HOUSE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON FISHERIES March 25, 1998 5:04 p.m. MEMBERS PRESENT Representative Alan Austerman, Chairman Representative Ivan Ivan Representative Scott Ogan MEMBERS ABSENT Representative Mark Hodgins Representative Gene Kubina COMMITTEE CALENDAR CS FOR SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 40(RES) Relating to the fisheries management fee proposed by President Clinton. - MOVED CSSJR 40(RES) OUT OF COMMITTEE (* First public hearing) PREVIOUS ACTION BILL: SJR 40 SHORT TITLE: FISHERIES MANAGEMENT FEE SPONSOR(S): SENATOR(S) LEMAN, Hoffman, Lincoln, Taylor, Mackie, Ward, REPRESENTATIVE(S) Hudson Jrn-Date Jrn-Page Action 2/16/98 2522 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRAL(S) 2/16/98 2522 (S) RESOURCES 3/04/98 (S) RES AT 3:30 PM BUTROVICH ROOM 205 3/04/98 (S) MINUTE(RES) 3/05/98 (S) MINUTE(RLS) 3/05/98 2748 (S) RES RPT CS 4DP 2NR SAME TITLE 3/05/98 2748 (S) DP: HALFORD, TAYLOR, LINCOLN, LEMAN 3/05/98 2748 (S) NR: SHARP, GREEN 3/05/98 2748 (S) ZERO FISCAL NOTE TO SJR & CS (S.RES) 3/09/98 2791 (S) RULES TO CALENDAR 3/9/98 3/09/98 2793 (S) READ THE SECOND TIME 3/09/98 2793 (S) RES CS ADOPTED UNAN CONSENT 3/09/98 2793 (S) ADVANCED TO THIRD READING UNAN CONSENT 3/09/98 2793 (S) READ THE THIRD TIME CSSJR 40(RES) 3/09/98 2793 (S) COSPONSOR(S): HOFFMAN, LINCOLN, TAYLOR 3/09/98 2793 (S) MACKIE, WARD 3/09/98 2794 (S) PASSED Y19 N- E1 3/09/98 2795 (S) TRANSMITTED TO (H) 3/11/98 2588 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRAL(S) 3/11/98 2588 (H) FISHERIES, RESOURCES 3/25/98 (H) FSH AT 5:00 PM CAPITOL 124 WITNESS REGISTER LORALI MEIER, Legislative Secretary to Senator Loren Leman Alaska State Legislature Capitol Building, Room 115 Juneau, Alaska 99801 Telephone: (907) 465-2095 POSITION STATEMENT: Testified on CSSJR 40(RES). JERRY MCCUNE, Representative United Fishermen of Alaska 211 4th Street, Suite 211 Juneau, Alaska 99801 Telephone: (907) 586-2820 POSITION STATEMENT: Testifed in support of CSSJR 40 (RES). ACTION NARRATIVE TAPE 98-13, SIDE A Number 0001 CHAIRMAN ALAN AUSTERMAN called the House Special Committee on Fisheries meeting to order at 5:04 p.m. Members present at the call to order were Representatives Austerman, Ivan and Ogan. CSSJR 40(RES) - FISHERIES MANAGEMENT FEE Number 0039 CHAIRMAN AUSTERMAN announced the committee would hear, CSSJR 40(RES), "Relating to the fisheries management fee proposed by President Clinton." Number 0068 LORALI MEIER, Legislative Secretary to Senator Loren Leman, read the sponsor statement into the record: "Senate Joint Resolution 40 expresses the legislature's opposition to a proposed fisheries management fee included in President's Clinton's FY 99 budget. The fee is designed to fund the management and enforcement activities of the National Marine Fisheries Service. Because Alaska has the most profitable fisheries in the country, our state's fishermen would pay the largest share of the $20 million that is expected to be generated nationwide. "Alaska's fishermen would receive no new benefits or services from this fee. President Clinton's budget does not specify whether the tax would apply to those fish caught in federally managed waters, or whether it would extend to all fish, regardless of management zone. It would appear likely that the fee would be made to apply to all fish caught in waters around Alaska." Number 0179 JERRY MCCUNE, Representative, United Fishermen of Alaska, stated that Alaska Fishermen would carry the burden of the 1 percent. He pointed out the inshore fishermen do not have any federal enforcement, as they are not fishing in federal waters, therefore they would be paying a tax for federal water fisheries. He stated that he finds it unfair and is in opposition to the tax and is in support of CSSJR 40(RES). Number 0260 REPRESENTATIVE SCOTT OGAN made a motion to move CSSJR 40(RES), with individual recommendations and asked unanimous consent. Number 0301 CHAIRMAN AUSTERMAN asked if there was an objection. Hearing none, CSSJR 40 (RES) was moved out of the House Special Committee on Fisheries. ADJOURNMENT Number 0307 CHAIRMAN AUSTERMAN adjourned the House Special Committee on Fisheries meeting at 5:10 p.m.