Legislature(2011 - 2012)SENATE FINANCE 532
03/20/2012 09:00 AM Senate FINANCE
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SB91 | |
| SB201 | |
| SB146 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | SB 91 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | SB 201 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | SB 146 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
SENATE BILL NO. 91
"An Act amending the termination date of the licensing
of sport fishing operators and sport fishing guides;
and providing for an effective date."
9:04:02 AM
Co-Chair Hoffman MOVED to ADOPT the proposed committee
substitute (CS) for SB 91, Work Draft 27-LS0550\M (Bullard,
3/16/12).
Co-Chair Stedman OBJECTED for discussion. He explained that
the CS extended the sunset date from FY 13 to FY 17. He
WITHDREW his OBJECTION. There being NO further OBJECTION,
the CS was ADOPTED.
SENATOR LESIL MCGUIRE, SPONSOR, introduced SB 91 and stated
that the legislature had put the licensing of sport fish
operators in place in 2004. The licensing had been
beneficial to the state; the program had tracked more than
1.8 million clients, of which 88 percent were non-residents
who had taken more than 460,000 guided trips in Alaska. An
important feature of the program was aimed at ensuring that
sport fish guides operated under basic standards and that
data was provided to the Department of Fish and Game (DFG).
She discussed struggles related to the tracking of salmon
returns; the program was part of an overall state strategy
to better manage its resources. She referred to a prior
version of the bill that would have created a more
comprehensive program, which she hoped the legislature
could look at down the road. The CS extended the sunset to
prevent the program from expiring in the near future.
Co-Chair Stedman pointed to the one fiscal note from DFG
that reflected a $400,000 cost to administer the program;
the increment had been included in the governor's FY 13
budget.
9:06:27 AM
LISA EVANS, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, SPORT FISH DIVISION, ALASKA
DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME (via teleconference),
highlighted that the sport fish guide program was very
important to the department and fisheries managers. She
relayed that the program provided critical data on guided
sport fishing activities and was an effective tool for
successful fisheries management in the state. Data
collected from the program was used extensively to analyze
regulatory options and inform decisions on pacific halibut
within the International Pacific Halibut Commission and the
North Pacific Fisheries Management Council. She furthered
that the data was also used in a variety of ways by DFG
fisheries managers at a local level and to inform decisions
made by the Board of Fisheries. She elaborated that in 2010
logbooks had been modified to specifically query charter
vessel operators for the harvest of sable fish by clients
in Southeast Alaska because in 2009 the board had adopted
an annual limit for non-residents. The data had been taken
to the board in 2010 and 2011 to repeal the annual region-
wide eight fish limit in order to open up opportunities for
non-resident anglers and the sport fish guiding industry.
Ms. Evans explained that the program provided documentation
of harvest patterns within specific timeframes (e.g. bag
limits), which helped fisheries managers to evaluate and
update the regulatory structure for certain species. She
detailed that freshwater logbook catch and harvest
statistics were used in Kodiak to routinely observe
preseason establishment of management objectives and for
in-season assessment of harvest and effort. Local area
managers relied on the data when considering management
options for local fisheries. She had many statewide
examples showing how managers used the information gathered
under the program. She communicated that DFG had responded
to concerns of the sport fish guide industry by working to
modernize its logbook reporting process. The prior year the
department had reported all guided sport fish harvest of
halibut caught in May through June by July 15, 2011 in a
pilot program that used a scanable logbook. The department
planned to implement a scanning technology for guided
freshwater sport fish activities that would result in more
timely data reporting. She informed the committee that
sport fishing was a $1.4 billion industry in the state and
without the information collected under the program
fisheries managers would lose a necessary tool. She
expounded that in the absence of the data, fisheries would
likely be managed more conservatively in order to fulfill
the department's mission to protect and improve Alaska's
recreational fisheries resources.
9:10:17 AM
Senator Olson queried the attitude of the sport fish guide
industry towards DFG, given that licenses had not been
required prior to 2004. Ms. Evans noted that some guides
were not fond of the requirement but she believed that in
general the industry recognized the importance of the data
that was collected by the department.
Senator Olson asked whether sport fish guides would likely
recommend the program or not. Ms. Evans replied that some
guides may express that the program was slightly cumbersome
and that they would prefer to be able to report
electronically; however, she believed that in general
guides would say that they liked the program because it
protected their opportunity to have a viable economic
industry.
Senator Olson wondered what the penalties were for non-
compliance. Ms. Evans responded that the penalties were
outlined in statute; she would follow up with the
information.
9:12:25 AM
Senator McGuire opined that approximately 80 percent of the
guides supported the program; many of the supporters were
local Alaskans who were interested in protecting their
resource. Pushback had been received when a bill had been
introduced that would have established a board to oversee
the program, which would have resulted in enhanced
penalties; the bill had been introduced at the same time
federal government had cracked down on salt water guides.
She shared that members of the industry had expressed their
support for a simple extension of the license program as an
alternative to the less popular legislation. She added that
concerns had been expressed related to efficiencies; the
department was taking steps to address the issue, but many
of the guides would like to see an electronic reporting
system.
Co-Chair Stedman CLOSED public testimony.
SB 91 was HEARD and HELD in committee for further
consideration.
9:14:18 AM
AT EASE
9:16:16 AM
RECONVENED