Legislature(1995 - 1996)
03/22/1995 05:02 PM House FSH
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
HOUSE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON FISHERIES
March 22, 1995
5:02 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Alan Austerman, Chairman
Representative Carl Moses, Vice Chairman
Representative Gary Davis
Representative Kim Elton
Representative Scott Ogan
MEMBERS ABSENT
None
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
HB 149: "An Act relating to the Board of Fisheries; and providing
for an effective date."
HEARD AND HELD
HB 208: "An Act relating to seafood processing plans of operation
and seafood processing standard operating procedures;
relating to quality assurance plans; and providing for an
effective date."
HEARD AND HELD
HB 165: "An Act relating to membership on the Board of Fisheries."
BILL HEARING CANCELLED
WITNESS REGISTER
REPRESENTATIVE RAMONA BARNES
Alaska State Legislature
State Capitol, Room 403
Juneau, Alaska 99801-1182
Telephone: 465-3438
POSITION STATEMENT: Prime sponsor of HB 149
BRUCE SCHACTLER
Post Office Box 2254
Kodiak, Alaska 99615
Telephone: 486-4686
POSITION STATEMENT: Opposed HB 149
JOHN BOCCI
Cordova District Fishermen United
Post Office Box 939
Cordova, Alaska 99574
Telephone: 424-5182
POSITION STATEMENT: Opposed HB 149
MYRON NANAG, President
Association of Village Council Presidents
Post Office Box 219
Bethel, Alaska 99559
Telephone: 543-3521
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported HB 149
MIM ROBINSON, Chairman
Port Alexander Fish and Game Advisory Committee
Post Office Box 8045
Sitka, Alaska 99835
Telephone: 568-2236
POSITION STATEMENT: Opposed HB 149
LAURA RIDEOUT
Post Office Box 8045
Port Alexander, Alaska 99836
Telephone: 568-2263
POSITION STATEMENT: Opposed HB 149
JERRY McCUNE, President
United Fishermen of Alaska
211 4th Street, Suite 112
Juneau, Alaska 99801
Telephone: 586-2820
POSITION STATEMENT: Opposed HB 149
DEAN PADDOCK
Bristol Bay Driftnetters Association
Post Office Box 21951
Juneau, Alaska 99802
Telephone: 463-4970
POSITION STATEMENT: Expressed Concerns with HB 149
GERON BRUCE, Legislative Liaison
Alaska Department of Fish and Game
Post Office Box 25526
Juneau, Alaska 99801
Telephone: 465-6143
POSITION STATEMENT: Expressed Concerns with HB 149
CHERYL SUTTON, Administrative Assistant
Representative Carl Moses
State Capitol, Room 204
Juneau, Alaska 99801-1182
Telephone: 465-4451
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported HB 208
JANICE ADAIR, Regional Director
Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation
3601 C Street, Suite 1334
Anchorage, Alaska 99503
Telephone: 563-6529
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported HB 208
DAVE CHOQUETTE, President
Alaska Choice Seafoods
4611 Gambell Street
Anchorage, Alaska 99503
Telephone: 563-4666
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported HB 208
DOUG DONEGAN, Vice President
Trident Seafood Corporation
5011 East Jewell Lake Road
Anchorage, Alaska 99502
Telephone: 243-3166
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported HB 208
JIM YONKER, Director
Ocean Beauty Seafoods, Inc.
