An Act relating to the king salmon tag fee."
JRN-DATE JRN-PG ACTION
02/08/93 254 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME/REFERRAL(S)
02/08/93 254 (H) FISHERIES, RESOURCES, FINANCE
02/22/93 (H) FSH AT 08:30 AM CAPITOL 17
02/22/93 (H) MINUTE(FSH)
03/03/93 (H) FSH AT 08:30 AM CAPITOL 17
03/03/93 (H) MINUTE(FSH)
03/05/93 (H) FSH AT 08:00 AM CAPITOL 17
03/12/93 615 (H) FSH RPT CS(FHS) NEW TITLE
3DP
03/12/93 615 (H) DP: MOSES, PHILLIPS, OLBERG
03/12/93 615 (H) -FISCAL NOTE (F&G) 3/12/93
03/12/93 615 (H) REFERRED TO RESOURCES
BILL: HJR 34
SHORT TITLE: FED FISH RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT GRANTS
BILL VERSION: HJR 34
SPONSOR(S): REPRESENTATIVE(S) MOSES,Ulmer,Kott
TITLE: Requesting the Department of Commerce to give a high
priority to fisheries development project grants for the
Alaska salmon industry.
JRN-DATE JRN-PG ACTION
03/05/93 548 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME/REFERRAL(S)
03/05/93 548 (H) FISHERIES
03/08/93 574 (H) COSPONSOR(S): KOTT
03/12/93 614 (H) FSH RPT 3DP
03/12/93 614 (H) FISHERIES REPORT RECOMMENDED
AMENDMENT
03/12/93 615 (H) DP: MOSES. OLBERG, NICHOLIA
03/12/93 615 (H) -ZERO FISCAL NOTE (F&G)
3/12/93
BILL: HCR 9
SHORT TITLE: COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FISHING QUOTAS
BILL VERSION:
SPONSOR(S): REPRESENTATIVE(S) HOFFMAN,Ulmer
TITLE: Relating to management of the community development
fisheries quota program and fisheries development by the
state.
JRN-DATE JRN-PG ACTION
02/22/93 409 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME/REFERRAL(S)
02/22/93 409 (H) FISHERIES, RESOURCES, FINANCE
03/12/93 (H) FSH AT 08:30 AM CAPITOL 17
ACTION NARRATIVE
TAPE 93-11, SIDE A
Number 000
CHAIRMAN CARL MOSES called the meeting to order at 8:40 a.m.
He noted Representatives Moses, Olberg and Phillips in
attendance and said the meeting would begin by bringing up
once again HB 140, sponsored by Representative Bill Hudson,
which would change the nonresident fees for the king salmon
tag. He said the committee would then take up HJR 34 and
HCR 9.
HB 140: FEES FOR NONRESIDENT KING SALMON TAG
CHAIRMAN MOSES reminded the committee they had already taken
testimony on HB 140 and had before them a proposed Committee
Substitute (CSHB 140 (FSH)) incorporating the changes
recommended by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.
Those changes included clarifying throughout the statutes
that the king salmon tag only relates to anadromous king
salmon; changing the one-day nonresident tag from the
sponsor's proposed $5 to $10; making the nonresident
military tag $20; and adding a January 1, 1994 effective
date.
VICE CHAIR HARLEY OLBERG MOVED to ADOPT CSHB 140 (FSH) for
discussion purposes. There were no objections, and IT WAS
SO ORDERED.
VICE CHAIR OLBERG MOVED to AMEND CSHB 140 (FSH) to exempt
nonresident minors from the king salmon tag requirement.
There were no objections, and the AMENDMENT was ADOPTED.
VICE CHAIR OLBERG MOVED to pass out CSHB 140 (FSH), as
amended, from the committee. There were no objections, and
CSHB 140 (FSH) MOVED out of committee with a do pass
recommendation.
HJR 34: FED FISH RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT GRANTS
CHAIRMAN MOSES announced the next bill before the committee
was HJR 34, which he had sponsored at the request of the
Alaska Fisheries Development Foundation.
CHRIS MITCHELL, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ALASKA FISHERIES
DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION, testified in favor of HJR 34. He
described some of the current problems in the Alaska salmon
industry, including the threat of Russian salmon flooding
the market. For the last 15 years, he noted the federal
Saltonstall-Kennedy grant program has provided $15 million
to the seafood industry for fisheries development projects.
He described how the annual grant amount has decreased, and
has focused primarily on marine mammals, by-catch, and
fishing technology. Historically, according to MR.
MITCHELL, the money has not been allowed to go towards
development of the more traditional fisheries, including
salmon, partly because they are not under the management
jurisdiction of the National Marine Fisheries Service
(NMFS).
MR. MITCHELL commented that many people in the salmon
industry now believe such help is needed to revitalize that
industry. He described HJR 34 as a collective effort to
tell the Department of Commerce and the National Marine
Fisheries Service to allow the industry to decide what the
development grants should be used for, and that salmon is in
need of developmental activities. He estimated the $15
million in grants to Alaska has generated more than $250
million in new business in the state. Because the salmon
industry is critical to the state's health and the nation's
health, he urged passage of HJR 34.
