05/07/2025 01:30 PM Senate LABOR & COMMERCE

               SB 158-COOK INLET: NEW ADMIN AREA                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
3:02:18 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  BJORKMAN   reconvened  the   meeting  and   announced  the                                                               
consideration  of  SENATE  BILL  NO.  158  "An  Act  relating  to                                                               
administrative  areas for  regulation of  certain commercial  set                                                               
net entry permits; and providing for an effective date."                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
3:02:39 PM                                                                                                                    
KONRAD  JACKSON,  Staff,  Senator Jesse  Bjorkman,  Alaska  State                                                               
Legislature, Juneau,  Alaska, provided a  summary for SB  158. He                                                               
stated that the technical bill  would create a new administrative                                                               
area  for  East  Side  Set  Net permit  holders  in  Cook  Inlet,                                                               
recognizing the  region's long  history of  set net  fishing that                                                               
has  supported local  families, businesses,  and communities  for                                                               
over  a century.  SB 158  responds to  challenges faced  by these                                                               
fishers, who  have endured reduced opportunities  and restrictive                                                               
management  practices  despite  primarily targeting  red  salmon.                                                               
While it does not alter  fish allocations or fishing regulations,                                                               
SB 158  directs the Commercial Fisheries  Entry Commission (CFEC)                                                               
to  establish a  distinct  boundary for  this  unique fishery  to                                                               
improve  permit management  and allow  greater self-determination                                                               
for East Side set-netters.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
3:06:31 PM                                                                                                                    
MR. JACKSON read the sectional analysis for SB 158:                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
[Original punctuation provided.]                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
          "An Act relating to administrative areas for                                                                          
         regulation of certain commercial set net entry                                                                         
         permits; and providing for an effective date."                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
                  Sectional Summary - Ver. \I                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
     This is a  summary only. Note that  this summary should                                                                    
     not  be considered  an authoritative  interpretation of                                                                    
     the bill and  the bill itself is the  best statement of                                                                    
     its contents.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
     Section 1:  Amends the uncodified  law of the  State of                                                                  
     Alaska by  adding a new section  which establishes that                                                                  
     creating  this administrative  area  is  in the  public                                                                    
     interest.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
     Section  2:  Amends  AS  16.43.200   by  adding  2  new                                                                  
     subsections:                                                                                                               
     (c)  Establishes an  area of  the Upper  Subdistrict of                                                                    
         the Cook Inlet Central District as a distinct                                                                          
         administrative area separate from the Cook Inlet                                                                       
         Central District on December 31, 2024.                                                                                 
         This area is made up of the statistical areas                                                                          
         identified on January 1, 2024 as 244-21, 244-22,                                                                       
         244-31, 244-32, 244-41 and 244-42.                                                                                     
     (d)  Provides that  an  individual who  has  a set  net                                                                    
         permit  for  the  Cook  Inlet Central  District  on                                                                    
         December  31, 2024  is not entitled  to set  net in                                                                    
         the administrative  area created under this section                                                                    
         unless  the permit has been reassigned  to that new                                                                    
         administrative area.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                              
3:08:44 PM                                                                                                                    
MR. JACKSON continued with the sectional analysis for SB 158:                                                                   
                                                                                                                              
     Section 3:  Amends the uncodified  law of the  State of                                                                  
     Alaska by adding  a new section which  provides how the                                                                  
     commission  will determine  whether  an individual  who                                                                    
     holds a set net entry  permit in the Cook Inlet Central                                                                    
     District  on January  1, 2026  is  reassigned an  entry                                                                    
     permit  for the  administrative area  established under                                                                    
     AS 16.43.200(c)  (added by sec.  2 of the bill)  or the                                                                    
     portion  of the  Cook Inlet  Central District  that was                                                                    
     not assigned into the administrative area established                                                                      
     under AS 16.43.200(c).                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
     Section 4:  Amends the uncodified  law of the  State of                                                                  
     Alaska  by  adding  a new  section  which  defines  the                                                                  
     appeals process  in the  new administrative  area. This                                                                    
     section  provides that  a provisional  license will  be                                                                    
     issued, pending resolution of an appeal.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
     Section  14: Effective  Date Clause  Provides the  bill                                                                  
     takes effect January 1, 2026.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
3:09:55 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR BJORKMAN announced invited testimony on SB 158.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
3:10:14 PM                                                                                                                    
GLENN   HAIGHT,   Commissioner,    Commercial   Fisheries   Entry                                                               
Commission (CFEC), Juneau, Alaska,  testified by invitation on SB
. He  said from the  CFEC's perspective, the bill  is straight                                                               
forward,  it  formally  establishes  the new  area  and  outlines                                                               
criteria for  inclusion that differ  from the  commission's usual                                                               
standards based  on economic  dependence and  past participation.                                                               
SB  158 also  sends appeals  to Superior  Court, reducing  CFEC's                                                               
administrative   role,  and   would  mainly   require  processing                                                               
applications,  verifying existing  data,  and updating  licensing                                                               
systems.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
3:11:21 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR BJORKMAN asked why SB 158 is needed.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
3:11:33 PM                                                                                                                    
MR. HAIGHT replied  that previous buyback efforts  for this group                                                               
were complex and unsuccessful, but  SB 158 simplifies the process                                                               
by creating a  new area and allowing the formation  of a regional                                                               
fisheries    association   to    manage   any    future   buyback                                                               
independently. He said  CFEC's role would be  minimal, limited to                                                               
providing  guidance  and  processing permit  closures  after  the                                                               
association completes its buyback.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
3:12:42 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  BJORKMAN  explained  that   the  new  administrative  area                                                               
ensures  that  long-time  East Side  Cook  Inlet  fishers  retain                                                               
control over  their permits  and future  decisions. He  said this                                                               
would prevent  outsiders from exploiting opportunities  meant for                                                               
those with historical ties to the fishery.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
3:13:30 PM                                                                                                                    
LISA  GABRIEL, representing  self,  Kenai,  Alaska, testified  by                                                               
invitation on SB 158.  She said she has been a  set netter for 39                                                               
years and  supports creating a  new administrative area  in Upper                                                               
Cook Inlet to  allow the East Side Set Net  fishery to be managed                                                               
independently  from other  regions. She  stated that  this change                                                               
reflects  the fishery's  unique  conditions,  would enable  local                                                               
self-determination for permit holders  and family businesses, and                                                               
is  needed  to reverse  years  of  decline and  repeated  federal                                                               
disaster declarations.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
3:15:28 PM                                                                                                                    
GARY  HOLLIER, representing  self,  Kenai,  Alaska, testified  by                                                               
invitation  on SB  158. He  said as  a veteran  set-net fisherman                                                               
with over  50 years of experience  he supports SB 158.  This bill                                                               
would establish a  new administrative area for the  East Side Set                                                               
Net  fishery in  Cook Inlet.  He explained  that this  fishery is                                                               
uniquely  managed   and  has  faced  repeated   federal  disaster                                                               
declarations,  arguing  that  a  separate area  would  allow  for                                                               
fairer management,  local self-determination, and  better support                                                               
for a long-standing, predominantly Alaskan fishery.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
3:17:58 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR BJORKMAN held SB 158 in committee.