Legislature(2017 - 2018)SENATE FINANCE 532
04/03/2018 01:30 PM Senate FINANCE
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SB198 | |
| HB76 | |
| HB128 | |
| SB142 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | HB 286 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | SB 142 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| += | HB 76 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 128 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | SB 198 | TELECONFERENCED | |
HOUSE BILL NO. 128
"An Act relating to management of enhanced stocks of
shellfish; authorizing certain nonprofit organizations
to engage in shellfish enhancement projects; relating
to application fees for salmon hatchery permits; and
providing for an effective date."
2:40:23 PM
REPRESENTATIVE DAN ORTIZ, SPONSOR introduced himself.
2:40:31 PM
MARY HAKALA, STAFF, REPRESENTATIVE DAN ORTIZ, introduced
the bill.
Representative Ortiz read from a prepared statement:
Madam Chair, Members of Senate Finance Committee,
thank you for hearing HB 128 dealing with Shellfish
Enhancement Projects.
I'd like to thank Senator Stevens for his work on SB
89, the Senate companion to this bill.
With over 30,000 miles of coastline, pristine waters,
talented entrepreneurs, and marketing infrastructure,
Alaska has tremendous untapped potential to grow
mariculture in the State.
Very briefly, HB128 allows non-profits to apply for,
and pursue enhancement or restoration projects
involving shellfish, with species ranging from red and
blue king crab, sea cucumber, abalone, geoduck, razor
clams, and more.
HB128 creates the regulatory framework needed for
management of shellfish enhancement projects.
The bill allows research to continue on a larger scale
that can make a difference in rehabilitation and
restoration efforts.
HB 128 sets out stringent safety standards to ensure
sustainability and health of existing wild stocks.
Shellfish produced under an enhancement permit become
a common property resource available for common use
- when returned to the wild.
The bill provides for cost recovery and designated
harvest areas under guidelines established by the
Department.
Administrative procedures parallel those for salmon
enhancement projects, providing efficiencies that
minimize administrative costs to the state.
In summary, HB128 establishes a sound, sustainable
approach to developing the State's shellfish resources
and mariculture industry.
2:42:38 PM
AT EASE
2:43:11 PM
RECONVENED
2:44:19 PM
JULIE DECKER, CHAIR, MARICULTURE TASK FORCE, stated that
the bill was one of the top priorities necessary to move
the industry forward. She felt that it would allow a
framework to continue to make progress with the shellfish
enhancement programs, including the king crab project. She
stated that the people involved in that project was waiting
for the legislation, because the industry was not
interested in further investment until there was a path
forward to address the issue on a large scale.
2:45:04 PM
SAM RABUNG, DEPARTMENT OF FISH and GAME, expressed support
of the bill. The legislation was modeled after the
Department of Fish and Game (DFG) after the existing salmon
fishery enhancement statutes that had been in place since
the mid-1970s.
2:45:54 PM
JINNY ECKERT, PROFESSOR, UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA, JUNEAU (via
teleconference), stated that she was a shellfish expert,
and was currently teaching a course in aquaculture. She
spoke in support of the bill, and was available to answer
questions. She spoke to the need of rehabilitation of kind
crab in Alaska. She stressed that many king crab stocks in
the Gulf of Alaska crashed in the 1980x, ad had not
recovered since that time. She remarked that most of the
fisheries closed, and overfishing had likely caused the
decline.
2:48:58 PM
JEFF HETRICH, SEWARD SHELLFISH HATCHERY, announced the dire
status of the shellfish stocks in Alaska. He stated that
there was no king crab fishery in almost forty years. He
shared that private shellfish hatcheries spent the prior 15
years developing a technology to raise the animals. He
shared that he raised sea cucumbers; blue and red king
crab; clams; and scallops. He remarked that there was work
to stock the animals with experimental research permits.
Co-Chair MacKinnon stated that Senator Stevens had asked
that the advancement of the bill be held until the House
members could bring their bills before the committee.
2:51:56 PM
LARRY COTTER, CEO, ALEUTIAN PRIBOLOF ISLAND COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION, echoed the comments of the
previous testifiers. He felt that both bills were important
to provide the opportunity to move forward with the
development of a new future for Alaska that he felt would
be very meaningful.
2:54:40 PM
Ms. Hakala discussed the Sectional Analysis (copy on file):
Sec 1.
Provides the Alaska Board of Fisheries authority to
direct the department to manage production of enhanced
shellfish stocks, beyond brood stock needs, for cost
recovery harvest.
Sec. 2
Increases the permit application fee for new private
nonprofit salmon hatcheries from $100 to $1,000.
Sec. 3
Adds a new Chapter 12 to Title 16, "Shellfish Stock
Enhancement Projects". Provides direction to the
commissioner of the Department of Fish and Game on
issuance of permits for private nonprofit shellfish
fishery enhancement projects and establishes a $1,000
permit application fee. This section directs the
commissioner to consult with technical experts in the
relevant areas before permit issuance. This section
provides for a hearing prior to issuance of a permit
and describes certain permit terms including cost
recovery fisheries, harvest, sale, and release of
enhancement project-produced shellfish, and selection
of brood stock sources. This section describes
reporting requirements and terms for modification or
revocation of a permit. It specifies that shellfish
produced under an approved enhancement project are a
common property resource, with provision for special
harvest areas by permit holders.
Sec. 4
Provides Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission
authority to issue special harvest area entry permits
to holders of private nonprofit shellfish
rehabilitation, or enhancement project permits.
Sec. 5
Defines legal fishing gear for special harvest area
entry permit holders.
Sec. 6
Exempts shellfish raised in a private nonprofit
shellfish project from the farmed fish definition.
Sec 7 and 8
Establish state corporate income tax exemption for a
nonprofit corporation holding a shellfish fishery
enhancement permit.
Sec. 9
Exempts shellfish harvested under a special harvest
area entry permit from seafood development taxes.
Sec. 10
Establishes an effective date for the salmon hatchery
permit application fee described in sec. 2.
Sec. 11
Authorizes the Department of Fish and Game to adopt
implementing regulations.
Sec. 12
Establishes an immediate effective date for sec. 11
pursuant to AS 01.10.070(c).
Sec. 13
Establishes an effective date for sec. 8 concomitant
with sec. 2, Chapter 55, SLA 2013.
Co-Chair MacKinnon stated that the committee would consider
the updated fiscal note at a later date.
Co-Chair MacKinnon CLOSED public testimony.
HB 128 was HEARD and HELD in committee for further
consideration.
2:58:38 PM
AT EASE
3:05:54 PM
RECONVENED