Legislature(1993 - 1994)
03/02/1994 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
HOUSE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON FISHERIES
March 2, 1994
8:30 a.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Carl E. Moses, Chair
Representative Harley Olberg, Vice Chair
Representative Irene Nicholia
Representative Cliff Davidson
Representative Gail Phillips
MEMBERS ABSENT
None
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
HJR 59: Relating to reduction of wanton waste
in North Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea
fisheries.
ADOPTED CSHJR 59 AND PASSED OUT OF
COMMITTEE.
WITNESS REGISTER
CHERYL SUTTON, Committee Aide
House Fisheries Committee
Alaska State Legislature
P.O. Box 1182
Juneau, Alaska 99811
POSITION STATEMENT: Explained the proposed committee
substitute for HJR 59.
RICK LAUBER
Pacific Seafood Processors Association
321 Highland Drive
Juneau, Alaska 99801
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of HJR 59.
GERON BRUCE, Legislative Liaison
Department of Fish and Game
P.O. Box 25526
Juneau, Alaska 99802
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of HJR 59.
PREVIOUS ACTION
BILL: HJR 59
SHORT TITLE: WANTON WASTE OF FISH N.PACIFIC/BERING SEA
SPONSOR(S): RULES
JRN-DATE JRN-PG ACTION
02/18/94 2457 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME/REFERRAL(S)
02/18/94 2457 (H) FSH, RESOURCES
03/02/94 (H) FSH AT 08:30 AM CAPITOL 17
ACTION NARRATIVE
TAPE 94-11, SIDE A
Number 001
CHAIRMAN CARL MOSES called the House Special Committee on
Fisheries meeting to order at 8:37 a.m.
HJR 59 - WANTON WASTE OF FISH N.PACIFIC/BERING SEA
CHAIRMAN MOSES announced the only order of business would be
HJR 59, Relating to reduction of wanton waste in North
Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea fisheries. He noted the bill
was sponsored through the House Rules Committee.
CHAIRMAN MOSES read the following statement into the record:
"House Joint Resolution 59 addresses an issue of immediate
concern to Alaska and its commercial fishing industry. In a
May 1993, report prepared for the Alaska Department of Fish
and Game by Pacific Associates, the wanton waste of fishery
resources in the North Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea
fisheries was documented.
"Discards of either dead or live fishery resources occur in
these commercial fisheries for three basic reasons:
economics, management policies and fishing practices.
Discards sometimes occur because of the economic loss
associated with processing the entire harvest. When species
of little or no value are harvested along with the target
species, there is no real economic incentive to discourage
discarding."
CHAIRMAN MOSES noted there is a proposed committee
substitute which corrects some technical errors.
CHERYL SUTTON, Committee Aide, House Fisheries Committee,
came before the committee to explain the proposed changes.
She referred to page one, line nine, of the original
legislation, and said "20,000,000 pounds," was incorrect.
It should read "20,000,000 crabs." Ms. Sutton said a new
"Whereas" section was added on page two, "Whereas fisheries
can technically or operationally reduce waste or the
incidental taking of nontarget species if given economic
incentives or through appropriate regulatory measures;" She
explained another change related to rearranging the words on
page two, in the "Be It Resolved" section. The words were
changed to read, "ecologically, socially, and economically;"
Number 084
RICK LAUBER, representing the Pacific Seafood Processors
Association, explained he is the Chairman of the North
Pacific Fishery Management Council. He said the Pacific
Seafood Processors Association endorses the concept of the
resolution. He noted that Senator Murkowski has introduced
legislation that would allow the North Pacific Fishery
Management Council to address the problem, and Senator
Stevens also plans to introduce legislation.
MR. LAUBER said he feels the amount of waste that is
occurring in the North Pacific is obscene. Many vessels
don't have to pay for their fish, so there is no incentive
to process their catch. We should be moving towards a
policy which would require that if you catch it, you keep it
and use it in some way. Mr. Lauber discussed a practice
called "bleeding the web" where a string on the net is
pulled and the fish are allowed to float out. He said he
has seen pictures where there was an appearance where you
could walk across the ocean. There has also been evidence
in that because the fish is concentrated when it sinks to
the bottom, it further sours the bottom, harming the
scallops. Mr. Lauber said he realizes that it could be
costly to his industry, but he thinks that it is worthwhile.
He urged passage of the resolution.
REPRESENTATIVE PHILLIPS asked if other nations in other
ocean systems are concerned about this problem.
MR. LAUBER said unless regulated, it is a prevalent
practice, particularly with vessels which catch and process
their product. He continued to discuss the subject of
discarding fish carcasses.
Number 236
GERON BRUCE, Legislative Liaison, Department of Fish and
Game, testified in support of the resolution. The Governor
has called the discard and waste occuring in the North
Pacific an economic and social disaster on the order of the
Prince William Sound oil spill. He said the administration
is very concerned about the issue and would like to see it
addressed.
Number 248
There being no further testimony on HJR 59, REPRESENTATIVE
PHILLIPS moved to adopt CSHJR 59. There being no objection,
the motion carried.
Representative Phillips moved to pass CSHJR 59 from the
House Special Committee on Fisheries. Hearing no objection,
it was so ordered.
Number 253
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business to come before the
committee, CHAIRMAN MOSES adjourned the meeting at 9:55 a.m.
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