03/14/2012 03:30 PM Senate RESOURCES
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SB123 | |
| SB181 | |
| SB159 | |
| SB205 | |
| Adjourn |
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | SB 123 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | SB 159 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | SB 181 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | SB 205 | TELECONFERENCED | |
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
SENATE RESOURCES STANDING COMMITTEE
March 14, 2012
3:31 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Joe Paskvan, Co-Chair
Senator Thomas Wagoner, Co-Chair
Senator Bill Wielechowski, Vice Chair
Senator Lesil McGuire
Senator Hollis French
Senator Gary Stevens
MEMBERS ABSENT
Senator Bert Stedman
OTHER LEGISLATORS PRESENT
Senator Cathy Giessel
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
SENATE BILL NO. 123
"An Act establishing May 10 of each year as Alaska Mining Day."
- MOVED SB 123 OUT OF COMMITTEE
SENATE BILL NO. 181
"An Act approving an interim classification by the commissioner
of natural resources closing certain land within the Glacier
Creek and Winner Creek drainages to new mineral entry; amending
the mineral entry closure in sec. 2, ch. 8, SLA 2003, for
certain land within the Glacier Creek and Winner Creek
drainages; and providing for an effective date."
- MOVED SB 181 OUT OF COMMITTEE
SENATE BILL NO. 159
"An Act establishing the Susitna State Forest; and providing for
an effective date."
- HEARD & HELD
SENATE BILL NO. 205
"An Act establishing the Alaska Chinook research and restoration
endowment fund and relating to grants from the fund."
- HEARD & HELD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: SB 123
SHORT TITLE: ALASKA MINING DAY
SPONSOR(s): SENATOR(s) GIESSEL
04/08/11 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
04/08/11 (S) RES
03/12/12 (S) RES AT 3:30 PM BUTROVICH 205
03/12/12 (S) Heard & Held
03/12/12 (S) MINUTE(RES)
03/14/12 (S) RES AT 3:30 PM BUTROVICH 205
BILL: SB 159
SHORT TITLE: SUSITNA STATE FOREST
SPONSOR(s): SENATOR(s) MENARD
01/17/12 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
01/17/12 (S) RES, FIN
03/12/12 (S) RES AT 3:30 PM BUTROVICH 205
03/12/12 (S) Heard & Held
03/12/12 (S) MINUTE(RES)
03/14/12 (S) RES AT 3:30 PM BUTROVICH 205
BILL: SB 181
SHORT TITLE: CLOSING CERTAIN LAND TO MINERAL ENTRY
SPONSOR(s): SENATOR(s) GIESSEL
01/27/12 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
01/27/12 (S) RES
01/27/12 (S) RES RPT RECD W/CS AWAIT TRANSMITTAL NXT
01/27/12 (S) RES RPT CS #DP #DNP #NR #AM
03/12/12 (S) RES AT 3:30 PM BUTROVICH 205
03/12/12 (S) Heard & Held
03/12/12 (S) MINUTE(RES)
03/14/12 (S) RES AT 3:30 PM BUTROVICH 205
BILL: SB 205
SHORT TITLE: CHINOOK RESEARCH & RESTORATION ENDOWMENT
SPONSOR(s): SENATOR(s) OLSON
02/21/12 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
02/21/12 (S) RES, FIN
03/12/12 (S) RES AT 3:30 PM BUTROVICH 205
03/12/12 (S) Heard & Held
03/12/12 (S) MINUTE(RES)
03/14/12 (S) RES AT 3:30 PM BUTROVICH 205
WITNESS REGISTER
MIKE SATRIE, Executive Director
Council of Alaska Producers
Juneau, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Absolutely supported SB 123.
CHRIS BIRCH
Anchorage Municipal Assembly
Member, Board of Alaska Miners Association-Anchorage
Anchorage, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SB 123.
SENATOR LINDA MENARD
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Sponsor of SB 159.
MIKE ROVITO
Chief of staff for Senator Menard
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Available for questions on SB 123.
