Legislature(2025 - 2026)GRUENBERG 120
03/13/2025 10:00 AM House FISHERIES
Note: the audio ![]()
and video ![]()
recordings are distinct records and are obtained from different sources. As such there may be key differences between the two. The audio recordings are captured by our records offices as the official record of the meeting and will have more accurate timestamps. Use the icons to switch between them.
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HCR1 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | HCR 1 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| += | HB 116 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 117 | TELECONFERENCED | |
HCR 1-JOINT SPORT FISH SVC PROVIDERS TASK FORCE
10:03:11 AM
CHAIR STUTES announced that the only order of business would be
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 1, Establishing the Joint
Legislative Task Force on Sport Fishing Service Providers in
Southeast Alaska.
10:03:40 AM
REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT, as prime sponsor, introduced HCR 1.
She remarked that she filed the bill because of a long-standing
issue in her region. She believes that some of what is
impacting her region would be applicable to other regions as
well. She heard from subsistence, resident, and non-resident
sportfishing and commercial fishing user groups that there is
increased pressure on what is an "increasingly finite fisheries
resource." She said that fishermen in all sectors are becoming
more efficient with their business and user groups have asked
the legislature to evaluate the sportfishing services sector.
REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT remarked that work was conducted with
Legislative Research to evaluate bills of this concept all the
way back to the Seventeenth Alaska State Legislature. Bills
with similar concepts were included in the Seventeenth,
Nineteenth, Twentieth, Twenty-third, Twenty-Seventh, Twenty-
Eighth, and possibly the Twenty-Ninth and Thirty-First Alaska
State Legislatures to address some of the pressures seen in
sectors in Southeast Alaska. She said the reason a task force
was chosen is because of the history of people that have tried
to address this issue through legislation. She said that
because the legislature has not found an adequate resolution,
there should be a deeper look at things. She said the goal of
the legislation is that the taskforce could come back with
recommendations that represent all sectors. She remarked that
the annual king salmon quota is set through the Pacific Salmon
Treaty process and has been trending down since 2014 from nearly
500,000 fish to less than 250,000 fish in recent years. This
means that if one user group exceeds its allocation then it gets
pulled from another sector.
REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT said that when drafting HCR 1, she
worked with stakeholders in the sportfishing sector who were
worried about the fisheries resources, economic stability, and
sustainability of the industry. If the legislation is passed,
then recommendations would be put forward to the legislature for
consideration. She said that this could be a "model system" for
the rest of the state, and it could be modeled on limited entry
that is already done in commercial fisheries. She said the task
force could recommend other models as well. She concluded that
multiple user groups are asking the legislature to take a
"careful look" at things.
10:08:04 AM
THATCHER BROUWER, Staff, Representative Rebecca Himschoot,
Alaska State Legislature, on behalf of Representative Himschoot,
prime sponsor, discussed the duties and organization of the
potential taskforce with HCR 1. He said that it would be
primarily an industry taskforce; it would involve one member of
the House of Representatives as well as one member of the Senate
who are both appointed by leaders of their legislative bodies.
The taskforce would also be composed of one member from the
Board of Fisheries, a member of the public who is a tribal
citizen or leader of a Native corporation, and another member of
the public who is a self-guided fishing operator. He said that
the intent of the self-guided description is to have
representation from the "bare boat" industry. Additionally,
there would be three members appointed or nominated by the
Southeast Alaska Guides Organization (SEAGO) and two members
from the Southeast Fish and Game Advisory Committee. Lastly, it
would include two members of the public with commercial fishing
and policy experience.
MR. BROUWER remarked that based on feedback from various
stakeholders there is consideration of adding another member as
a resident sportfishing seat.
10:10:15 AM
MR. BROUWER said that the taskforce would examine the history of
the sportfishing service industry and advise the legislature on
the best management practices.
10:11:00 AM
CHAIR STUTES remarked that when Representative Himschoot first
began her introduction of the bill, she said that "this is a
Southeast issue, but it could be statewide." However, given the
organization of the task force, appointees are all predominantly
representing Southeast Alaska. She raised concerns about
disproportionate regional representation for a group that would
serve state interests.
REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT responded that initially it was looked
at from a statewide perspective but during the interim it was
determined that it would be positioned as a demonstration
project. She said that the thought process was to start small
and said that Southeast Alaska has the highest density of guided
sportfisherman. She said that she sees it as a statewide issue,
but focus was placed on Southeast to see what would work.
CHAIR STUTES said that it concerns her to pass legislation that
is locally focused given that it is a statewide legislature.
10:12:56 AM
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE asked how many sportfishing closures have
happened in Southeast Alaska in the last two or three years, for
example, a King Salmon closure.
REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT, in response to Chair Stutes, said that
she was open to making HCR 1 statewide focused. She directed
Representative McCabe's question to Mr. Brouwer.
MR. BROUWER, in response to the question from Representative
McCabe, said that he could get the exact number of closures in a
follow-up. He said the resident king salmon fishery was
recently closed for almost a month to residents and non-
residents alike.
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE said the answer was zero. He said it was
temporary but other than shrimp, there are no closures in
Southeast Alaska. He said that for Southcentral, virtually
every single fishery and many on Kodiak are closed. He said
limiting this proposal to the Southeast seems alarming. He said
that the Kenai River alone has 700 guides. He said that the
legislation is a land-grab for the Southeast. He said that the
state needs a new and updated "Economic Impacts and
Contributions of Sportfishing in Alaska" study so legislators
can know how much money it contributes to the various regions of
Alaska. He said many of these areas had world-class fishing,
and he said that he agrees with the resolution, but it needs to
be expanded.
10:15:57 AM
REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT responded that one of the invited
testifiers can speak about a "Guided Sportfish Study" that was
recently completed for Southeast Alaska. She said that this
study helped influence the proposed legislation. She said that
she was not opposed to working on a statewide issue but felt
that Southeast was prepared to grapple with the subject matters.
CHAIR STUTES remarked that invited testimony would be heard
following questions from other committee members.
10:16:35 AM
REPRESENTATIVE ELAM asked Representative Himschoot how many
stakeholders across the state her office reached out to and
whether it was isolated conversations with Southeast
stakeholders.
REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT responded that her office reached out
across the state but minimally to assess a statewide resolution.
REPRESENTATIVE ELAM asked who would be considered a stakeholder
in this project.
REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT responded that virtually everyone in
her region was a stakeholder.
10:17:32 AM
REPRESENTATIVE VANCE told Representative Himschoot that this was
a bold move. She said that she has already received e-mails
about this and echoes the same questions as previous testifiers.
She asked if Representative Himschoot could give some history
for what brought this legislation forward. She remarked that
she had sympathy for the struggles experienced in Southeast and
because the state is so large, the struggles are regionally
distinct. She said Representative McCabe outlined some very
pertinent issues and people are frustrated with closures in the
Cook Inlet since everything is managed around king salmon. She
said that one thing in her understanding is the non-guided
sportfishing growth in Southeast. She asked whether this was
part of the need for HCR 1. She said that non-guided
sportfishing is not as large in Southcentral and asked
Representative Himschoot to speak about this concept. She was
trying to understand why this had come to the forefront of
discussions.
REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT responded that she would be the first
to say that she was not looking to do this since it is a "big
bite into a snarled issue" but it is the first time in a long
history of evaluating best management practices that the
sportfishing industry came to her to ask for support. She said
that the August sportfishing closure in Southeast riled up her
constituents. She said the driver of HCR 1 was that these
industry members came in to work at this and bill concepts have
been in discussion for 30 years. She said that after
considering statewide implementation it was determined that
Southeast affiliates could handle Southeast matters better.
REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT said that regarding bare boats, there
is a bit of a "back and forth." You can't regulate them because
there is no definition, and it can't be defined because there is
no data; "it is circular." She said that it is a growing
sector, but this information is anecdotal. She said that it
would be important to include this user group in the taskforce.
10:22:05 AM
REPRESENTATIVE VANCE said that she appreciated the answer and
that this was an inflammatory issue across the state. She asked
whether someone on the taskforce would be able to understand the
Pacific Salmon Treaty obligations.
REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT directed the question to Mr. Brouwer.
MR. BROUWER responded that on page 4, line 13 of HCR1, there is
not a member on the taskforce, but the taskforce could request
support from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) and
the Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission (CFEC).
REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT added that there would be a member of
the Board of Fisheries on the taskforce as well.
10:23:22 AM
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE said that on page 1, line 14, he disagreed
with the "whereas" based on his previous question, he said it
seems that the highest population is in Southcentral and faces
almost complete closures for sportfishing. He said that the
problems would likely show up where the greatest population is.
He said this would need to change before he could support the
proposed legislation. Second, he asked why HCR 1's proposed
members represented commercial fisheries but there were none
representing the ADF&G.
REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT responded that part of the issue was
the inability to direct the administration for what it can and
cannot do. She said that there was a lot of expertise in the
commercial fishing sector. She said that they could get advice
from ADF&G but not seat the department. She said that she was
not opposed to a statewide effort, but Southeast was ready to do
the work. She recognized that these things were not just a
Southeast issue.
10:25:11 AM
REPRESENTATIVE ELAM said that on the Kenai River ("the Kenai"),
this is a huge issue. The closures have frustrated and
disappointed many residents in the area. He asked whether the
taskforce would be limited in scope, such as all Southeast,
saltwater vs. freshwater, or simply sportfishing in general.
REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT responded that the duties of the
taskforce start on page 2, line 28, and there had been saltwater
versus freshwater discussions. She forwarded the question to
Mr. Brouwer.
MR. BROUWER added that as it is worded, HCR 1 includes both
freshwater and saltwater sportfishing. He said currently it is
limited in scope to Southeast Alaska, but the proposed
resolution is open to conversation regarding expanding the
scope.
REPRESENTATIVE ELAM asked if there would be limitations with
regards to harvest types. He said that there is an array of
methods used to capture fish.
MR. BROUWER responded that it would not be limited by any type
of sportfishing.
10:27:26 AM
CHAIR STUTES announced that the committee would hear invited
testimony on HCR 1.
10:28:10 AM
KIMBERLY LANDEEN, Assistant Executive Director, Southeast Alaska
Guides Organization, gave invited testimony in support of HCR 1.
She said that she has become familiar with many of the concerns
surrounding Alaska's sportfishing industry. She said that the
Kenai River is the gem of the state, and the damaged king salmon
run is something in which everyone wants to see a solution. She
remarked that Southcentral Alaska's fisheries are like a "canary
in a coal mine" for many of Southeast's fisheries. She said
that this canary was a reason for many early pushes in
legislation to address the diminishing fish returns. She said
that the idea of a healthy king salmon stock was a dream for
many people in Alaska. She remarked that the idea of letting a
fishery crash before responsive action is taken is something
concerning.
MS. LANDEEN said that economics play into the equation as well
and the SEAGO has gone to the state multiple times requesting
economic studies pertaining to sportfishing, but to no avail.
She said that the SEAGO funded its own study in lieu of a
statewide study. The most recent study was completed in 2024.
A couple notable findings determined that $202 million of
outside revenue enter Southeast Alaska annually. This supports
1,750 jobs and contributes over $11 million in local tax
revenue. She said that these are more than figures but tell the
stories of families who are trying to make a living in Southeast
Alaska. She said the sportfishing industry supports these
households and nobody wants to see it leave or become impaired
like the Kenai.
10:31:04 AM
MS. LANDEEN said that Southeast currently faces some real
challenges that threaten the sustainability of the industry,
both economically and socially. She said that the tension
between sportfishing and commercial fishing has increased in
Southeast Alaska. This has been from resource limitations,
shifting regulations, volatile international regulations, and
shifting consumer demands. With regards to current halibut
regulations, she said they are at an all-time low. She said
that regulations for guided halibut fishing trips permit only a
single fish under 37 inches, with a halibut specific fishing
closed on Tuesdays. She opined that this is not Southeast
Alaska fishing, and a single 37-inch "chicken" was not adequate.
