03/25/1994 08:15 AM House RES

  Number 611                                                                   
                                                                               
  HJR 61 - Community Development Fishing Quotas                                
                                                                               
  KAREN BRAND, AIDE, REPRESENTATIVE CARL MOSES, stated                         
  committee members have a copy of the January 1994 newsletter                 
  from the North Pacific Fisheries Management Council in their                 
  folders which contains background for HJR 61.  She said HJR
 first outlines some of the facts relative to the Western                  
  Alaska Community Development Quotas (CDQ) groups and then                    
  addressed the North Pacific Fisheries Management Council's                   
  comprehensive rationalization plan for groundfish and crab.                  
  HJR 61 requests the council to allocate groundfish and crab                  
  to the Western Alaska CDQ groups under any comprehensive                     
  plan which the council will develop in the future.                           
                                                                               
  MS. BRAND pointed out HJR 61 asks that fairness and equity                   
  be exercised by the council towards the CDQ groups.  The CDQ                 
  groups have already received sablefish and halibut shares                    
  through the Individual Fishing Quota program currently being                 
  administered by the National Marine Fisheries Service.  She                  
  stated the further addition of groundfish and crab will                      
  complete the allocated procedure under current consideration                 
  of the fishery resources for the CDQ groups.  She noted that                 
  Representative Moses respectfully requests the committee to                  
  consider HJR 61.                                                             
                                                                               
  Number 659                                                                   
                                                                               
  RICK LAUBER, CHAIRMAN, NORTH PACIFIC FISHERIES MANAGEMENT                    
  COUNCIL (NPFMC), stated the council currently has under                      
  consideration the comprehensive rationalization plan which                   
  will include an individual fishing quota consideration as                    
  well as vessel licensing and other means of rationalizing                    
  the fishery.  He said with the options under discussion,                     
  CDQs are included as an alternative for consideration by the                 
  council.  He felt among the Alaska delegation, there is                      
  strong support for the CDQ program, regardless of the type                   
  of program put in place.  He noted at the January meeting,                   
  NPFMC decided to move ahead with a vessel licensing program.                 
  The vessel licensing program has a provision which will set                  
  aside various percentages for community development                          
  programs.  He felt HJR 61 is appropriate.                                    
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE HUDSON made a motion to MOVE HJR 61 with zero                 
  fiscal note out of committee with INDIVIDUAL                                 
  RECOMMENDATIONS.                                                             
                                                                               
  CHAIRMAN WILLIAMS asked if there were any objections.                        
  Hearing none, the MOTION PASSED.