NICK STEEN, member
Ruffed Grouse Society-Southcentral Chapter
MatSu, AK
POSITION STATEMENT Supported SB 159.
CARL PORTMAN, Deputy Director
Resource Development Council (RDC)
Anchorage, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SB 159.
THOR STACY
Alaska Professional Hunters Association
Juneau, AK
POSITION STATEMENT Supported SB 159.
CHRIS MAISCH, State Forester
Director, Division of Forestry
Department of Natural Resources (DNR)
Juneau, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SB 159.
DAVE SCOTT
Staff to Senator Donald Olson
Alaska State Legislature
POSITION STATEMENT Answered questions about SB 205 for the
sponsor.
TIM SMITH, President
Norton Sound Bering Strait Regional Aquaculture Association
Nome, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SB 205.
ART NELSON
Policy and Outreach Director
Bering Sea Fishermen's' Association
Anchorage, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SB 205.
REBECCAS ROBBINS-GISCLAIR
Yukon River Drainage Fisheries Association (YRDFA)
Anchorage, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SB 205.
CASIE STOCKDALE
Association of Village Council Presidents (AVCP)
Bethel, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SB 205.
LORETTA BULLARD, President
Kawerak Inc.
Nome, AK
POSITION STATEMENT Supported SB 205.
ERIC VOLK, Fisheries Scientist
Division of Commercial Fisheries
Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G)
Anchorage, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Answered questions about SB 205 for the
department.
JERRY MCCUNE, lobbyist
Cordova Fishermen United
Juneau, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SB 205.
ROBIN SAMUELSON, President and CEO
Bristol Bay Development Corporation (BBEDC)
Dillingham, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Wholeheartedly supported SB 205.
JOE FAITH, representing himself
Dillingham, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Strongly supported SB 205.
FRANK WOODS
Bristol Bay Native Association (BBNA)
Dillingham, AK
POSITION STATEMENT Supported SB 205.
ACTION NARRATIVE
3:31:42 PM
CO-CHAIR THOMAS WAGONER called the Senate Resources Standing
Committee meeting to order at 3:31 p.m. Present at the call to
order were Senators Stevens, McGuire, French, Wielechowski, Co-
Chair Paskvan and Co-Chair Wagoner.
SB 123-ALASKA MINING DAY
3:32:34 PM
CO-CHAIR WAGONER announced consideration of SB 123 [version 27-
LS0792\M was before the committee].
CO-CHAIR PASKVAN moved to report SB 123, version \M, from
committee to the next committee of referral with individual
recommendations and attached fiscal note(s).
CO-CHAIR WAGONER objected for public testimony. He asked Senator
Giessel if she had anything to add.
SENATOR GIESSEL, sponsor of SB 123, answered no.
3:34:17 PM
MIKE SATRIE, Executive Director, Council of Alaska Producers
(CAP), Juneau, AK, said he absolutely supported SB 123. He said
CAP supports it not just because it recognizes the important
role mining has in the economy, but also the long and varied
history of the many individuals who have been involved in the
mining industry and mining as a way to develop infrastructure
and settlement throughout the state.
He related that the first evidence of mining goes back to the
jade and copper that was traded throughout Alaska and the
Pacific Northwest through the original inhabitants. And the
various gold rushes brought huge immigrations of western
settlers to the state, but as people came, so did the
infrastructure. This bill talks about the Alaska Railroad; and
in Juneau, the lights in the committee room are partially
powered by the hydroelectric facilities at Annex Creek and
Salmon Creek that were built to service the AJ and other mines.
The water in this building that people drink also comes from the
Salmon Creek reservoir. The capitol building has the pick axe
and shovel motif, the gold of the sourdoughs dreams is in the
state song on legislative coffee cups and the seal of the State
of Alaska has a smelter at the back.
He concluded saying that today, mom and pop placer mines up to
some of the larger mines that get featured on various TV
specials are still working as well as the dredging operations in
Nome. Modern-day mining operations produce the metals that are
used in every-day life by people around the world, and so Alaska
will continue to be a very strong piece of the economy.
