Legislature(2023 - 2024)BARNES 124
01/26/2024 01:00 PM House RESOURCES
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB243 | |
| HB201 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | HB 243 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 201 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
HB 243-BISON DRAW PERMIT APPLICATION FEE
1:04:23 PM
CHAIR MCKAY announced that the first order of business would be
HOUSE BILL NO. 243, "An Act reducing the draw permit application
fee for bison to $5; and providing for an effective date."
1:04:29 PM
CHAIR MCKAY opened public testimony on HB 243.
1:05:11 PM
DON QUARBERG, representing self, testified in support of HB 243
as a former member of the Delta Bison Working Group and 40 years
of experience working with the Delta Fish & Game Advisory
Committee. He explained the bison range funding by the Alaska
State Legislature for the purpose of providing adequate shelter
and water through October of each year. He reported that in
1984, the fee to hunt bison was increased by $5 to supplement
the existing funds. Those funds were never allocated to the
Alaska Department of Fish & Game (ADF&G). He stated that ADF&G
increased the number of permit applications in 2017 which caused
a spike in the number of hunters. He claimed there is a missing
$170,000 that is designated for bison management. He described
the seasonal round of the bison which only spend a month of the
year on the range then move to farmland. He exclaimed ADF&G has
absconded with those funds, which is unacceptable.
1:08:44 PM
VERNON AITON, representing self, identified himself as a former
ADF&G Board member for over 20 years and former president of the
Delta Sportsman's Association. He stated the bottom line is
hunters have paid the extra fee for years but did not get what
they paid for. He cautioned the price of the lost fees will
probably never be known but the matching Pitman-Robertson [Act]
funds have been spent as intended. He favored reassembling the
Delta Bison Oversight Committee but not under the auspices of
ADF&G. He urged for the bison range to be increased. He is
also in favor of a Delta bison feeding program as a contingency
plan.
1:11:17 PM
TISHA KENNELL, representing self, said she has witnessed
incompetence and unethical management of bison. She stated that
the original purpose of the $5 addition was to better manage the
herd on the bison range. She stated the bison range money has
essentially been stolen from the local communities. She cited
the bison range manager said he did not need additional monies
during the 2020-2021 starvation years and would not know what to
do with the funds. She cited several mistakes that the state
has made managing the herd. She said other states have
established successful hunts during starvation events. She
informed the committee that local residents have come together
to hire an outside entity to manage the herd because they do not
trust ADG&G to manage their wildlife or additional funding. She
intended to send a message to the public that Delta Junction
does not trust ADF&G and can better serve the game management in
the region. She finished by stating her support for HB 243.
1:14:49 PM
CHAIR MCKAY asked the previous testifiers how the money would be
spent to support the bison range.
1:15:27 PM
MR. QUARBERG recounted there were initially 90,000 acres granted
for the bison range and the legislature gave [ADF&G] $1.54
million to clear 3,000 acres for habitat development. He
insisted that the Pitman-Robertson [Act] Fund could have helped
the situation. In response to a follow-up question, he
explained that the Pitman-Robertson [Act] Fund derives from a
nationwide sales tax on firearms and ammunition.
1:17:03 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE interjected that if the state does not use
those funds then the funds will be lost.
1:17:44 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER asked the three testifiers if reconvening
a working group would be a sufficient response to the issue.
1:18:08 PM
DON QUARBERG responded that there needs to be a local advisory
council other than ADF&G. In response to a follow-up question,
he explained that the previous Bison Working Group was composed
of 11 or 12 people, one of which was from Florida and did not
understand the issue. He said that the working group did come
to a consensus on how to manage the range but that plan has been
lost since the group has disbanded. He affirmed that it would
be beneficial to reconvene the working group.
1:21:04 PM
MS. KENNELL interjected that there have been concerns about the
oversight of the funds to make sure it is being spent properly
and managed properly.
1:21:48 PM
REPRESENATIVE BAKER urged the committee to look into the Western
Arctic Caribou Herd Working Group for comparison. He said the
group is composed of locals that receive input from ADF&G and
federal agencies and is a good example for the Delta Bison Range
Working Group.
1:22:43 PM
REPRESENTATIVE RAUSCHER, as co-sponsor, made a closing statement
and thanked the committee for considering HB 243.
1:23:49 PM
CHAIR MCKAY closed public testimony on HB 243.
CHAIR MCKAY announced that HB 243 was held over.