03/08/2011 05:00 PM House FISHERIES

                    ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE                                                                                  
              HOUSE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON FISHERIES                                                                            
                         March 8, 2011                                                                                          
                           5:04 p.m.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS PRESENT                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Representative Steve Thompson, Chair                                                                                            
Representative Alan Austerman                                                                                                   
Representative Lance Pruitt                                                                                                     
Representative Scott Kawasaki                                                                                                   
Representative Bob Miller                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS ABSENT                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Representative Craig Johnson, Vice Chair                                                                                        
Representative Bob Herron                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
COMMITTEE CALENDAR                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
HOUSE BILL NO. 173                                                                                                              
"An Act amending the termination date of the licensing of sport                                                                 
fishing operators and sport fishing guides; and providing for an                                                                
effective date."                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     - MOVED OUT OF COMMITTEE                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
BILL: HB 173                                                                                                                  
SHORT TITLE: SPORT FISHING GUIDING SERVICES                                                                                     
SPONSOR(s): FISHERIES                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
02/25/11       (H)       READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS                                                                        
02/25/11       (H)       FSH, RES                                                                                               
03/08/11       (H)       FSH AT 5:00 PM CAPITOL 120                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
WITNESS REGISTER                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
JOMO STEWART, Staff                                                                                                             
Representative Steve Thompson                                                                                                   
Alaska State Legislature                                                                                                        
Juneau, Alaska                                                                                                                  
POSITION STATEMENT:  Presented HB 173 on behalf of the House                                                                  
Special Committee on Fisheries, which Representative Thompson                                                                   
chairs.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
CHARLIE SWANTON, Director                                                                                                       
Division of Sport Fish                                                                                                          
Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G)                                                                                      
Juneau, Alaska                                                                                                                  
POSITION STATEMENT:   Testified in  support of HB 173,  on behalf                                                             
of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G).                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
ACTION NARRATIVE                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
5:04:57 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  STEVE  THOMPSON  called the  House  Special  Committee  on                                                             
Fisheries meeting to  order at 5:04 p.m.  Present  at the call to                                                               
order  were Representatives  Thompson,  Miller, Kawasaki,  Miller                                                               
and Austerman.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
             HB 173-SPORT FISHING GUIDING SERVICES                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
5:05:11 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR THOMPSON  announced that the  only order of  business would                                                               
be HOUSE BILL  NO. 173, "An Act amending the  termination date of                                                               
the  licensing  of  sport fishing  operators  and  sport  fishing                                                               
guides; and providing for an effective date."                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
5:05:33 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
JOMO STEWART, Staff, Representative  Steve Thompson, Alaska State                                                               
Legislature,  introduced  HB  173  as a  one  year  extension  of                                                               
existing  statute  governing  the   licensing  of  sport  fishing                                                               
operators  and   guides,  as  well   as  the  log   book  program                                                               
established in  2004.   He pointed  out that  the bill  carries a                                                               
zero fiscal note.   The continuation will allow  an evaluation of                                                               
the program to  be completed by Alaska Department of  Fish & Game                                                               
(ADF&G).                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
5:08:45 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR THOMPSON stated his understanding  that every year this has                                                               
been requested as an extension,  and inquired into the background                                                               
of the original statute.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
CHARLIE  SWANTON, Director,  Division of  Sport Fish,  provided a                                                               
history  of  the  inception  and  continuous  extensions  of  the                                                               
statute.  Studies have been  completed to validate the quality of                                                               
the data gathered,  and efforts have also been  made to modernize                                                               
the  saltwater log  book system.   Streamlining  the process  has                                                               
occurred  and, will  be continued,  in an  effort to  receive the                                                               
data a timely, efficient, and accurate manner.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
5:12:35 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR THOMPSON  asked about the  zero fiscal note  that increases                                                               
to $400,000 in succeeding years.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
MR.  SWANTON  replied  that  the  $400,000  covers  the  cost  of                                                               
supplies, staff, and programmers.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR THOMPSON closed public testimony.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
5:14:09 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE AUSTERMAN moved to report  HB 173 out of committee                                                               
with  individual  recommendations  and  the  accompanying  fiscal                                                               
notes.   There being no objection,  HB 173 was reported  from the                                                               
House Special Committee on Fisheries.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
5:14:38 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR THOMPSON thanked the participants  and announced the agenda                                                               
for the next meeting.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
5:15:35 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
ADJOURNMENT                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
There being no  further business before the  committee, the House                                                               
Special  Committee on  Fisheries  meeting was  adjourned at  5:15                                                               
p.m.