1997-07-10                     House Journal                      Page 1985
HB 198                                                                       
CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 198(FIN)                                                
"An Act relating to regional dive fishery development associations            
and to dive fishery management assessments; and providing for an               
effective date."                                                               
                                                                               
Chapter No. 90, SLA 1997                                                      
ªEffective Date:  June 21, 1997ß                                              
                                                                               
My Administration  recognizes the importance of providing for                  
economic opportunities and sound development of our natural                    
resources.  Despite having suffered significant budget cuts for                
commercial fisheries management over the past few years, the Alaska            
Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G), by working closely with                   
Southeast Alaska communities and the fishing industry, opened the              
new sea urchin fishery in Southeast this year.                                 
                                                                               
It is critical to not jeopardize sound management of existing fisheries        
upon which Alaska communities and fishing families already depend,             
as we look to opening new fisheries.  Without new funding, needed              
management costs must be absorbed at the expense of other valuable             
programs.  Establishing self-assessing dive fishery associations through       
this legislation will provide additional management funds for this new         
fishery, assuming that these monies are treated as designated program          
receipts that do not compete with other limited general funds for the          
department during budget deliberations.                                        
                                                                               
While the current legislative leadership has stated its intention to treat     
funds generated by the dive fishery assessment as designated program           
receipts, statutory language may be needed to clarify and to ensure that       
future legislatures will treat them similarly.  Additionally, even at the      
highest percentages allowed under the bill, the revenues generated             
under HB 198 will not be sufficient to fund management of the urchin           
fishery, and probably other dive fisheries.  Without statutory revision,       
further budget demands may be placed on the department.                        
                                                                               
In addition, the bill raises policy concerns.  An assessment on a              
particular fishery to fund that fisherys own management is a new               
direction for fishery management.  It may create a new client                  
relationship between participants and managers of a given fishery.             
ADF&G will implement  the bill in the  Southeast sea urchin  fishery