2025-02-24                     Senate Journal                      Page 0341
SB 108                                                                                                                        
SENATE BILL NO. 108 BY THE SENATE RULES COMMITTEE                                                                               
BY REQUEST OF THE GOVERNOR, entitled:                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
          "An Act relating to finfish farms and finfish farm                                                                    
          products; and providing for an effective date."                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
was read the first time and referred to the Resources and Finance                                                               
Committees.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
The following fiscal information was published today:                                                                           
 Fiscal Note No. 1, zero, Department of Environmental                                                                           
          Conservation                                                                                                          
 Fiscal Note No. 2, zero, Department of Fish and Game                                                                           
                                                                                                                                

2025-02-24                     Senate Journal                      Page 0342
Governor's transmittal letter dated February 20:                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Dear President Stevens:                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Under the authority of Article III, Section 18 of the Alaska                                                                    
Constitution, I am pleased to transmit a bill authorizing and regulating                                                        
finfish farms and finfish farm products. Currently, Alaska law                                                                  
prohibits the farming of finfish, except for private nonprofit (PNP)                                                            
salmon hatcheries. Authorizing finfish farming would introduce a new                                                            
industry to Alaska, creating jobs, increasing food security for                                                                 
residents, and contributing to economic growth.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
This bill authorizes the Commissioner of the Department of Fish and                                                             
Game (DFG), in consultation with the Commissioner of the                                                                        
Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), to permit the                                                                   
cultivation and sale of certain finfish in natural or artificial inland,                                                        
closed-system bodies of water.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
With a finfish farm permit, a permittee may operate a finfish farm and                                                          
acquire, hold, offer, transfer, or sell finfish stock and finfish farm                                                          
products, subject to DFG regulations and DEC oversight. The bill                                                                
defines finfish as any bony fish belonging to the Osteichthyes class,                                                           
excluding pink, chum, sockeye, coho, chinook, and Atlantic salmon.                                                              
All finfish in finfish farms must remain sterile, and no artificial                                                             
propagation is authorized.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
I urge your prompt and favorable action on this measure.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Sincerely,                                                                                                                      
/s/                                                                                                                             
Mike Dunleavy                                                                                                                   
Governor