3:36:55 PM
CHRIS BIRCH, Anchorage Municipal Assembly, said he is also on
the Board of Alaska Miners Association-Anchorage, and he
supports SB 123. South Anchorage has one of the only operating
mines at Crow Creek. It's a good program and a good opportunity
for appropriate recognition.
CO-CHAIR WAGONER closed the public hearing and removed his
objection. Finding no further objections, he announced that SB
123 moved from the Senate Resources Standing Committee.
3:38:11 PM
At ease from 3:38 to 3:41 p.m.
SB 181-CLOSING CERTAIN LAND TO MINERAL ENTRY
3:41:01 PM
CO-CHAIR WAGONER announced SB 181 to be up for consideration.
CO-CHAIR PASKVAN moved to bring SB 181, version 27-LS1257\M,
before the committee for discussion purposes.
CO-CHAIR WAGONER objected for discussion purposes and asked the
sponsor if she had any comments.
SENATOR GIESSEL, sponsor of SB 181, said she had no further
comments.
CO-CHAIR WAGONER, finding no public testimony, removed his
objection.
CO-CHAIR PASKVAN moved to report SB 181 from committee with
individual recommendations and attached fiscal note. There were
no objections and SB 181 moved from the Senate Resources
Standing Committee.
3:42:45 PM
At ease 3:42 to 3:44 p.m.
SB 159-SUSITNA STATE FOREST
3:44:47 PM
CO-CHAIR WAGONER announced SB 159 to be up for consideration [SB
159, 27-LS1179\M was before the committee].
3:45:01 PM
SENATOR LINDA MENARD, sponsor of SB 159, introduced her chief of
staff and said they were working on a committee substitute (CS)
that would address two items. First, it will exempt the private
inholdings that lie within the proposed forest boundaries and
secondly, it will address intent language that Senator Stedman
spoke to during Monday's meeting.
MIKE ROVITO, chief of staff for Senator Menard, said he had no
testimony and was ready for public testimony.
CO-CHAIR WAGONER found no further testimony off net.
3:46:26 PM
NICK STEEN, member, Ruffed Grouse Society-Southcentral Chapter,
MatSu, AK, supported SB 159, but proposed modifying the
boundaries to include all unencumbered state lands draining into
Cook Inlet between Beluga Lake and the southern boundaries of
the Denali National and State Parks. He explained that currently
the bill is comprised of 14 non-contiguous parcels of land and
keeping this land in state ownership under the forest
designation is important to guaranteeing continued space for
recreational use of ever expanding population centers in
Southcentral and for wildlife, and to retain the character of
the land most people came to Alaska to experience.
He said a state forest is the least restrictive land designation
that can be managed for everyone's benefit with the exception of
those wishing to see land transferred to private ownership. As
the population of Southcentral increases, the recreational
demand can no longer be met if land is continued being released
into private ownership.
MR. STEEN said numerous land disposal programs throughout the
area have been considered and much of the waterfront land with
easy access points has already been ceded to private ownership.
These private inholdings will make access for timber extraction
difficult.
He stated that interspersing additional transfers of land to
private ownership within the land designated for forest
management makes no sense at all. Under the recently enacted
Susitna Matanuska Area Plan (SMAP) some of the areas that he is
requesting to be designated as a state forest are slated for
land disposal for cabin sites or agriculture.
Transfer of land into private ownership as envisioned by the
drafters of our state constitution is laudable, Mr. Steen
stated, but as Governor Hammond said, it is the ultimate lock
up. Private ownership denies public use of the specific parcel
that frequently controls access to adjacent public lands, and a
NIMBY attitude influences management of public lands within view
of that parcel. This NIMBY attitude impacts the state's ability
to manage timber resources, wildlife resources, and mining
activities. Those who drafted the constitution didn't ever
envision the population growth that Alaska has recently
experienced. A forest designation for this entire area, even
though it is not all productive timber land, will provide
uniform management guidelines throughout the area.
