Legislature(2003 - 2004)
04/16/2003 09:12 AM House FSH
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
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+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
HOUSE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON FISHERIES
April 16, 2003
9:12 a.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Paul Seaton, Chair
Representative Peggy Wilson, Vice Chair
Representative Cheryll Heinze
Representative Dan Ogg
Representative David Guttenberg
MEMBERS ABSENT
Representative Ralph Samuels
Representative Ethan Berkowitz
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
CS FOR SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 12(RES)
Supporting the halibut bycatch utilization project of the Alaska
Food Coalition.
- MOVED HCS CSSJR 12(FSH) OUT OF COMMITTEE
PREVIOUS ACTION
BILL: SJR 12
SHORT TITLE:SUPPORTING HALIBUT BYCATCH PROJECT
SPONSOR(S): SENATOR(S) STEVENS G
Jrn-Date Jrn-Page Action
03/13/03 0491 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME -
REFERRALS
03/13/03 0491 (S) RES
04/02/03 (S) RES AT 3:30 PM BUTROVICH 205
04/02/03 (S) Moved CSSJR 12(RES) Out of
Committee
MINUTE(RES)
04/04/03 0691 (S) RES RPT CS 6DP SAME TITLE
04/04/03 0691 (S) DP: OGAN, SEEKINS, STEVENS B,
04/04/03 0691 (S) WAGONER, LINCOLN, ELTON
04/04/03 0691 (S) FN1: ZERO(DFG)
04/07/03 0732 (S) RULES TO CALENDAR 4/7/2003
04/07/03 0732 (S) READ THE SECOND TIME
04/07/03 0732 (S) RES CS ADOPTED UNAN CONSENT
04/07/03 0732 (S) ADVANCED TO THIRD READING
UNAN CONSENT
04/07/03 0732 (S) READ THE THIRD TIME CSSJR
12(RES)
04/07/03 0732 (S) COSPONSOR(S): ELLIS, ELTON,
DAVIS,
04/07/03 0732 (S) LINCOLN, OLSON, HOFFMAN,
THERRIAULT,
04/07/03 0732 (S) COWDERY
04/07/03 0733 (S) PASSED Y17 N- E3
04/07/03 0733 (S) TRANSMITTED TO (H)
04/07/03 0733 (S) VERSION: CSSJR 12(RES)
04/08/03 0836 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME -
REFERRALS
04/08/03 0836 (H) RES
04/08/03 0860 (H) CROSS SPONSOR(S): LYNN
04/09/03 0900 (H) FSH REFERRAL ADDED BEFORE RES
04/16/03 (H) FSH AT 9:00 AM CAPITOL 124
WITNESS REGISTER
SENATOR GARY STEVENS
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Presented sponsor statement for SJR 12.
TREVOR JONES, Chair
Alaska Food Coalition
Kodiak, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: As project coordinator, answered questions
pertaining to SJR 12.
ACTION NARRATIVE
TAPE 03-24, SIDE A
Number 0001
CHAIR PAUL SEATON called the House Special Committee on
Fisheries meeting to order at 9:12 a.m. Representatives Seaton,
Wilson, Heinze, Ogg, and Guttenberg were present at the call to
order.
SJR 12-SUPPORTING HALIBUT BYCATCH PROJECT
CHAIR SEATON announced that the only order of business would be
CS FOR SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 12(RES), Supporting the
halibut bycatch utilization project of the Alaska Food
Coalition.
Number 0083
SENATOR GARY STEVENS, Alaska State Legislature, sponsor of
SJR 12, said the resolution was a result of concerns expressed
by the "Alaska Food Bank." The legislation demonstrates support
of the halibut bycatch project devised by the Alaska Food
Coalition. He noted that the Alaska Food Coalition does a great
job of providing food for people in the state who are less
fortunate and who need assistance. Senator Stevens mentioned
that fishermen who operate trawl vessels are not allowed, by
federal law, to keep "accidentally caught halibut" and have to
throw that halibut overboard. He said fishermen as well as
processors are willing to voluntarily devote their time and
effort to handle and process otherwise unused halibut to make
use of it for charitable purposes. He said the Alaska Food
Coalition has developed a plan and has the funds available to
distribute the product throughout the state.