She said that she understood that resources were low but raised
concerns that current limitations in the sportfishing industry
could drive visitors from the state. She discussed the time-
consuming logistics for visiting some of the fishing locations
in Southeast and compared it with fishing limitations. She said
that a minimum travel time of two days is required to get to
some of the fishing locations and given the limits, it may not
be worthwhile. She said that British Colombia is buying up many
commercial quotas and putting them into their sportfishing
quota. Consequently, many of the previous sportfishing clients
in Southeast Alaska are opting for travel to British Colombia,
or even Washington or Oregon, for lower-cost participation. She
said the current King Salmon limits do not appear well for
prospective visitors in the Lower 48 states.
MS. LANDEEN concluded by saying that HCR 1 is about getting
everybody together and creating a statewide long-term plan. She
said that until everyone comes to the table, Alaska resources
and communities will not be able to succeed. She said that
preventing over-capitalization would be needed to support the
viability of fisheries and additionally, HCR 1 could help ease
tensions between commercial and sportfishing members. She said
that sportfishermen can learn from commercial counterparts and
look at the CFEC for problem solving solutions. She said this
is not about halting opportunity but about creating a stronger
industry. She said that sportfishing is a growing industry and
an economic lifeline to Southeast. She said that while she
never wants to see commercial fishing leave Southeast, a
stronger look at regional market capitalization may be warranted
for best use of the state and region.
10:36:35 AM
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE said that what he was hearing based off
the e-mails that he has received is that limited entry would be
the goal. He asked whether this was the wish of the Southeast
Alaska Guides Organization. He asked whether Ms. Landeen could
describe what the goal is.
MS. LANDEEN responded that the wish of SEAGO is to understand
the resources more concisely. She said she was hesitant to use
the words "limited entry." The intent is not to limit any
participation but that the stocks could be rebuilt with
increased participation. She remarked that SEAGO also wants a
preservation of the resources and for folks "not to battle each
other" as they have been in some communities.
10:38:40 AM
TRACY WELSH, Executive Director, United Fishermen of Alaska
(UFA), Gave invited testimony in support of HCR 1. She said the
UFA represents 35 various member groups across the state who
participate in both state and federal fisheries across Alaska.
She expressed support from the UFA Board for the adoption of HCR
1. She said that the board had a lengthy discussion about this
issue and was impressed that this legislation was driven by the
sportfishing sector. She remarked that UFA looks forward to
working with colleagues associated with sportfishing. She said
that at the end of the day, sustainability and management of the
resource is the utmost priority for everyone and UFA has a
breadth of experience regarding CFEC regulations.
10:40:45 AM
REPRESENTATIVE EDGMON remarked that this was a good introduction
to issues facing sportfishermen in Southeast Alaska. He said
that having just served as a member of the Joint Legislative
Seafood Taskforce, one thing he understood was the commitment of
time. He said that he looks at this taskforce and sees people
from "every stripe and sector" in Southeast in particular. He
asked whether time was available to accomplish what the group
intended. He asked whether the proposed taskforce could get 12
people together in time and if it may be smarter to have a
smaller working group.
MS. WELSH responded that Representative Edgmon makes a valid
point and there was a lot of work that went into the Joint
Legislative Seafood Taskforce behind the scenes with both the
public and various stakeholders. She said that it is "a big
bite of the apple" and if anything, a great start to the
conversation. She said that she was not sure whether the goals
proposed under with HCR 1 would be accomplished but it would
start dialogue.
REPRESENTATIVE EDGMON said the intent of the bill is laudable,
well-served, and well-intended, but looking at the surface, he
did not believe the work could be accomplished fully in the
short time it has. He said that getting a consensus with the
various viewpoints would be difficult. He said that working
groups had been established in other areas of Alaska. He asked
if it may be better served to have a smaller group that would
get to a starting point, and it could grow into a larger
conversation. He said that he has not seen any taskforces tied
into one area of the state and bringing regionalism into fishing
is not good.
10:44:17 AM
REPRESENTATIVE KOPP echoed Representative Edgmon's comment that
the timeline was an issue and if they extended that date, then
it might be more helpful. He said that as much as he would like
to see Upper and Lower Cook Inlet fisheries be part of this,
those areas would be better suited to their own individual
taskforce. He remarked that one thing that becomes clear is
that a lot would be learned going through the exercises in a
regional area. The exercises could support discussions in other
regions. He said that it is inconceivable that one taskforce
could support all the various fisheries. He said that there is
support for the idea and how important it is to Alaska.