Multiple land designations lead to conflicting land use
regulations. A forestry designation is the least controlling
land use pattern possible and will afford future generations the
greatest opportunity to experience Alaska. The forest
designation can be modified in the future to accommodate changes
in needs. Returning private land to public ownership is
difficult, time consuming and cost prohibitive.
In summary, Mr. Steen said, this is the last remaining large
parcel of state land in Southcentral that can be set aside for
public use and enjoyment. Effective management of timber
resources enhances wildlife populations, creates an industry
utilizing a renewable resource that improves the economic basis
of the community while supporting the demand for recreational
areas to hunt, trap, fish, snow machine, hike and otherwise
enjoy the great out-of-doors.
3:50:55 PM
CARL PORTMAN, Deputy Director, Resource Development Council
(RDC), Anchorage, AK, supported SB 159. He said the Department
of Natural Resources (DNR) currently manages 9.5 million acres
of forest land in the Matanuska and Susitna Valleys. Of this
land, timber management is allowed on approximately 2.1 million
acres. The remaining land is designated for other uses including
land sales, recreation, water uses and fish and wildlife
habitat. Over 3.1 million acres is protected in legislatively
designated state parks, refuges and public use areas.
Establishment of the forest would insure that some land would
remain available for long term forest management. It would allow
the Division of Forestry to more actively manage the lands and
vegetation to promote a variety of forest ages, which in turn
would maximize the sustainable supply of timber from state
timber base and provide for more diverse and healthy habitats
for wildlife. In addition, active management would also help
reduce wildfire risk. The Division of Forestry would manage the
state forest for a long-term supply of timber to local
processors and retain land in state ownership for other multiple
uses. An enhanced long-term timber supply would help support the
forest products industry, provide fuel for sustainable biomass
energy projects and create new jobs.
It would also benefit the recreational sector as the state
intends to develop access to new state forests and encourage a
broad range of multiple uses. Those multiple uses would include
an annual timber harvest and provide important economic
opportunities to local communities, businesses and residents. It
is important to keep in mind, Mr. Portman said, that SB 159
would establish a new state forest from state lands presently
designated for forest management. The Susitna State Forest would
be managed consistent with the management intent under the
current Susitna Matanuska and the Southeast Susitna area plan.
Alaska's Forest Practices Act would also apply to management
activities on the forest and is designed to protect both fish
habitat and water quality.
MR. PORTMAN summarized that RDC supports SB 159 and believes the
proposed state forest will be of much benefit to the local
economy creating and sustaining much needed jobs in the forest
products industry while providing many other opportunities.
3:53:46 PM
THOR STACY, Alaska Professional Hunters Association, Juneau, AK,
supported SB 159. He said for an industry that relies on fore-
sighted management practices for renewable resources on public
land they see the advantages of the intent and the concept of
this bill, specifically the potential for habitat improvement.
And in general, they support the concept of renewable resource
use and development in conservation on public lands. He said
their members rely on this access for opportunity and viability.
3:55:22 PM
MR. STACY said he hoped their "constructive concerns" could be
worked out in the management plan for state forests as it has in
the past. He asked for some ability to work access in terms of
timing to hunting seasons with any kind of timber development or
infrastructure that would be commercial in nature and outreach
to members that use the game management unit in question, mostly
Unit 16.
The other concern his organization has was just the ability for
there to be interagency communication in the subsets of DNR to
make sure that hunting opportunities are retained along with
other multiple uses.
CO-CHAIR WAGONER asked him to tell the committee where he came
from to testify.
MR. STACY said he came from Juneau.
CO-CHAIR WAGONER commented that he was from Wiseman, way up
North.
MR. STACY remarked that the forests up in that area are "pretty
diminutive in stature."
CO-CHAIR WAGONER found no further testimony and closed the
public hearing. He set SB 159 aside.
CO-CHAIR PASKVAN said Mr. Steen from Ruffed grouse Society was
talking about adding some land to this forest and he wanted to
know if Mr. Maisch had any comment on that.