Post Office Box 70739
Seattle, Washington 98107
Telephone: (206) 285-6800
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported HB 208
KEN ROEHMILDT, Superintendent
North Pacific Processors
Post Office Box 741
Cordova, Alaska 99574
Telephone: 424-7111
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported HB 208
HAP SYMMONDS, Plant Manager
St. Elias Seafood Products
Post Office Box 548
Cordova, Alaska 99574
Telephone: 424-7171
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported HB 208
GERALD MASOLINI, Owner/Operator
Eyak Packing Company
Post Office Box 1131
Cordova, Alaska 99574
Telephone: 424-5300
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported HB 208
CHUCK JENSON
East Point Seafoods
Post Office Box 1637
Kodiak, Alaska 99615
Telephone: 486-5799
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported HB 208
RICK LAUBER, Lobbyist
Pacific Seafoods Processor Association
321 Highland Drive
Juneau, Alaska 99801
Telephone: 586-6366
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported HB 208
PREVIOUS ACTION
BILL: HB 149
SHORT TITLE: RESTRUCTURE BOARD OF FISHERIES
SPONSOR(S): REPRESENTATIVE(S) BARNES, Mulder
JRN-DATE JRN-PG ACTION
02/03/95 235 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRAL(S)
02/03/95 235 (H) RESOURCES, FINANCE
02/06/95 255 (H) FSH REFERRAL ADDED
03/17/95 (H) MINUTE(FSH)
03/22/95 (H) FSH AT 05:00 PM CAPITOL 124
BILL: HB 208
SHORT TITLE: SEAFOOD PROCESSING STANDARDS
SPONSOR(S): REPRESENTATIVE(S) MOSES, Austerman, Williams, Mackie,
Grussendorf, Elton, Kubina
JRN-DATE JRN-PG ACTION
02/27/95 502 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRAL(S)
02/27/95 503 (H) FISHERIES
03/22/95 (H) FSH AT 05:00 PM CAPITOL 124
BILL: HB 165
SHORT TITLE: QUALIFICATIONS FOR BOARD OF FISH MEMBERS
SPONSOR(S): REPRESENTATIVE(S) KELLY,Toohey
JRN-DATE JRN-PG ACTION
02/08/95 272 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRAL(S)
02/08/95 273 (H) FSH, RES
03/01/95 (H) FSH AT 05:00 PM CAPITOL 124
03/01/95 (H) MINUTE(FSH)
03/17/95 (H) MINUTE(FSH)
03/22/95 (H) FSH AT 05:00 PM CAPITOL 124
ACTION NARRATIVE
TAPE 95-19, SIDE A
Number 000
The House Special Committee on Fisheries was called to order by
Chairman Alan Austerman at 5:02 p.m. Members present at the call
to order were Representatives Davis, Elton and Ogan. The meeting
was on teleconference with Anchorage, Bethel, Cordova, Kodiak,
Sitka and Seattle, Washington.
HFSH - 03/22/95
HB 149 - RESTRUCTURE BOARD OF FISHERIES
Number 034
REPRESENTATIVE RAMONA BARNES opened with these remarks: "HB 149 is
an effort to reduce the role politics play in a process of placing
members on the fisheries board. The bill, which is identical to
one introduced by the Senate President, would reduce the membership
of the board of fisheries to three and lengthen the terms of office
for members to four years. The members would, as presently, serve
staggered terms. Fisheries board members would be full-time state
employees and would be compensated based on range 26, step C."
REPRESENTATIVE BARNES went on to quote state laws dealing with the
appointment of Board of Fish members. She quoted, "On the basis of
interest in public affairs, good judgement, knowledge and ability
in the feel of action of the board and with a view toward providing
diversity of interest and points of view of the membership." She
went on to say that in fact, the members of the board have been
appointed in the past on the basis of where they live and what they
do for a living.
REPRESENTATIVE BARNES specified, "A provision in HB 149 would
prohibit the Governor from appointing to the board, anyone who has
a vested economic interest in the fisheries. This provision is
endorsed by individuals and groups which include, the Kenai River
Sports Fishing, Inc." She then quoted Ben Ellis, Executive
Director of that sports association with comments he made to the
Senate Resources Committee on February 20, 1995. He stated at that
time, "We must have a board that is prohibited from any economic
vested interest. It appears more and more board members are being
conflicted out for financial or personal interest. We must have a
level playing field, where decisions are made in the best interests
of Alaskan's and the state. There is public perception that the
board of fisheries is biased towards the financial profits of a few
commercial users at the expense of thousands of noncommercial
users. I believe that the concept of a full-time board is a good
one. Members would be more likely to act in the interest of the
state as a whole. The provisions that forbids a board member from
having a vested economic interest will encouraged appointments to
the board that will make impartial decisions."
REPRESENTATIVE BARNES asserted her strong feelings for Alaska's
Constitution. She cited, "Under Article 8, Section 3, the fish and
game and water resources belong to all the people of the state.
