ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE  SENATE RESOURCES STANDING COMMITTEE  April 23, 2005 10:04 a.m. MEMBERS PRESENT Senator Thomas Wagoner, Chair Senator Ralph Seekins, Vice Chair Senator Ben Stevens Senator Fred Dyson Senator Kim Elton Senator Gretchen Guess MEMBERS ABSENT  Senator Bert Stedman OTHER MEMBERS PRESENT  Senator Gary Stevens Senator John Cowdery Representative Gabrielle LeDoux COMMITTEE CALENDAR WORKSESSION SENATE BILL NO. 113 "An Act relating to entry into and management of Gulf of Alaska ground fish fisheries." PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION BILL: SB 113 SHORT TITLE: GULF OF ALASKA GROUNDFISH FISHERY SPONSOR(s): SENATOR(s) STEVENS B BY REQUEST 02/23/05 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS 02/23/05 (S) RES, FIN 03/09/05 (S) RES AT 3:30 PM BUTROVICH 205 03/09/05 (S) Heard & Held 03/09/05 (S) MINUTE(RES) 03/16/05 (S) RES AT 3:30 PM BUTROVICH 205 03/16/05 (S) Scheduled But Not Heard 03/23/05 (S) RES AT 3:30 PM BUTROVICH 205 03/23/05 (S) -- Meeting Canceled -- 04/01/05 (S) RES AT 3:30 PM BUTROVICH 205 04/01/05 (S) -- Meeting Canceled -- 04/18/05 (S) RES AT 3:30 PM BUTROVICH 205 04/18/05 (S) Heard & Held 04/18/05 (S) MINUTE(RES) 04/23/05 (S) RES AT 10:00 AM BUTROVICH 205   ACTION NARRATIVE CHAIR THOMAS WAGONER called the Senate Resources Standing Committee meeting to order at 10:04:38 AM. Present were Senators Ben Stevens, Dyson, Elton and Chair Wagoner. Senator Seekins joined the committee at 10:07. SB 113-GULF OF ALASKA GROUNDFISH FISHERY    WORKSESSION: SB 113 The following people testified on SB 113: LEIGH THOMET, Kodiak, opposed SB 113. Allocates state resources and goes against the AK constitution. Will not be good for coastal communities. 10:07:44 AM SENATOR SEEKINS joined the committee. SENATOR GARY STEVENS joined the committee. 10:08:40 AM JULIE KAVANAUGH, Kodiak, opposed SB 113. Allocation of the resource to other than an individual. 10:12:12 AM EMILY JEAN CAPJOHN, Kodiak, opposed SB 113. Will reward the trawl fleet for its by-catch. 10:15:32 AM SENATOR GUESS joined the committee. REPRESENTATIVE LADEOUX joined the committee. 10:16:00 AM DON DUMM, Kodiak, opposed SB 113. He also opposes rationalization. Sees fewer jobs in Kodiak because of it. Price of Qs have gone up and made it harder to get into the fishery. 10:20:39 AM MARK LEVENSON, F/V Seagreen, Kodiak, opposed SB 113. Will consolidate the fishery. The permit holder sits in his chair and collects money. NEIL RICKMAN, Sitka jig fisherman, opposed SB 113. 10:25:27 AM KIP THOMET, Kodiak, opposed SB 113. Elimination of jobs and access rights. Doesn't address absentee owners. Needs owner-on- board provision. 10:29:04 AM CHAIR WAGONER asked how people are getting around being on board. MR. THOMET replied that a lot of them are original Q holders who are grand-fathered in. 10:30:16 AM DANA REID, Kodiak, opposed SB 113. Had concerns with removing jig provision in SB 113. 10:32:35 AM LEONARD CARPENTER, Kodiak, opposed SB 113. Against constitution - doesn't provide equal access. 10:36:50 AM YAKOV REUTOV, Homer, supported SB 113. It's a good start. He is speaking for 40 other longliners in Homer and Kodiak. 10:40:33 AM ALEX KWACHA, Dutch Harbor, said he was testifying for three others. Supported SB 113. Suggested under-58 ft. boats. "Skipper Card" for original owners. 10:44:53 AM DONALD LAWHEAD, offnet, opposed SB 113. 