3:57:48 PM
CHRIS MAISCH, State Forester, and Director of the Division of
Forestry, Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Juneau, AK,
responded that Mr. Steen was encouraging the size of the state
forest to be increased because all the lands that were
classified for forestry purposes under the area plan are
proposed to be in the state forest. That area planning process
had a lot of public input and interagency coordination and has
identified other state lands for other purposes: habitat for
wildlife, agricultural purposes, settlement, and a number of
others. To acquire additional land for the state forest, the
division would have to negotiate with other state agencies that
have the lands designated in other ways for higher and better
use. It wouldn't be impossible to make changes, but it has been
already vetted strongly and this is the package they came up
with.
CO-CHAIR WAGONER said he would hold SB 159 in committee.
SB 205-CHINOOK RESEARCH & RESTORATION ENDOWMENT
3:59:30 PM
CO-CHAIR WAGONER announced SB 205 to be up for consideration
[CSSB 205(RES), labeled 27-LS1312\D, was before the committee].
4:00:02 PM
DAVE SCOTT, staff to Senator Donald Olson, Alaska State
Legislature, sponsor of SB 205, said he was available for
questions.
4:01:17 PM
TIM SMITH, President, Norton Sound Bering Strait Regional
Aquaculture Association, Nome, AK, supported SB 205. He said
something is really wrong with King salmon statewide and
particularly in western Alaska. In Norton Sound, the Pilgrim
River had 44 fish; last year was the same. For all practical
purposes that run is extinct. Another King salmon run on Boston
Creek is also going extinct. The problem is they don't know why;
there is a lot of speculation and a lot of possible factors, but
they won't know why until research efforts are stepped up. This
bill is a good way to do it. He closed saying it would be "a
darned shame" if we lose our Chinook runs anywhere. He started
commercial fishing on the Yukon River in 1975 and he never
believed it would come to this.
4:04:03 PM
ART NELSON, Policy and Outreach Director, Bering Sea
Fishermen's' Association, Anchorage, AK, supported SB 205. He
said this organization has worked to develop sustainable Bering
Sea and western Alaska fishery resources. He also was chair of
the Steering Committee, Arctic Yukon Kuskokwim (AYK) Sustainable
Salmon Initiative, a collaborative research effort involving a
number of organizations including the Association of Village
Council Presidents, Tanana Chiefs Conference, Kawerak Inc.,
Alaska Department of Fish and Game, National Marine Fisheries
Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Bering Sea
Fishermen's Association. He had also served about six years on
the Alaska Board of Fisheries.
MR. NELSON said a dramatic shift has been seen in the abundance
of Chinook salmon; many rivers in western Alaska, particularly
the Unakleet, the Yukon/Kuskokwim and Nushigak Rivers, in
addition have suffered prolonged declines and in more recent
years, rivers in Upper Cook Inlet and Copper River are seeing
declining returns. It's especially troubling that many of these
rivers are not even meeting their escapement goals and have
significant restrictions to subsistence and failure to meet
subsistence needs.
He said weak returns also exacerbate the allocative tensions
between sport, commercial and personal use user groups, and
those tensions are already high when the runs are healthy. He
said establishing a program to effectively understand and
address the causes of the declines of Chinook salmon will
require multi-disciplinary and multi-year research across the
full salmon lifecycle, especially in the marine environment
where Chinook spend 80 to 90 percent of their life history and
complete 90 percent of their growth. Effective research across
the full lifecycle requires long-term stable funding sources
such as the one under consideration today.
MR. NELSON said over the past 10 years, the AYK Sustainable
Salmon Initiative has funded a number of important research
projects including developing a research action plan for AYK
Chinook salmon. The purpose is to identify which variables or
processes are the most likely causative factors in recent
declines and to produce a detail set or research priorities in
targeting the key drivers of Chinook abundance. This will be
accomplished by establishing a panel of fisheries scientists to
review and synthesize the information available from all
published sources and directly from the salmon managers. Drawing
on that synthesis, the panel will identify key variables and
processes that are affecting Chinook abundance including:
-when during their life history is any variable being
operative
-hypotheses about the processes involved
-the potential strength of their effect of abundance
-the potential to be affected by management actions
The panel would develop detailed recommendations for future
research.