Admittedly, the people of the state allowed an amendment for
commercial limited entry." She recognized, that is the only
special provision that has be approved by the people. But she went
on to state, "They did not give an exclusive right of fishery to
commercial fishermen, nor did they give it to subsistence fishermen
or to sports fishermen or personal consumptive users. Those
resources belong to all the people." She expressed hope that
through a different type of board, all the people of this state
will be treated in a fair and equal manner.
Number 128
Representative Moses joined the meeting at 5:03 p.m.
Number 129
REPRESENTATIVE KIM ELTON asked Representative Barnes if she would
be amenable to an amendment that would prohibit sport fishing
guides or people who are involved in other commercial fishing
components of the resource industry.
REPRESENTATIVE BARNES responded in the affirmative. She said, "I
don't believe anyone that holds a special interest in this fishery,
whether it be sports fishing guides or air taxi operators that fly
people out to fish, should be on this board. I think it should be
one that is knowledgeable of the resource, but has no vested
interest."
Number 150
REPRESENTATIVE CARL MOSES asked Representative Barnes if it was her
intent to eliminate all sports fishermen from serving on the board,
as well.
REPRESENTATIVE BARNES commented, "As long as a person did not have
an economic interest. And that would include sports fish guides,
that would have an economic interest. I would see them eliminated.
However, I can't say that a person that just goes out with a hook
and line should be eliminated, because they have no direct
commercial interest in the board. But I do believe that it should
be professional type people, who have a knowledge of the resource,
appointed to these boards."
REPRESENTATIVE MOSES followed up with a question about subsistence
users and their economic interests.
REPRESENTATIVE BARNES again responded, "I believe it should be a
board made up that takes into view, the people of all the state of
Alaska in a professional way and not any one group of people."
Number 175
REPRESENTATIVE SCOTT OGAN asked Representative Barnes that given
those parameters, who is going to serve on this board. He further
asked how the board would be structured, so that it would be
impartial.
REPRESENTATIVE BARNES again reiterated her strong compassion for
the Constitution of Alaska. She asserted, "I believe the fish and
game resources should be maintained on a sustained yield principle,
for all the people of the state, for their beneficial use. Not
users, the beneficial use of all the people. I believe that there
are a lot of people, like myself in this state, that care about the
resources and could go on a board professionally and make the
decisions based on professional judgement, not on what is best for
one particular user group."
Number 229
BRUCE SCHACTLER testified via teleconference from Kodiak, and
voiced his opposition to HB 149. He commented, "They want a board
that will vote pro sport fish." He went on to compliment the
current Board of Fish by saying, "This may be one of the better
boards they have come up with. They're just unbelievably ready to
delve into every aspect of the fishery and nitpick every single
detail, that they can get their hands on." He further stated, "If
you look at some of these other professional boards, you'll see
that the requirements for being a board member are very stringent.
They have to have degrees. They have to have experience." He
added, "This will put a bunch of people on the board that maybe
have no idea what it is that they're talking about. It might take
them three or four years to even get them on line." He again
mentioned that the present board is good and that the entire
industry has had input into fine tuning the present board.
MR. SCHACTLER informed the committee, that he felt most of the
sport fishermen can go out and catch as much fish as they can
possibly use. He remarked, "I think most of the people that are
out there sport fishing are catching more than they can possibly
eat and there's a lot of waste going on." He further mentioned, "I
think that you'll find that everything really is pretty good,
except for a few people, who have got everybody all worked up."
REPRESENTATIVE BARNES responded, "I was not looking for a special
interest board, to protect sports fishing. I'm glad to hear, that
he thinks that the board we now have, is a good board. I'm sure it
is one of the better boards that we've had in a long time. I
remember all the hassles that we went through to get this better
board. It is my opinion and my belief, that you would not have
controversy surrounding this board, if the boards in the past had
taken care to look at the sustained yield principle. Had they
taken care to look at the needs of all the different user groups,
then there would be no need to have a bill like this."
Number 340
REPRESENTATIVE OGAN remarked that he is upset with people from the
sports side and the commercial side of this issue. He voiced his
opinion that everybody loses if we don't start managing this thing
as a resource. Everybody needs to pull together on this issue.
