03/15/2010 09:00 AM Senate FINANCE

SENATE BILL NO. 144                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act relating to hunting permits and tag fees for                                                                       
     musk oxen."                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
9:09:00 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Olson explained  that SB  144 allows  for clean  up                                                                    
action.  The  specifics  are presented  by  Senator  Olson's                                                                    
staff.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Benintendi explained SB 144.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     Thank you for  hearing this bill.  At its  core, SB 144                                                                    
     would authorize  a second permit hunt  for resident and                                                                    
     subsistence hunters, for  the taking of musk  oxen.  It                                                                    
     would  double  the chances  of  taking  an animal,  but                                                                    
     would not  change the current  bag limit of  one animal                                                                    
     per year, bull or cow.   Non-resident hunters would not                                                                    
     qualify. If  a hunter did  not harvest a musk  ox under                                                                    
     their  first permit,  a second  permit could  be issued                                                                    
     upon  application, for  another chance  in a  different                                                                    
     hunt  area or  different  Game Management  Unit.   Musk                                                                    
     oxen are the  only game animals in Alaska  to which the                                                                    
     one-permit  restriction still  applies. There  are four                                                                    
     Game Management Units where these  animals are found in                                                                    
     Alaska;  Unit 18  on both  Nunivak and  Nelson Islands,                                                                    
     Units  22  and  23  on  Seward  Peninsula  and  in  the                                                                    
     Northwest, and Unit 26 in  the Northeast. The wild musk                                                                    
     oxen population in Alaska is  currently estimated to be                                                                    
     about 4,400 animals, and annually,  between 325 and 350                                                                    
     are available  for harvest.    Wildlife  biologists and                                                                    
     regulators within the Department  of Fish and Game have                                                                    
     determined  that the  health  and size  of the  state's                                                                    
     herd  is   well  past   the  threshold   for  expanding                                                                    
     opportunities for  Alaskan hunters. They  estimate that                                                                    
     a minimal number of additional  permits would be issued                                                                    
     under this bill,  and perhaps 25 more  animals might be                                                                    
     harvested  annually. Under  SB 144,  the Board  of Game                                                                    
     would  have  the  authority   to  reduce  or  eliminate                                                                    
     subsistence tag  and fee requirements. And,  because SB
 changes a year  from "calendar year" to "regulatory                                                                    
     year," the  department would be  able to  issue permits                                                                    
     for  seasons  which  straddle   a  calendar  year  end,                                                                    
     without the hunter  having to apply twice  for a single                                                                    
     season. If  passed this legislative session,  these new                                                                    
     provisions would  be in place for  seasons beginning in                                                                    
     August  of this  year.  SB 144  carries  a ZERO  fiscal                                                                    
     note, and has  the support of the  department.  Support                                                                    
     from   the  hunting   community  in   Northwest  Alaska                                                                    
     includes  the   Northern  and  Southern   Norton  Sound                                                                    
     Advisory Committees,  and the Seward Peninsula  Musk Ox                                                                    
     Cooperators'  Group. We  have discovered  no opposition                                                                    
     to this bill                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
9:12:12 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stedman mentioned one zero fiscal note from the                                                                        
Department of Fish and Game.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator Olson explained that musk  ox have been imported and                                                                    
transplanted  in the  state.  They  are treated  differently                                                                    
than other  big game animals.  The bill allows  the clearing                                                                    
of  confusion  that  happens   with  hunters  regarding  the                                                                    
harvesting of musk ox.   He mentioned a requirement to apply                                                                    
twice if the new year does not result in a successful hunt.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
SB  144  was  HEARD  and   HELD  in  Committee  for  further                                                                    
consideration.