4:07:47 PM
MR. NELSON said another project they have been involved with is
escapement goals and evaluation of escapement goals to assure
sustainable fisheries. When this project is completed the panel
will offer advice on the most appropriate research approaches
and management efforts. The panel will consider the range of
approaches and analytical framework such as:
-what are the best methods for dealing with data
limited situations
-what methods exist for determining escapement goals
-which are the best to use in different drainage
systems
-what is the best model for establishing escapement
goals in subsistence dominated fisheries (especially
for the Arctic Yukon Kuskokwim area)
4:08:24 PM
He said there are a number of other examples of endowment funded
research programs in Alaska and each has extensive involvement
by state agencies, staff and scientists. The sustained
endowment-based funding from these has enabled organizations to
undertake high quality long-term interdisciplinary research
programs, but this one is ideal, because it's focused on such an
important fish to Alaska. It's the state fish and it's the least
numerous of the five species, but the most highly prized by a
lot of Alaskans.
MR. NELSON thanked Senator Olson and Representative Herron and
their staffs and co-sponsors for creating SB 205.
4:09:53 PM
REBECCAS ROBBINS-GISCLAIR, Yukon River Drainage Fisheries
Association (YRDFA), Anchorage, AK, supported SB 205. She said
YRDFA is an association of commercial and subsistence fishermen
and women on the Yukon River with a mission of promoting healthy
wild fisheries and cultures on the Yukon River.
She said that salmon are a critical resource in western Alaska
where it serves as a primary source of food and the commercial
fisheries are one of the only means of income. Chinook salmon in
particular are an essential part of the culture, diet and
economy in that region. The Chinook salmon are declining rapidly
on the Yukon River and nobody is sure what the reasons are.
Escapement goals to Canada haven't been met since 2007 despite
some pretty dramatic restrictions on subsistence harvest.
Subsistence needs as specified by the Board of Fisheries for
amounts necessary for subsistence haven't been met since 2008
and it's like they will not have been met in 2011 when numbers
come in.
MS. ROBBINS-GISCLAIR said commercial fishing for King salmon has
been pretty much eliminated; commercial Chum salmon fisheries
have also been restricted to protect the King salmon that are in
the river at the same time. Even when escape goals have been
met, the subsequent returns from the escapements have been poor.
These declines have had a dramatic effect on Yukon River
communities. Very little information is available about what is
causing it or how to plan for future run sizes. Chinook are a
long-lived species and it's critical to have a dedicated and
consistent source of funding for Chinook salmon research, so its
lifecycle can be studied. This type of research needs to be
well coordinated and funded over an extended period.
She explained that some federal funds were allocated to research
this issue, but there were still gaps in the data.
4:14:30 PM
CASIE STOCKDALE, Association of Village Council Presidents
(AVCP), Bethel, AK, supported SB 205. She said she is also a
biologist and that AVCP is a recognized tribal organization and
non-profit Alaska regional corporation representing 56 member
indigenous villages in Western Alaska. She thanked the sponsors
of SB 205 saying the Chinook stocks in the Yukon and Kuskokwim
drainages and the Chinook stocks throughout the AYK region are
in a serious state of decline. Currently, on both rivers the
productivity for Chinook is at or below one recruit per spawner,
meaning that the population can barely replace itself even with
no harvest. These sharp declines have prompted widespread
restrictions and closures of subsistence and small scale
commercial fisheries each year, causing nutritional, economic
and cultural disaster for those who depend on the returns of
these salmon stocks.
In response, she said that AVCP recently hosted a special
convention to identify ways to conserve Chinook and how to
incorporate tribes in their management. The executive board
passed Resolution 12-03-03 expressing full support for HB 332,
establishment of the Alaska Chinook Salmon Research and
Restoration Endowment Fund. AVCP also strongly supports SB 205
as there is an urgent need to create stable, long-term
diversified sources of funding to implement high-quality
research and restoration programs to address the causes of the
declines of the Chinook salmon.