Number 355
JOHN BOCCI testified via teleconference from Cordova, representing
Cordova District Fishermen United, opposing HB 149. He stated for
the record, "It is our opinion that HB 149 is an overreaction to a
newly developing problem, being created more by pressure on the
fishery resource, due in part to increased tourism and the Mat-Su
Valley population growth. Instead of gutting the system that we're
involved in here, I urge the legislature to keep the lay board
structure, amend it gradually and give those gradual changes an
opportunity to work. A very good recommendation was put forward by
the Governor's Fishery Transition Team, with representatives from
all user groups. One suggestion is reflected by HB 141,
confirmation before serving. Another way to ensure adequate
funding is to ensure adequate funding for the Alaska Department of
Fish and Game and the local advisory board. All of which had their
budget slashed over the last several years, making it more
difficult to put forward a proper management plan to assure there
are enough fish for everyone. There's no language in HB 149 that
sets criteria for participation, other than they have no interest
in commercial fishing. Yet there's no definition of commercial
fishing, the way I see it. We really don't believe it will
depoliticize the board."
Number 385
MYRON NANAG, President, Association of Village Council Presidents,
testified via teleconference from Bethel. He encouraged the state
legislature to look at the current Board of Fish. He said it is
not working for the conservation of the fisheries. He stated, "In
1993, we had a crash in the Alaska Yukon/Kuskokwim (AYK) area.
Nobody wanted to take the responsibility for the crash, but our
people have had to bear that burden of conservation in the river
system over the years." They have been to the Board of Fish many
times to inform them about the resource.
MR. NANAG went on to share some remarks made at the February Board
of Fish meeting. He disclosed that the chairman of the board,
listened to presentations by the ADF&G about the united stock
studies on the catch ratios of the chums heading to the AYK area.
The Chair stated that he was not convinced that the stocks that
were heading to Western Alaska, are threatened or endangered. Mr.
Nanag remarked, "If that is the criteria that is going to be used
by the Board of Fish system and they're not concerned about the
conservation of the resource, then something has to give." He went
on to specify, "The subsistence has been closed for the last two
years on the Kuskokwim River as well as on the Yukon. The
commercial fisheries along the migratory route, further south, have
been open. They have not been closed. They've been delayed, but
opened. Why have they been delayed? The only thing they're
concerned about is their allocation, the 8.3 percent allocation of
the Bristol Bay sockeye. But they don't have any concern about the
resource itself."
REPRESENTATIVE BARNES appreciated Mr. Nanag's comments. She said
that it's comments like these that she has been hearing for a long
time. She stated, "The interest of the resource has to be
protected, through a different type of board system."
Number 446
MIM ROBINSON, Chairmen, Port Alexander Fish and Game Advisory
Committee, testified via teleconference from Port Alexander, in
opposition to this bill. She cited part of the text from the
Fisheries Management Alternative Senate Advisory Council of the
Alaska State Legislature, October 1987, concerning a full-time
board. She read, "Number one, a professional board would simply
add another layer of bureaucracy, with its intended inefficiencies
and tendencies to invent work, formalize and impede the process and
unnecessarily intrude into situations which do not warrant
regulatory action. Number two, a professional board could not
duplicate the wide scope of expertise found on the current user
board. The type of people willing to serve on a board, would be
those who lacked personal commitment to the fishing lifestyle or
were unsuccessful on fishermen and thus would be unqualified for
service. Eminently qualified people who were unwilling to
relinquish their interest, would be unavailable."
MS. ROBINSON still testifying said, "Number three, a professional
board would not eliminate conflict of interest, since any member
appointed would certainly bring with him or her an agenda and
perspective developed as a result of previous experience,
regardless of whether any economic or institutional ties to the
resource existed. Certain perspectives, such as the regulatory or
academics would assume unjustified precedent over those of user
groups." She went on to mention another study that had been done
and a report to the Governor on the Board of Fisheries review
committee of February 1988. She cited the following, "While it is
recognized by the committee that conflict of interests and special
interest biases, can be and has at times been a problem with board
members, the unanimous view of the committee and a majority view
received from the public, supports appointments to the board of
persons with hands on knowledge of, and experience with fisheries
resources and sport, commercial, subsistence and personal use
fishery." She also asked the committee to consider placing the
conservation decision making authority within the ADF&G, to rid the
board of the dual pressure of conservation and allocation
decisions.
