04/03/1996 02:05 PM Senate FIN

       CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 262(RES)                                         
       "An Act relating to management  of game populations for                 
  maximum   sustained  yield for  human harvest  and providing                 
  for the   replacement of areas closed to consumptive uses of                 
  game;     relating to management of fish and game areas; and                 
  amending  Rules 79(b)  and 82(b)(2),  Alaska Rules of  Civil                 
  Procedure."                                                                  
                                                                               
  Senator Mike Miller was  invited to join the committee.   He                 
  explained SB 262 and said the  RES version was a combination                 
  of  many concerned parties.  The main thrust of the bill was                 
  to guarantee that the game populations  in the state will be                 
  managed  for  maximum sustained yield for  consumptive uses.                 
  The  bill would  require  any areas  closed  to hunting  for                 
  consumptive   uses,  with   the   exception  of   biological                 
  emergencies, a new area three times the size to be opened up                 
  in the  state for  those species  that was  closed in  those                 
  particular  areas.  The state has set  up a public trust for                 
  fish  and  game management  areas.    The  monies  used  are                 
  generated through taxes, license fees and other fees paid by                 
  sportsmen.   This trust  would be  breached if  there was  a                 
  restriction of public  access into  those areas where  those                 
  monies  are used,  if  there is  a  restriction of  fishing,                 
  hunting and trapping activities in  those areas and if those                 
  revenues generated from  taxes, license fees and  other fees                 
  paid by sportsmen, or federal funds  from the sports fish or                 
  wildlife restoration  fund in  areas where consumptive  uses                 
  would  not  be  permitted  or  for  management  of  non-game                 
  species.  Another important aspect of the bill is the Senate                 
  RES  version  is  a  compromise   put  together  by  several                 
  consumptive user groups and the Tanana Chiefs Association in                 
  Fairbanks.  It  has been worked on by a wide range of groups                 
  and  the  Tanana   Chiefs  Association  does  support   this                 
  particular bill.                                                             
                                                                               
  Geron Bruce, Department of Fish and Game was invited to join                 
  the committee.   He  said the  department opposed the  bill.                 
  Biologists do not believe specific  levels of harvest can be                 
  sustained.  The department uses the majority  of the revenue                 
  generated through the  Federal Aid and Wildlife  Restoration                 
  Program  and from  the  Fish and  Game  Fund for  activities                 
  related  to hunting.   The  federal aid  authority is  quite                 
  broad and it would  be consistent to spend all  license fees                 
  on other  uses and  not on  hunting.   In this  state it  is                 
  recognized that hunting is a very important activity however                 
                                                                               
                                                                               
  it  is  important  to  support  a  balanced  program.    The                 
  department felt  the net  effect of  this bill  would be  to                 
  prevent closure of  areas to  consumptive uses, which  would                 
  remove an important tool used  by the Board of Game  and the                 
  department for  maintaining wildlife  populations.   He said                 
  this was  a serious  issue causing  their concern  with this                 
  legislation.                                                                 
                                                                               
  Anthony Crupi,  Alaska  Environmental Lobby  was invited  to                 
  join the committee  and testified in opposition to the bill.                 
  He  said  this bill  was  managing Alaska's  game population                 
  solely  on a biological  basis and  that consumptive  use of                 
  game is the highest and best use  of game.  If Alaska's game                 
  population is  being managed on a biological basis, why does                 
  this bill attempt to manage our game on an acreage an solely                 
  consumptive  basis?     This  bill   would  not  take   into                 
  consideration the overall status of  the eco-system in which                 
  these uses  are  imposed.   Only  a healthy  eco-system  can                 
  adequately  sustain  both  consumptive  and  non-consumptive                 
  uses.  He said the finance committee's responsibility should                 
  be  to  realize the  magnitude  of revenue  that potentially                 
  would  be  lost.   He  said Alaskans  and  Alaskan resources                 
  deserve more thoughtful governing than SB 262.                               
                                                                               
  Senator Frank moved  CSSB 262(RES) and without  objection it                 
  was reported  out with  individual recommendations  and zero                 
  fiscal note with  fund source change from the  Department of                 
  Fish and Game, Wildlife Division.