04/24/2003 03:40 PM Senate STA

                 HCR 11-ALASKA WILD SALMON WEEK                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE KELLY WOLF, bill sponsor, read the sponsor                                                                       
statement:                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     Alaska is  the largest  commercial wild  salmon fishery                                                                    
     in  the  world and  employs  more  than 29,000  people.                                                                    
     Nearly 95 percent of all  commercially caught salmon in                                                                    
     the US  are harvested  in Alaska.  In the  last decade,                                                                    
     state salmon  harvests totaled more than  $4.5 billion,                                                                    
     making salmon extremely vital to Alaska's economy.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
     For both  visitors and Alaskans,  the sport  of fishing                                                                    
     is one  of the  most popular  activities in  the state.                                                                    
     Last  year,  approximately  448,000 resident  and  non-                                                                    
     resident licenses were issued for sport fishing.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
     Beyond the importance of  commercial and sport fishing,                                                                    
     salmon has  been a  nutritional source  for generations                                                                    
     of  Alaskans  and  is  a  large  part  of  the  state's                                                                    
     heritage. Rich  in Omega  3 oils,  salmon is  a healthy                                                                    
     food  that can  help lower  cholesterol and  reduce the                                                                    
     risk of heart disease.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
     HCR 11  would proclaim July  2, 2003 as  'Alaska Salmon                                                                    
     Day.'  This  proclamation  will  recognize  the  salmon                                                                    
     industry  as a  huge part  of all  Alaskan's lives  and                                                                    
     raise  public   awareness  of  one  of   Alaska's  most                                                                    
     important industries  by promoting and  celebrating the                                                                    
     catching and eating of salmon.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR GARY STEVENS noted the  Lieutenant Governor asked for it to                                                               
be Alaska Salmon month, Representative  Wolf asks it to be Alaska                                                               
Salmon Week  and the  resolution speaks of  Alaska Salmon  Day on                                                               
July 2, 2003.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE WOLF replied the CS  \I.A version calls for a week                                                               
of celebration.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR FRED  DYSON made a motion  to move CSHCR 11  \I.A version                                                               
from committee with individual  recommendations and attached zero                                                               
fiscal note. There being no objection, it was so ordered.