Number 491
LAURA RIDEOUT testified via teleconference from Port Alexander, in
opposition to HB 149. She felt that it needed to be a board of
seven men or women who have a working knowledge of the fisheries.
She also urged enough funding for ADF&G and its advisory board to
ensure proper management.
Number 500
CHAIRMAN AUSTERMAN thank Representative Barnes and excused her for
another meeting.
Number 502
JERRY McCUNE, President, United Fishermen of Alaska (UFA),
testified that they do not support HB 149, but do support the
current lay board system. He felt that a lay board system brings
in people from all over the state with a broad knowledge of the
fishery. He pointed out that even the Governor's transition team
recommended keeping the present lay board system. He also stated
that UFA had a problem with the section of the bill that says, the
full-time board won't accept any commercial fishermen. He
explained that about 48 people turned out on the Senate side in
opposition to this proposal. The conflict of interest issue does
need to be addressed and could be done so by the introduction of
legislation. He also thought that the sponsor brought a lot of
attention to the board system with the introduction of this bill.
He stated, "The board is not cure for all the salmon runs,
especially in river systems. We get into river systems and it's
management. Some of it's management, healthy runs, habitat,
sustain yield and ocean survival has a lot to do with it." He
further said, "I think we have to face up to the fact that there's
only so much resource to go around in this state and the use is
getting higher every year. All the users would like to have their
share." Additionally he remarked, "Mr. Ogan's suggestion is good.
I think the sport fishermen, the subsistence and everybody need to
realize that there is only so much resource and sit down to the
table and see what we can do for all the users to be able to have
access to that resource."
Number 557
DEAN PADDOCK, spoke on behalf of the Bristol Bay Driftnetters
Association, with concerns about HB 149. He complimented anyone
who seeks to improve the board process. He digressed about how
there are problems with several aspects of the current process and
how the problems seem so much more complicated. His main concern
with this proposal was expressed, "I don't think there are three
people anywhere capable of addressing all these statewide issues
adequately." He mentioned that it is implied in this proposal that
the seven people we now have aren't doing it adequately. He
further commented, "The legislature has often failed to adequately
fund the Board of Fisheries, to allow it to meet its statutory
responsibilities. The one responsibility that I see that it has
seldom had time to adequately address, is that responsibility for
providing policies for the ADF&G." He has seen the board disregard
public testimony and accept the ADF&G recommendations. He feels
that ADF&G doesn't supply enough information to the Board of Fish.
Number 659
GERON BRUCE, Legislative Liaison, Alaska Department of Fish & Game
(ADF&G), testified with concerns about HB 149. He indicated that
the Governor does support the citizen board process, but is
concerned about what the citizens feel might improve the process.
He reiterated earlier comments with, "One of the reasons we have a
citizen board is because it provides an opportunity for the
affected public to directly participate in making the decisions
that affect their effecting. And you get a high degree of local
knowledge about the fisheries in the state that way and you get a
lot of industry expertise that way, at very little cost to the
state. Whereas, if you had to go out and staff up, so to speak, to
gain that kind of expertise, it would be very expensive."
Additionally he reported that, "Even by shrinking the board down to
three members, it still adds over $200,000 in cost to the
regulatory process." Further he stated, "Coming out of the
territorial period, where the managers and the folks responsible
for regulating the resources did not listen to the people of Alaska
- in fact, did things that the people of Alaska objected to for
many, many years and did not change until the state took over
management authority. The original people who set up the board
process looked at that and saw that it was better to have the
public directly involved in the regulatory process than to have it
done completely by bureaucrats or professional people, that did not
have that local tie to the decisions that are being made." He felt
that going to a professional board is not going to eliminate the
conflicts and the controversies regarding fisheries decisions
within the state.
TAPE 95-19, SIDE B
Number 000
MR. BRUCE continued testifying with concerns about HB 149. He
remarked, "I think that the sponsors of this legislation here and
in the Senate are to be thanked for providing a vehicle to discuss
the board system."
Number 014
REPRESENTATIVE OGAN asked Mr. Bruce if he felt the current board
was managing the fisheries resource on a resource-based management
that adheres to the sustained yield principle.
MR. BRUCE responded in the affirmative. He pointed to the historic
high harvest that Alaska has been enjoying for more than a decade.