Number 0232
SENATOR GARY STEVENS informed the committee that if passed, SJR
12 would go to the North Pacific Fishery Management Council and
also to National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to support the
issuance of a Prohibited Species Donation Permit to begin this
project of using halibut bycatch. He clarified that this would
not be used on vessels without observers, thereby avoiding the
possibility of catching more halibut than necessary. Senator
Stevens said that what was remarkable about SJR 12 was that both
fishermen and processors have volunteered to participate in a
project that allows the product to be used by people in Alaska
who need it.
Number 0369
REPRESENTATIVE WILSON inquired about the projected numbers of
fish involved in the project.
SENATOR GARY STEVENS responded that Trevor Jones would better be
able to answer that question, but said he assumed the project
would start out slowly to make sure that the system was working.
He said that food banks throughout the state are anxious to
access the program and he referenced a similar program in the
Seattle area in which a permit is used that pertains to halibut
from the Bering Sea.
Number 0430
REPRESENTATIVE WILSON asked how often, after catching halibut,
fishermen on boats need to throw the fish back.
SENATOR GARY STEVENS confirmed that fishermen catch a lot of
halibut by mistake and that there are bycatch numbers, but said
he didn't have that statistic.
Number 0478
CHAIR SEATON offered that in the Gulf of Alaska, he thought the
amount was 750 metric tons. He then asked the sponsor what time
period would be involved, wondering if the project would be
year-round or would involve a specific window of time.
SENATOR GARY STEVENS said the permit offered by NMFS has
specific requirements regarding time elements and amounts. He
suggested that the project would involve a small percentage of
the large amount of halibut bycatch and that it would be a
reflection of the Alaska Food Coalition's needs within the
state.
REPRESENTATIVE HEINZE asked if it was known how much of the
halibut bycatch is dead.
SENATOR GARY STEVENS responded that if the halibut are dead,
this utilization project offers an alternative to just disposing
of the fish, and that perhaps if the halibut were alive, they
would be thrown overboard. He reiterated that this would be an
opportunity to utilize just some, not all, of the dead halibut.
Number 0614
CHAIR SEATON explained that there is a requirement that live
halibut are to be discarded; the halibut are sorted and put
overboard quickly. The amount of 750 metric tons refers to the
estimated mortality - the amount of dead halibut - and not the
total amount of halibut caught. He said that when he was at the
[North Pacific Fishery Management Council], there was an
estimated 15 to 17 percent mortality of longline-caught halibut
and an estimated 80 to 85 percent mortality of trawl-caught
halibut. He said his understanding is that SJR 12 deals
specifically with trawl-caught halibut. He added that the
assumption used to be a 100 percent mortality rate, but after
further study it was found that 15 to 20 percent of the trawl-
caught halibut did survive.
REPRESENTATIVE HEINZE wondered if it was traumatic for halibut,
since they were caught at such depths, to be brought all the way
up to the surface and then be thrown back overboard.
Number 0743
CHAIR SEATON commented that halibut don't have a swim bladder,
so that unlike rockfish, if they are brought up too quickly,
their bladders don't expand and they are not injured in that
particular way. He suggested that one way fish are injured in a
trawl fishery is that when the trawl net is swept along the
bottom, either in shallow water flats or deep water flats, the
fish accumulate - perhaps 50 or 40 tons - and there is a mass of
fish in the back of the trawl. He explained that the water
circulation isn't good and depending upon the length of the tow,
the fish can be basically "drowned" because of being packed into
the back edge, also called the cod end of the net. He repeated
that the fish are almost squeezing out of the net, and if
halibut are stuck there, there is not good water circulation,
they are packed in, and by the time they are pulled out [they
are dead].