10:45:59 AM
REPRESENTATIVE VANCE asked Ms. Welsh whether UFA has sportfish
membership and during board deliberations whether the focus was
Southeast specific or included Statewide issues.
MS. WELSH responded that UFA does not have any sportfishing
members or charter operators on the board. She said that
deliberations were not specific to the region, but UFA was
hopeful that its members could be part of the process. She said
that UFA views HCR 1 as sportfishing driven.
10:47:32 AM
REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT commented that the SEAGO sportfishing
study was to be uploaded to Alaska's Bill Action and Status
Inquiry System (BASIS). She said the study is what led her to
believe that HCR 1 would be doable, even with a tight timeline.
10:48:08 AM
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE said that he was interested to know the
cost of the taskforce, that way an idea of the prospective
expenses could be discussed. He said that he was unsure who
would know that information.
10:48:51 AM
CHAIR STUTES opened public testimony on HCR 1.
10:49:18 AM
NORM CARSON, Sportfishing Charter Operator, Pelican Charters,
gave public testimony in support of HCR 1. He said that he
first became involved in the fisheries when he started
commercial trolling, and after he "saw the writing on the wall,"
he changed fisheries and became involved in sportfishing
charters. He said that he has been a charter operator for 30
years now. He said there is "a lot more gear in the water than
there ever was." He said that he sees the size differences in
the fish such as king salmon, and groundfish between now and
then. He said that charter operators cannot even keep Yelloweye
Rockfish anymore and asked where they went. He said that
questions regarding what has happened to the resource can be
answered with a taskforce.
10:50:56 AM
The committee took an at-ease from 10:50 a.m. to 10:52 a.m.
[Chair Stutes handed the gavel to Vice Chair Edgmon during the
at-ease.]
10:52:30 AM
JILL WEITZ, Legislative Liaison, Central Council of the Tlingit
and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska ("Tlingit & Haida"), gave
public testimony in support of HCR 1. She said that for nearly
20 years she has worked alongside tribes, sport and commercial
fishermen, and other stakeholders associated with natural
resources. The tribes maintain that the management of Alaska's
natural resources must be improved, and this is why they support
HCR 1. She noted there have been closures that
disproportionately affect tribal citizens. She said that
multiple communities with Tlingit & Haida populations rely on
natural resources and fishing activities. She said that the
Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) has allowed non-
resident retention of king salmon in excess of 30,000 fish and
discussed the concerns. She said that currently the king salmon
in Southeast are not sustainably managed. She said that Tlingit
& Haida are "big fans" of collaborative management and the
proposed taskforce would foster collaboration. She said that
Alaska needs to capitalize on this opportunity to ensure support
for Alaska's coastal communities.
10:56:32 AM
REPRESENTATIVE VANCE asked Ms. Weitz if she could describe any
tribal fisheries. She asked what this was like in Southeast,
specifically regarding sportfishing, and how this interfaces
with tribal fisheries.
MS. WEITZ responded that tribes do not manage or co-manage
fisheries, but the tribes have worked closely in the management
of fisheries. She said that subsistence fishing access is
important and an important aspect to many tribal communities.
She could not speak specifically to any specific tribal
fisheries.
REPRESENTATIVE VANCE said that in Cook Inlet, the Ninilchik
Tribe had a small permit within the entire fishery. She asked
if Tlingit & Haida had many permits in Southeast proportionate
to non-tribal permits.
MS. WEITZ responded that it does not.
10:58:25 AM
VICE CHAIR EDGMON asked if Tlingit or Haida Tribes would be
interested in being hosts for some of the proposed taskforce
meetings.
MS. WEITZ responded that she could not speak to this without
confirmation from leadership. However, leadership was open to
fostering collaborative efforts.