He compared that to the kind of condition the resources were in at
the end of the federal period. He thought that they were doing a
good job in managing on the sustained yield basis. He stated,
"This does not mean that there aren't problems in the state, where
we are failing to meet our goals. Certainly, Mr. Nanag earlier
spoke to one of the most difficult problems we're facing in Western
Alaska. I know there is some concerns you have and your
constituents have your area." He further related, "As I listen to
the conflicts and the reasons people are unhappy with the board
system, it seems to really be more focused on the distribution of
work that the board does in allocating harvest among different
users."
Number 052
REPRESENTATIVE OGAN indicated that the return to the Susitna River
drainage has been low. He asked if all the Cook Inlet stocks are
managed for the Kenai River. He also asked if the leftovers run up
the Susitna Inlet.
MR. BRUCE felt that it was not an accurate statement. He
specified, "Certainly in the case where you have the Kenai River on
a particular year, being extremely strong, it becomes a very big
factor and perhaps a dominating factor in the management of Cook
Inlet. He further mentioned, "In the case of Sockeye salmon, the
escapements to the Susitna drainage have been improving. So I
think the ADF&G has been taking measures there to try and get more
fish up into the Susitna Basin. In the case of Chinook salmon, the
Kenai River does not drive Chinook salmon management in Cook Inlet
at all."
Number 111
REPRESENTATIVE GARY DAVIS was looking at the fiscal note and asked
Mr. Bruce if this note was in addition to the current board
expenditures or is this note the cost of the new proposal.
MR. BRUCE responded that the fiscal note attached to HB 149 was
additional costs.
Number 124
CHAIRMAN AUSTERMAN asked Mr. Bruce what the current expenditures
were for the Board of Fish.
MR. BRUCE responded that the total board support section is $1.6
million with about $1 million going to the Board of Fish and the
Board of Game combined. The $600,000 left over is for support of
the Fish and Game Advisory Committee.
CHAIRMAN AUSTERMAN asked Mr. Bruce if the $1 million for the two
boards is split equally.
MR. BRUCE responded that they are not split equally, because the
Board of Fish have more meeting days. He indicated that the
difference was slightly more for the Board of Fish but could not
give an exact figure.
Number 140
REPRESENTATIVE ELTON had a few suggestions to make, since the
intent is to hold this bill. With concern he said, "Right now we
have seven people that are kind of going out and rubbing shoulders
in regions all across the state. I make the argument, not enough
regions of the state or not the right regions of the state, but
that's a political argument, so I won't do it. The other concern
that I have about that, is that if we create a professional board
of three people, what we're going to end up doing is putting three
people in a state office building in an urban area. They're going
to have a professional support staff. I think that people who are
concerned that the board right now is a captive of the professional
staff, they don't know what being a captive is until you've got
three bureaucrats sitting in a state office building."
REPRESENTATIVE ELTON also asserted, "I think we've had a lot of
success with the current board structure. I think maybe one of the
ways you gauge that success is you take a look at what the
traditional harvest was in the mid-1970s. I think it dropped to a
low of 22 million fish. Over the last three or four years, as Mr.
Bruce has noted, we've approach a harvest of 200 million fish." He
also mentioned that we have the ADF&G who have the resources to get
the basic research that's needed to manage a very complex fishery.
He went on to say that when we diminish the ADF&G's ability to
accomplish that research, we're diminishing the ability of the
board to make judgments on resource allocations that are based on
science, rather than antidote.
CHAIRMAN AUSTERMAN revealed that was one of the reasons why he
wanted to hold all these similar bills and discuss each one and get
a flavor for what the real problems are. He felt that the
committee could then reach a consensus on what to do and even come
out with a policy statement on the Board of Fish.
Number 223
REPRESENTATIVE OGAN expressed concern that there are people in this
state that do not feel the resource is being managed for the
resource. He felt that the Board of Fish fails to respond
adequately at times to problems and so you have bills that come
forth like this one. He indicated that he was supporting this bill
for the sake of discussion. He again encouraged the groups to get
together.
Number 260
CHAIRMAN AUSTERMAN set forth that HB 149 would be held.
