HB 218:  REPEAL 58 FT. LIMIT FOR SEINE VESSELS                               
                                                                               
  CHAIRMAN CARL MOSES called the meeting to order at 8:40                      
  a.m., and acknowledged the teleconference sites.  He stated                  
  the meeting would start as a work session due to the lack of                 
  a quorum, and announced HB 218 would be heard again and HB                   
  230 would be heard for the first time.                                       
                                                                               
  CHAIRMAN MOSES brought up the proposed Fisheries Committee                   
  Substitute for HB 230 (CSHB 230 (FSH)) which would clarify                   
  that the 58 foot seine limit would be repealed in state law,                 
  but authority for making restrictions on length would go                     
  back to the Board of Fisheries.   The Board of Fisheries                     
  would make those restrictions on a fishery by fishery or                     
  regional basis.  He added the change was suggested by the                    
  Alaska Department of Fish & Game (ADF&G).                                    
                                                                               
  CHAIRMAN MOSES asked Mr. Bruce of the ADF&G to come forward                  
  with the suggested change.                                                   
                                                                               
  GERON BRUCE, SPECIAL ASSISTANT, ADF&G, stated the amendment                  
  was suggested by the ADF&G to allow the Board of Fisheries                   
  sufficient time to conduct hearings in a three year cycle                    
  region by region.  The hearings would be held to determine                   
  whether the fishermen in each region wanted the 58 foot                      
  limit repealed.  The Chairman of the Board of Fisheries was                  
  consulted and he recommended the amendment.  Mr. Bruce                       
  concluded the ADF&G was neutral on HB 218.                                   
                                                                               
  Number 066                                                                   
                                                                               
  JERRY MCCUNE, PRESIDENT, UNITED FISHERMEN OF ALASKA (UFA),                   
  said the UFA had discussed HB 218 and decided if all the                     
  fishing organizations and fishermen agreed to repeal the 58                  
  foot limit for seine vessels, then the UFA would support the                 
  bill; and, the length restrictions for salmon seine vessels                  
  should be determined by the Board of Fisheries on a regional                 
  basis.  Otherwise, the UFA is neutral on the bill and will                   
  let the groups address it, he concluded.                                     
                                                                               
  Number 091                                                                   
                                                                               
  KATE TROLL, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, SOUTHEAST SEINERS                            
  ASSOCIATION said she had previously testified on HB 218, had                 
  made the suggestion about consideration of the Board of Fish                 
  cycle, and was glad to see the change had been included.                     
                                                                               
  JAMES MYKLAND, testified via teleconference from Cordova                     
  that he was involved in purse seine fisheries in Prince                      
  William Sound and felt if 70-100 foot seine boats were                       
  allowed, it would lead to over-capitalization of the fleet                   
  and would not be advantageous to the area.                                   
                                                                               
  CHAIRMAN MOSES asked if anyone else wanted to testify via                    
  teleconference on HB 218.  Hearing none, he moved on to HB                   
  230.