CHAIRMAN MOSES asked the committee to consider a PROPOSED
AMENDMENT to HJR 34 which would change on p. 1, line 13, the
word "products" to "market", being more accurate.
VICE CHAIR OLBERG MOVED to ADOPT the AMENDMENT. There were
no objections, and the AMENDMENT was ADOPTED.
HJR 34: NO ACTION TAKEN DUE TO LACK OF QUORUM.
HCR 9: COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FISHING QUOTAS
BOB HERRON, LEGISLATIVE AIDE TO REPRESENTATIVE LYMAN
HOFFMAN, PRIME SPONSOR of HCR 9, testified that
Representative Hoffman introduced the resolution to
encourage the Hickel administration to elevate the state's
role in the Community Development Quota (CDQ) program, which
he called the most extensive economic development effort
ever to occur in the poorest regions of the state of Alaska.
MR. HERRON said it was essential that the state play an
important role in this program in its first two years in
order to ensure its fulfillment. The Governor has a
significant responsibility in this, according to MR. HERRON.
What the CDQ program needs, he said, is strong leadership
and coordinated support.
MR. HERRON also said Representative Hoffman believes there
is a need for a review of past fisheries development policy
proposals in order to draft a comprehensive fisheries
development policy that includes the CDQ program. He
described HCR 9 as formal recognition of the CDQ program
which also asks the Governor to fully commit the
administration to its success.
MR. HERRON also noted that Representative Hoffman supports
the recommended Committee Substitute (CSHCR 9 (FSH)).
KARL OHLS, FISHERIES DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST FOR THE BERING
SEA FISHERMEN'S ASSOCIATION, which represents commercial
fishermen in western Alaska, spoke in support of the CDQ
program and HCR 9. He commented that his primary job was to
work with the CDQ groups in developing group positions. He
said the groups had a concern that there be a designated
state person in charge of the program, and that HCR 9
addressed that concern. He also said Number 4 in the
Resolved sections of the resolution was very important,
adding that since CDQs were probably one of the most
significant fisheries development programs ever developed in
the state, it would be a shame for pollock CDQs to be the
end of it.
MR. OHLS asked that the pollock CDQ be looked at as the
model and cornerstone for an entire fisheries development
program for the state of Alaska.
CHAIRMAN MOSES acknowledged the arrival of Representative
Irene Nicholia.
BRUCE WEYHRAUCH, REPRESENTING THE ALASKA CRAB COALITION,
questioned the CDQ program itself. First, is it appropriate
or necessary to expand CDQs to the rest of the state? Have
other regions expressed the same interest as the Bering Sea
communities? Is it necessary to expand CDQs to other
fisheries of the state? He likened the CDQ program to a
form of federal community block grant program, and
questioned how this federal involvement would impact state
involvement. He also expressed concerns over how the funds
from this program would be used, and thought the legislature
should consider putting a bound on how these funds are spent
so they don't flow out of state.
MR. WEYHRAUCH also asked if Alaska's CDQ program would
affect national debates on fisheries issues in Congress. He
commented that he would submit a copy of a letter from the
National Fisheries Institute expressing opposition to CDQs
and how they related to the Magnuson Act, Marine Mammal
Protection Act, and the Endangered Species Act. Opposition
to the CDQ program exists nationally, according to MR.
WEYHRAUCH, and will likely build. Any expansion of the
program should be done carefully, in consultation with the
Congressional delegation, he said.
MR. WEYHRAUCH suggested there was a danger that the state
may face losing its ability to manage its own fisheries
locally, which would thwart the intent of HCR 9.
HJR 34: FED FISH RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT GRANTS
The committee returned to HJR 34, and now having a quorum
MOVED to PASS HJR 34 as amended, out of the committee with
individual recommendations. There were no objections, and
IT SO MOVED.
HCR 9: COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FISHING QUOTAS
JOHN WALSH, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF THE RURAL DEVELOPMENT
DIVISION, DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AND REGIONAL AFFAIRS,
spoke in favor of HCR 9 and described his department's
progress on the CDQ program. He indicated he had some
recommended changes to the proposed committee substitute.
MR. WALSH also announced that the Governor has signed the
final state regulations for the CDQ program. He described
additional progress, including the fact that the CDQ groups
were actively fishing and that the Governor was proposing a
budget amendment for additional staff for the program.
MR. WALSH also addressed some of the concerns brought up by
Mr. Weyhrauch. He indicated the CDQ program was not really
impacting the explosion in fishing activity that was already
occurring in the North Pacific, and that CDQs were merely
bringing to western Alaska communities some of the benefits
of that growth. Once the national interests are aware of
that, he believes they will increase their support.
MR. WALSH also corrected Mr. Weyhrauch and pointed out that
under federal regulations, CDQ groups can only spend their
funds on fisheries development.
ADJOURNMENT
CHAIRMAN CARL MOSES adjourned the meeting at 9:07 a.m.
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