HFSH - 03/22/95
HB 208 - SEAFOOD PROCESSING STANDARDS
Number 269
CHERYL SUTTON, Administrative Assistant to Representative Moses,
testified on his behalf as the prime sponsor of this bill. She
specified, "HB 208 addresses one area of a changing seafood
industry. This is the area of seafood inspection through Hazard
Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) planning. Currently, the
federal government, through the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
is proposing to adopt regulations to ensure the safe processing and
monitoring of fish and fishery products. HB 208 will mirror the
requirements adopted by the FDA in state statute and will replace
the current plans of operation with a HACCP plan. The HACCP system
will produce a more efficient system for ensuring the safety of
seafood products than currently exist. The effective date of the
Act will also mirror the adoption of the federal rule.
International trade is also a major consideration in determining
the advisability and benefits of a new system of seafood
regulation. Both Canada and the European community have
implemented or are in the process of implementing mandatory HACCP
based seafood inspection programs. Failure by the United States to
adopt a mandatory HACCP based inspection system and failure by
Alaska, may ultimately undermine its export success with
considerable economic consequence."
Number 318
JANICE ADAIR, Regional Director, Department of Environmental
Conservation, testified via teleconference from Anchorage, in
support of the concept behind this legislation and is working with
Ms. Sutton on the committee substitute.
Number 325
DAVE CHOQUETTE, President, Alaska Choice Seafoods, testified via
teleconference from Anchorage, in wholehearted support of HB 208.
He stated, "We feel that the bill will go a long way towards
strengthening the relationship between the industry and the
regulatory agency. We also feel the harmonizing effect this bill
will have in bringing a universal understanding of the regulation
through the HACCP program."
Number 372
DOUG DONEGAN, Vice President, Trident Seafoods Corporation,
testified via teleconference from Anchorage, in strong support of
HB 208. He stated, "We believe it will reduce duplication of
efforts for industry in the state and it will continue to protect
the safety of the consumers in Alaska seafood products."
Number 388
JIM YONKER, Director, Ocean Beauty Seafoods, testified via
teleconference from Seattle, Washington, in support of HB 208. He
also thanked ADEC's efforts and the legislature in working together
to bring this special program on line.
Number 400
KEN ROEHMILDT, Superintendent, North Pacific Processors, testified
via teleconference from Cordova, in support of this bill. He
stated, "HB 208 provides a level of inspection that is acceptable
to me as a processor and demanded by consumers worldwide." He went
on to say, "We Alaskan processors currently operate at higher costs
than outside processors and to remain in business we must not
increase our costs beyond what is absolutely necessary."
Number 417
HAP SYMMONDS, Plant Manager, St. Elias Seafood Products, testified
via teleconference from Cordova, in support of HB 208. He
commented, "This bill will bring HACCP regulations under one roof
with ADEC, FDA and the European union regulations being the same.
It will make it more streamlined for plant managers and for plant
quality control people to follow the regulations. This will ensure
that products produced in an approved plant would not be denied
their place in the market, due to a minor technicality."
Number 427
GERALD MASOLINI, Owner/Operator, Eyak Packing, testified via
teleconference from Cordova, in support of HB 208. He thanked both
Representative Moses and his aide, Cheryl Sutton, for all the work
they have done.
Number 439
CHUCK JENSON, East Point Seafoods, testified via teleconference
from Kodiak, in full support of HB 208. He stated, "Harmonizing
these state regulations with the federal regulations does nothing
but make sense."
Number 461
RICK LAUBER, Lobbyist, Pacific Seafoods Processor Association,
testified in support of HB 208. He remarked, "Not only is this a
good bill for processors and fishermen, but it's also a very good
bill for the public." He added, "We won't have to conform to a
multitude of regulations. One of our big problems has been
conforming with foreign nations and the various treaties and trade
agreements."
Number 494
REPRESENTATIVE DAVIS commented that he likes this bill.
REPRESENTATIVE MOSES commented in jest, that we should just go
ahead and move the committee substitute out now.
REPRESENTATIVE OGAN made referrals to the General Agreement on
Trade and Tariffs (GATT) and the North American Free Trade
Agreement (NAFTA) and how these policies relate to this bill.
Number 507
CHAIRMAN AUSTERMAN again indicated that HB 208 would be held.
ADJOURNMENT
CHAIRMAN AUSTERMAN adjourned the meeting at 6:16 p.m.
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