4:17:34 PM
LORETTA BULLARD, President, Kawerak Inc., Nome, AK, supported SB
205. She said Kawerak is the regional tribal nonprofit
association for the Bergin Straits region. They have seen huge
decline's in Chinook returns in northern Norton Sound as well as
southern Norton Sound. In 2011, only 44 Chinook returned to the
Pilgrim River and in 2003 when they first started counting
there, the Chinook run was 1,016. On the North River close to
Unakleet, which is very dependent on Chinook for both
subsistence and personal fisheries as well as Chinook commercial
fishery, their runs have gone from 1,452 in 2003 down to 864.
The Chinook runs in 2003 on the Koniaq by Ilum, the longest-
running counting tower in the Bering straits region managed by
the ADF&G, were at 744 and last year it had gone down to 57
fish. They question whether or not these stocks can even
biologically sustain themselves.
Their concerns have been brought to their regional fish
biologists who say these are naturally occurring declines and
nothing can be done. But they are very concerned about it and
support this project so the declines can be addressed. Because
of the extremely poor returns, they sought to have a Chinook and
Chum disaster declared by the U.S. Department of Commerce for
the stocks in Norton Sound two years ago, but weren't successful
because while the Chinook return was way down in southern Norton
Sound (that doesn't have a commercial fishery), the commercial
fishermen in southern Norton Sound were able to offset their
economic losses by fishing other stock. Therefore, no economic
disaster occurred, so therefore a disaster was not declared. In
northern Norton Sound, the commercial fisheries had been closed
for so long that an economic disaster declaration was not
possible, since a disaster is determined by the decline over the
previous five years of average fishing income. Ms. Bullard
stated this is not an income issue; their stocks are so
depressed that they wonder if they will survive. Yet, there
doesn't seem to be a sense of urgency in terms of addressing it.
She feared the situation is worse than it appears, because on
the Pilgrim where stocks have gone from over 1,000 fish annually
down to 44 last summer, there is no escapement goal and that
means there is no escapement goal to worry about meeting.
4:22:52 PM
At ease from 4:22 to 4:25 p.m.
4:25:01 PM
CO-CHAIR WAGONER called the meeting back to order at 4:25 p.m.
SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI said he supported the bill, but asked ADF&G
if this program should be limited to just Chinook salmon. The
MatSu Valley has had low salmon returns for a number of years
and a Cook Inlet Salmon Task Force was assembled to figure it
out. Other areas of the state experience low returns, too.
4:26:52 PM
ERIC VOLK, Fisheries Scientist, Division of Commercial
Fisheries, Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G),
Anchorage, AK, responded that there is ample room for funding
for all salmon species in Alaska and they all have substantial
knowledge gaps and could be managed better. He said, however,
that Chinook salmon represent an area of special concern.
4:28:03 PM
JERRY MCCUNE, lobbyist, Cordova Fishermen United, Juneau, AK,
supported SB 205. He said doing research in some areas would
help gathering more information about other species, because
sometimes the streams are right next to each other. He said
it's tough enough for the department to get funding to just do
some of the research they do now, but Alaska has the last
abundance of wild Chinook in the world. Most of the stocks in
Washington and Oregon are hatchery stocks.
MR. MCCUNE said he understood the distrust of ADF&G in some
areas, but someone has to be in charge. If he was on the board
today from Southcentral, the first thing he would want to do is
have the department write a report to get a baseline on what the
gaps in information are from each area and where the Chinook
are.
4:29:56 PM
ROBIN SAMUELSON, President and CEO, Bristol Bay Development
Corporation (BBEDC), Dillingham, AK, wholeheartedly supported SB
205. He said BBEDC represents 17 villages within the Bristol Bay
region and they have had problems with their Chinook salmon for
the last 30 years, and things are getting worse. The first time
was when the Japanese high seas drift fleet annihilated the
Chinook in western Alaska by taking 275,000 in one year. From
there they went into a 20-year rebuilding mode. The rebuilding
mode was working, but then the offshore trawl fishery was
happening and they again noticed a decline in the salmons
stocks.
