05/08/2003 04:03 PM Senate RES

            HB 118-TRANSPORTATION OF COMMERCIAL FISH                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE   PAUL  SEATON,   sponsor  of   HB  118,   informed                                                              
committee  members that  HB 118  gives fishermen  another tool  to                                                              
get  better  quality  fish  to market  while  reducing  costs  and                                                              
provides the  Alaska Department  of Fish and  Game (ADF&G)  with a                                                              
better  mechanism to  keep track  of fish. Fishermen  will  have a                                                              
legal way  to consolidate  catches, record  that information,  and                                                              
move those fish to market.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR OGAN asked who opposes the bill.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE   PAUL  SEATON  said   no  one  has   opposed  this                                                              
legislation.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR OGAN asked  if this legislation will "put a  few guys in the                                                              
fish transport business...?"                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  SEATON  agreed and  added  a number  of  fishermen                                                              
with small  catches  will be able  to aggregate  their catches  on                                                              
one boat  and make up the  fish ticket on each  fisherman's catch.                                                              
That  way,  only one  boat  will  have to  run  the fish  to  town                                                              
without everyone having  to leave the fishing grounds  or hold the                                                              
fish  longer.  That  will  provide for  better  quality  fish  and                                                              
reduce fuel expenses.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  WAGONER said  about six  or eight  boats fished  Chinitna                                                              
Bay after  the season was  over [last year]  in Cook  Inlet. Those                                                              
boats had  an 8-hour  run to  sell their  minimal amount  of fish.                                                              
This  bill will  allow those  fishermen to  combine their  catches                                                              
and have one boat make the run.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  SEATON pointed  out that  a quirk  in current  law                                                              
requires the  fisherman to  be at  the point of  sale so  a fisher                                                              
cannot  make  a fish  ticket  and  have  those fish  delivered  by                                                              
another fisherman.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
MR.  DOUG   MECUM,  Director   of  the   Division  of   Commercial                                                              
Fisheries, ADF&G, said he was available to answer questions.                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR OGAN asked  Mr. Mecum to review the history  of why this has                                                              
not been allowed in the past.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
MR. MECUM  said this legislation  covers all of  ADF&G's concerns.                                                              
It has worked  with the Departments  of Law and Public  Safety and                                                              
finds  the  bill  contains adequate  protections  to  ensure  that                                                              
ADF&G  gets accurate  data, which  has been its  main concern.  He                                                              
explained that  the current  statutory requirement that  fishermen                                                              
be present  at the point  of sale was  imposed for the  purpose of                                                              
enforcement   of   fishing   regulations    and   tracking.   This                                                              
legislation  modifies  that  statute.  The  Division  of  Wildlife                                                              
Protection  will be able  to track  down where  and when  the fish                                                              
were caught.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR OGAN asked  if the Division of Wildlife  Protection supports                                                              
this legislation.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
MR.   MECUM  said   that  division   is   comfortable  with   this                                                              
legislation.  Major Cockrell  has testified  at least three  times                                                              
to that effect.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
There being  no further questions  or discussion,  SENATOR WAGONER                                                              
moved  CSHB   118(RES)  am  out   of  committee   with  individual                                                              
recommendations and its attached fiscal note.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR OGAN announced that without objection, the motion carried.                                                                
He then adjourned the meeting at 4:23 p.m.