10:59:08 AM
PAUL JOHNSON, representing self, gave public testimony in
support of HCR 1. He said that in 1995 there was a 13-member
taskforce on guiding and game in which he had the opportunity to
be a member. He said that the taskforce settled a lot of the
issues that were like the current issues discussed regarding
sportfishing. He said that many of the regulations and statutes
from this taskforce were still in place, more than 25 years
later. He sat on another taskforce that was exclusively for
Southeast regarding bears. He said there were 22 members on
this taskforce and there needed to be a consensus. He said that
he understands that it's difficult especially considering the
timeline. He said after the Southeast taskforce on bears,
Kodiak Island followed suit shortly after by developing a
taskforce. He said that HCR 1 could be used as a template like
these previous taskforces. He said taskforce recommendations
are needed statewide and nobody would deny that. He said that
as a previous taskforce member, they do work.
11:00:51 AM
VICE CHAIR EDGMON said that if he remembered right, the bear
taskforce in 1995 was statewide.
MR. JOHNSON confirmed that it was statewide. He said that work
was done around the state to get four different areas
represented so the public could get comments in. He said that
it is a struggle but one of the things that he has learned about
taskforces is that people get to know each other and learn from
other members. He said that he grew up here and he doesn't want
to see Alaska end up like Washington, Oregon, and California but
it appears to be heading that way. He told Representative
McCabe that Southeast has experienced closures as well, "big
time." He said that something needs to be done, somehow or some
way. He echoed Representative McCabe's comment that this is an
issue statewide but said he does not know if the state can
address all its fisheries at once.
11:02:38 AM
REPRESENTATIVE VANCE asked Mr. Johnson, given his experience on
the bear taskforce and the need to focus the taskforce on
Southeast, why this should be at a legislative level rather than
dealt with by a regional advisory committee.
MR. JOHNSON responded that he thinks the taskforce would
generate some new definitions and statutes that could be applied
statewide, including new things the Board of Fisheries could
address, as well as other communities. He said multiple
stakeholders would benefit.
REPRESENTATIVE VANCE remarked that while a bear and sportfishing
taskforce were different subjects in nature, the process of a
taskforce was similar. She asked what Mr. Johnson thought of
the makeup of the proposed taskforce and whether it was like his
previous taskforce experiences.
MR. JOHNSON said that he thinks a sportsman should be on the
taskforce, with example groups like, the Outdoor Council,
Territorial Sportsman, etc. He said that it is helpful on these
taskforces to have a legislative person to support discussions.
Generally, the legislators are the chairs of the taskforce.
11:04:39 AM
VICE CHAIR EDGMON commented that time was constricted, and nine
other testifiers were on the call. He thanked Mr. Johnson for
the testimony.
11:05:21 AM
MONTE ROBERTS, President, Kenai River Professional Guide
Association, gave public testimony in opposition to HCR 1. He
said that he has appreciated the conversations and understood
the desire to grab a piece of the resource. He said there have
been issues on the Kenai for a long period of time. He said
that the state has gone through this before and the resource
will dictate whether people come or not. He said that if there
are fish then people would come. He said that comparing the
structure proposed under HCR 1 to the big game guiding industry
is a disaster in his opinion. He said that the bear taskforce
placed barriers to participate, and it made no sense to
apprentice for three years just to potentially get denied bear
guiding access. He said that HCR 1 looks like this, and it
grabs a public piece of the resource and regulates it. He said
that it is a bad idea.
11:06:57 AM
RUSSELL THOMAS, CEO, Alaska Sportfishing Expeditions, gave
public testimony in support of HCR 1. He said that he
understands the desire to operate a taskforce statewide, but he
would hate to see a statewide approach get "high-centered"
because solutions might be unique to a region. He remarked that
some of these differences could include the ratio of non-
resident to resident fishermen, the ratio of guided to unguided
trips, or even treaty implications. He said that Southeast has
seen consistent changes in king salmon and halibut regulation,
and it is causing pressure on additional stocks such as lingcod
and rockfish. He said the rise of cruise ships and
diversification of business models have changed things. He said
he did not know whether limited entry was the best solution, but
he supports a taskforce being put together and having difficult
conversations with a variety of user groups.