He remarked that the Nushigak, the biggest river in Bristol Bay,
has not been making escapement for the last few years. It hasn't
had a commercial salmon season and restrictions have been placed
on sports fishermen; fortunately subsistence hasn't been
restricted. However, in Togiak, Naknek, Quijak, Egegik, Ugashik
and Port Heiden it's a whole different story. Their stocks are
so small now that they might not come back. This money would
allow them to set up enhancement projects to get the runs back
over time.
MR. SAMUELSON related that just two or three years ago, a
Chinook cap was placed on the trawl fisheries in the Bering Sea
thanks to the State of Alaska, but this bill is one of the major
pieces of legislation that will save Chinook salmon whether it's
in Southeast, Cook Inlet, Bristol Bay, or Norton Sound.
4:32:28 PM
JOE FAITH, representing himself, Dillingham, AK, strongly
supported SB 205. King salmon help define Alaska to the rest of
the world, he said. They are important to subsistence, which has
important nourishment, economic and cultural values. Last year
he chose not subsistence fish for Kings on the Nushigak, because
of his concern. Kings are also important to commercial fishing
in Bristol Bay where he has direct-marketed Kings for $5/lb.
Another direct marketer told him that she did it for $10/lb.,
but last year there was no commercial King season. The concern
for Kings also affected Red salmon fishing on the Nushigak,
because ADF&G put restrictions on those to meet King salmon
escapement.
4:33:51 PM
FRANK WOODS, Bristol Bay Native Association (BBNA), Dillingham,
AK, supported SB 205. He said the Alaska Chinook Salmon Research
and Restoration Endowment Fund would enhance research from
beginning to end. A lot more people are needed to be involved in
the processes of salmon management, habitat and research.
MR. WOODS related that BBNA represents 31 Bristol Bay tribes and
they have much in common with other regions' stocks of concern.
He asked them to remove section 4(b)(1) in section 37.14.685 of
SB 205 [page 6, lines 19-20] that says you have to be listed by
the ADF&G as a "stock of concern" in order to be considered for
the grant process, because some of these rivers have such small
Chinook returns that their numbers aren't even listed. He also
asked them to eliminate "(4) declined significantly from
historic yield levels" as a qualification for a grant.
4:37:35 PM
CO-CHAIR WAGONER, finding no further testifiers, closed the
public hearing.
SENATOR STEVENS asked Mr. Scott to comment on Mr. Woods thoughts
on the criteria for grants on page 6.
4:38:43 PM
MR. SCOTT responded that the sponsor would consider them; they
are not digging in their heels.
SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI asked what he thought about extending the
fund to salmon stocks across the state.
MR. SCOTT replied that the sponsor wouldn't support doing that,
not because other salmon stocks don't need that research, but
because King stocks require special attention.
CO-CHAIR WAGONER said in looking at items (1) through (4) on
page 6, he understood Mr. Wood's concern about the runs that
have gone so far down that they are below the criteria, and
thought that language could be taken care of easily.
SENATOR FRENCH noted that those items were a series of "ors" and
meant that it doesn't matter if it's not a stock of concern, as
long as it has declined significantly from historic yield
levels.
CO-CHAIR WAGONER said he would hold SB 205 in committee.
4:41:00 PM
CO-CHAIR WAGONER adjourned the Senate Resources Standing
Committee meeting at 4:41 p.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| draft CS SB 205 v.D.PDF |
SRES 3/14/2012 3:30:00 PM |
SB 205 |
| Draft CS SB 205 v.D - sectional.pdf |
SRES 3/14/2012 3:30:00 PM |
SB 205 |
| SB 205 HB 332 - Map of Public Member Regions.pdf |
SRES 3/14/2012 3:30:00 PM |
HB 332 SB 205 |
| SB 205 BSFA problem document 3-12.pdf |
SRES 3/14/2012 3:30:00 PM |
SB 205 |