10:47:27 AM ERIC LARIAMA, offnet, opposed SB 113. 10:48:47 AM DAVID POLUSHKIN, Matsu, K-Bay Fishing Association, supported SB 113. It's a management tool, not an automatic giveaway. 10:49:56 AM JULIE BONNEY, Anchorage, Alaska Groundfish Data Base, supported SB 113. 10:53:26 AM DONNA JONES, Kodiak, opposed SB 113. Privatization of a public resource. 10:55:51 AM SENATOR BEN STEVENS said time, weight and gear limits don't work to protect the bio-mass. Didn't work on the East Coast where there are no fish now. 10:58:06 AM CHAIR WAGONER said halibut price fluctuates depending on how much fish are on the market. 10:59:04 AM CHARLIE PARSONS, Homer, F/V Nightwatch, supported SB 113. 11:01:45 AM GLEN CARROLL, Homer, supported SB 113. 11:04:15 AM BUCK LAUKITIS, Homer, North Pacific Fishing Association, supported SB 113. 11:06:19 AM TRIFILYI REUTOV, Homer, K-Bay Fishing Association, supported SB 113. 11:07:26 AM DAN HULL, Cordova District Fishermen United (CDFU) - Groundfish Division, supported SB 113. Commented on MOU between Board of Fisheries and CFEC. 11:11:24 AM MITCH KILBORN, Kodiak, Western Alaska Fisheries, supported SB 113. 11:13:51 AM DAN HEES, Kodiak, supported SB 113. 11:16:51 AM GABRIEL SARAVIA, Kodiak, supported SB 113. 11:20:01 AM ENRIQUE PEREZ, Kodiak cannery worker, supported SB 113. 11:21:21 AM SENATOR COWDERY joined the meeting. 11:22:26 AM PETER ALLAN, Kodiak, F/V Orion, opposed SB 113. 11:25:03 AM LISA ROBBINS, Kodiak, opposed SB 113 - unconstitutional. 11:26:42 AM JAY STINSON, Kodiak, Alaska Draggers Association, supported SB 113. 11:29:47 AM AL BURCH, Kodiak, Executive Director, Alaska Draggers Association, supported SB 113. 11:33:42 AM KEITH REYNOLDS, Kodiak, F/V Dawn, supported SB 113. 11:34:40 AM MATTHEW MOIR, Kodiak, Alaska Pacific Seafoods, supported SB 113. 11:39:53 AM MIKE MARTIN, Kodiak, F/V Captain Kidd, supported SB 113. 11:42:41 AM BEN DOCTOLERO, Kodiak, Alaska Pacific Seafoods, supported SB 113. 11:44:47 AM BENNY DOQUILENEA, Kodiak, Alaska Pacific Seafoods, spoke for his crew of 100, supported SB 113. 11:47:20 AM ROBERT GUNDERSON, Kodiak, F/V Icy Mist, supported SB 113. 11:49:35 AM ROBIN CLARK, Kodiak, opposed SB 113. 11:52:46 AM GEORGE MARSHALL, Kodiak, opposed SB 113. 11:53:44 AM CHRISTINE HOLLAND, Kodiak, opposed SB 113. 11:56:35 AM TIM TRIPP, Kodiak, opposed SB 113. 11:58:37 AM PETE HANNAH, Kodiak, opposed SB 113. 12:00:51 PM CARL HAYES, Kodiak, opposed SB 113. 12:02:17 PM NORM BOTZ, Kodiak, F/V Silversword, opposed SB 113. 12:04:50 PM STEVE MATHIEU, Kodiak, President, Alaska Jig Association, opposed SB 113. 12:09:58 PM ROLAND RUOSS, Kodiak, opposed SB 113. 12:12:07 PM SHAWN DOCHTERMANN, Kodiak, testifying in Juneau, opposed SB 113. 12:17:58 PM SENATOR SEEKINS said there is no indication of fast tracking. 12:18:12 PM CHAIR WAGONER said the same. 12:19:17 PM SENATOR DYSON clarified that committee time is not used for personal attacks. 12:20:30 PM CHAIR WAGONER asked that personal attack on Senator Ben Stevens be stricken from the record. SENATOR ELTON supported previous statements. 12:21:43 PM JOE CHILDERS, Kodiak, testifying in Juneau, Western Gulf of Alaska Fishermen, supported SB 113. 12:28:25 PM SENATOR SEEKINS mentioned constitutional question. 12:32:10 PM STEVEN TUFFIN, Groundswell Fisheries Movement, opposed SB 113. 12:39:36 PM MARK VINCENT, United Fishermen of Alaska, didn't comment on SB 113. 12:41:07 PM Adjourned.