Number 0820
CHAIR SEATON continued that there are restrictions on the length
of tows in attempts to reduce halibut bycatch, but there are
still halibut that will die. The requirement is to immediately
discharge "live and kicking" halibut. In the Gulf of Alaska,
depending on the fishery, there is a question regarding the size
of the halibut; the average size can be 2 1/2 pounds, with a lot
of small as well as large halibut mixed in with flounder. He
said he doubted that this aspect would be addressed in the
permit, but thought it would be addressed by processors because,
if flounder were being processed at the same time, the size
would be consistent.
Number 0898
SENATOR GARY STEVENS reiterated that this was a volunteer
operation and that the processors were willing to spend a
minimal amount of time on gutting and freezing.
Number 0932
REPRESENTATIVE WILSON wondered how the processors would work on
the details, suggesting that perhaps a certain day of the week
would be set aside.
SENATOR GARY STEVENS responded that this would be controlled by
processors.
CHAIR SEATON added that under the permit, the question of "how
much can be taken and brought in" would be need to be agreed
upon because SJR 12 allows for the right to have halibut on
board if it is being delivered to a committed halibut processor.
He said the intent of this specific permit was to make sure that
the retained halibut are sequenced through this permit.
Number 1019
CHAIR SEATON stated that one problem with SJR 12 was that
originally the indication was that this could be done from
unobserved vessels. He said he'd conferred with the sponsor and
wanted to suggest a verbal amendment as follows:
On page 2, line 7, delete the sentence after the word
"the" and insert "issuance of a Prohibited Species
Donation Permit using halibut bycatch from vessels
with observers".
Number 1113
REPRESENTATIVE HEINZE [moved to adopt] the foregoing as
Amendment 1.
Number 1171
CHAIR SEATON explained that Amendment 1 ensures that illegally
caught halibut will not be allowed on board. He mentioned what
is called "whole haul" as an example in which fish are caught
and dumped into the fish hold without sorting for halibut, which
is legally required.
Number 1216
REPRESENTATIVE WILSON objected to Amendment 1 because she
wanted to know Senator Gary Stevens' opinion.
SENATOR STEVENS responded that Amendment 1 clarifies the
resolution, saying that he would be pleased to add it to the
resolution.
Number 1260
REPRESENTATIVE WILSON withdrew her objection.
CHAIR SEATON asked if there was any further objection. There
being no objection, Amendment 1 was adopted.
Number 1294
TREVOR JONES, Chair, Alaska Food Coalition, said he was
available to answer questions, and said that as coordinator for
the project, he wanted to commend fishermen and processors for
their willingness to participate.
REPRESENTATIVE WILSON asked how the plan would proceed; she
wondered if the fish would be fresh or frozen and what timelines
were being considered.
Number 1366
MR. JONES responded that there was an agreement with the
processors that the halibut would be headed, gutted, frozen, and
then stored until there was a shipment ready to go to a network
of food banks. He mentioned that the "Food Bank of Alaska"
would be involved with getting shipments to various places in
the state such as Nome, Barrow, Juneau, and "to about every
community in the state."
Number 1416
CHAIR SEATON commented that it was great to have the product
going to food banks in Alaska rather than having it go to
Seattle. He then asked if a "size range" had been investigated.
MR. JONES replied that consideration was being given to begin
with 18-inch fish, but added that it would be kept "a little bit
open" to allow for experimentation regarding what would work
best and also to avoid bringing fish back to shore that couldn't
be utilized. He said that starting at the 18-inch mark would
allow for a reasonable return, considering the efforts that
would have to go into the fish.
CHAIR SEATON asked if the intent was that the fish would be
frozen whole, headed and gutted, or if a fillet machine would be
used.
MR. JONES responded that consideration was being given to
eventually filleting the halibut, skin on, and also perhaps
moving toward shatter packs or to [individually quick-frozen
fish] to reduce packaging size for the convenience of food
banks, which may operate with a limited infrastructure of
freezers.
CHAIR SEATON commended Mr. Jones and the Alaska Food Coalition
for work that has been done on the project.
Number 1550
REPRESENTATIVE WILSON moved to report CSSJR 12(RES), as amended,
out of committee with individual recommendations and the
accompanying fiscal note. There being no objection, HCS CSSJR
12(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
9:32 a.m.
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