11:10:25 AM
TERRY WIRTA, Sportfishing Charter Owner, Chicobi Charters, gave
public testimony on HCR 1. He said that he has run his charter
business since the late '80s and has seen a lot of changes since
then. He said that one change that he is concerned about is the
"bare boat fisheries." He said that it is not fair to charter
operators since bare boat fishermen don't need a logbook and
other regulatory standards. He said that he understood that it
is all a money game. He said that he has seen people trying to
come up and take advantage of things and fishing is getting
worse over time. He said maybe the state should move towards a
limited entry program.
11:11:55 AM
JOSH ANDERSON, Owner, Fireweed Lodge, gave public testimony in
support of HCR 1. He said that he is in support of establishing
a limited entry program. He said that his kids are growing up
in the industry much like he did, and they will not have
opportunities like he did. He said this is not a new idea, but
something that locals, business owners, and commercial fishermen
have been requesting. He said limited entry would give support
and structure to the industry. If growth is left unchecked,
then the state risks damaging both the fish stocks and
communities.
11:13:36 AM
DAVID CREIGHTON, Owner, Shelter Cove Lodge, gave public
testimony in support of HCR 1. He remarked that as a family,
they are major contributors to the community, whether tax
revenue or community involvement. He said that given the loss
of some industries on Prince of Wales Island, sportfishing has
become one of the leading industries. He said over the last
couple of decades he has watched client satisfaction decrease
due to dwindling resources. He said that the pie has been cut
down so much that people are reduced to catching "baby fish" and
nobody comes to Alaska to catch a baby. The reduction in
harvest opportunities has impacted the lodge's marketability.
He said a unique aspect of the sportfishing industry is the
reliability of revenue since unlike commercial fishing, it was
not tied directly to the resource. He said that as a member of
the Craig Advisory Committee, managing the number of
sportfishing businesses has been a frequent topic of discussion.
Some sort of control has been asked for by user groups for
"quite some time." He said much like Southeast Alaska's
participation in the pilot program for electronic logbooks, the
region could operate as a pilot program for HCR 1.
11:17:37 AM
PATRICIA PHILLIPS, Mayor, City of Pelican, gave public testimony
in support of HCR 1. She said that the outcome of HCR 1 would
prevent economic distress to communities like Pelican. She said
that the taskforce would provide resources and help for making
good recommendations. She remarked that the "bare boat" systems
have caused issues in the state. She recommended that a
taskforce member be familiar with north pacific fisheries
management issues. She said that sportfishing growth has been
impacting resources close to the community and it has caused
concerns.
11:20:05 AM
DAVID DAYTON, Sportfishing Charter Operator, gave public
testimony in support of HCR 1. He said that he has been a
charter captain since 2009, and clients have seen diminishing
returns. He said that with reduced limits and no retention of
yelloweye rockfish, charter operators want to see everyone come
together and address the issues. He remarked that Alaska needs
to give clients an opportunity and how important tourism is,
especially for residents of small communities. He hopes for a
resolution and says that although the timeline is short, "if not
now then when?" He added that the state must start somewhere,
so why not Southeast Alaska?
11:21:58 AM
JAMES KEARNS, representing self, gave public testimony in
support of HCR 1. He said that it is time to do something to
limit the increasing number of fishermen but something worth
thinking about is that Alaska has always been impacted by
outside interests. He said that Alaska needs to look at non-
residents participating in the fishery. This would ensure that
locals have the opportunity to provide these businesses and
services. He said that he would be delighted to work on the
taskforce and thinks that it is a great idea and if started in
Southeast, then it would "snowball."
11:23:32 AM
SHANNON MARTIN, Executive Director, Kenai River Sportfishing
Association, gave public testimony in opposition to HCR 1. She
said that the Kenai River Sportfishing Association opposes HCR
1. She said that it could potentially limit the public's access
to a public resource. She asked the committee to take pause
when considering this legislation. She said often legislation
prepared for one region can "grow legs and walk into someone
else's backyard."
11:24:52 AM
VICE CHAIR EDGMON commented that the bill sponsor for HCR 1,
Representative Himschoot, and her staff Thatcher Brouwer were
available for contact if anyone wished to discuss the bill
topic.
VICE CHAIR EDGMON announced that HCR 1 was held over.