Legislature(2001 - 2002)
04/03/2002 01:10 PM House RES
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
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+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
SCR 28-JOINT LEGIS SALMON INDUSTRY TASK FORCE CO-CHAIR MASEK announced the first order of business, CS FOR SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 28(RES), Establishing the Joint Legislative Salmon Industry Task Force. Number 0125 CLIFF STONE, Staff to Senator Alan Austerman, Alaska State Legislature, presented SCR 28 on behalf Senator Austerman, sponsor, noting that the committee packet included a sponsor statement and fiscal note. Mr. Stone cited a list of issues the task force may take up this interim in investigating public policy options to assist the industry in marketing more of [Alaska's] fish: transportation infrastructure and improvements that may include better airports, roads, and shipping facilities, as well as coordination of shipping to new markets; efficiency in harvesting methods and the feasibility of cooperatives such as the one recently started in Chignik to make catching salmon more efficient; and improving quality and developing new product forms. MR. STONE told members the money spent on research produces results that help [the state's] salmon fisheries. He indicated hope that the task force could foster changes in statute or policies to get this industry, which is in dire straits, back on track. The industry provides the State of Alaska $50 million a year in revenue from taxes and fees, he said, but that has been declining. Number 0370 REPRESENTATIVE GREEN asked what the task force will do that agencies such as the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) and the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI) cannot. MR. STONE answered that ASMI had been charged with marketing Alaska's salmon, but has a limited budget. [The marketing of] farmed salmon has had a big impact and has infringed upon Alaska's salmon industry, he indicated; the Norwegians and Chileans have had seemingly unlimited resources to market their product, which looks good and is available year-round. MR. STONE, in response to concern expressed by Representative Green about the cost, explained that three salmon-related task forces over the last seven and a half years have produced good input but no concrete changes. Therefore, the cost reflected in the fiscal note is for this task force to have enough money to identify and contract with the University of Alaska, the McDowell Group, or [other organizations] that could really help pin down the problem. The task force will be charged with changing how Alaska conducts business to compete with the world market; otherwise, the markets [for Alaska's salmon] will continue to decline. Number 0678 REPRESENTATIVE GREEN noted the long list of cosponsors for SCR 28. He agreed with the need to educate people in the Lower 48 that wild salmon is far superior to farmed salmon, but questioned the value of spending money to find out that more needs to be spent. MR. STONE agreed and told Representative Green he sympathized that it seems to be "just going around in a vortex"; he characterized some other approaches as uncoordinated and willy- nilly. He emphasized, however, that this task force has the support of state leadership; the hope is to have a forum and staff to really get down to business, bring in experts to identify the crux of the problem, and come up with concrete answers and recommendations such as legislation or lobbying Congress for import restrictions or funding. MR. STONE pointed out that if the $.5 million were spent on marketing, the marketers might not even know [where to use it best]. The hope is to identify such questions so that if [the legislature] gives $10 million for marketing through ASMI or some contractor, for example, this task force will have identified those areas. He reiterated that ASMI is limited by its resources, although it certainly has the expertise; he indicated ADF&G has some expertise as well. Number 0966 REPRESENTATIVE CHENAULT noted that the task force includes two [Senators] and two [Representatives], with nine public members. He asked how the members will be determined. MR. STONE characterized the original bill version as "regionalized"; calls had been received from all over the state, he said, with recommendations of certain individuals for the task force, including people nominating themselves. The Senate Resources Standing Committee, however, didn't want to "Balkanize" this or limit it to six commercial fishermen from the different areas as well as a small processor and large processor; Senator Austerman had agreed that a better approach is to have experts "from all over." They had felt that nine public members at large would provide flexibility to find people who can deal with commercial fish, Mr. Stone noted. In further response, he specified that two members each of the Senate and House will decide together [who will sit on the task force]. Number 1161 REPRESENTATIVE FATE voiced an unspecified concern about the makeup of the taskforce. He then announced that he was "absolutely in favor of this," although he shared Representative Green's concern about the money. He remarked that usually when there is a high-level forum such as this, the federal government will take up part of the problem; the resulting task force is much more effective than when "things are done piecemeal." He offered his belief that this [allocation for the task force] will be money well spent. Number 1266 KATHY HANSEN, Executive Director, Southeast Alaska Fishermen's Alliance, testified in support of the resolution. Highlighting the "huge" size of past summits and task forces on salmon, she indicated the need for a small working group to determine what research and follow-up needs to be done, and then to do what is necessary to move forward. Although ASMI does a really good job, she said there are marketing aspects ASMI isn't a part of, and cannot answer; for example, direct marketers have some problems relating to combinations of regulations and statutes that conflict somewhat, and these individuals therefore have trouble doing their own marketing. A task force could look at that and perhaps come up with simple solutions. Furthermore, processors and fishermen need to be able to talk together; she indicated government sponsorship is necessary for that to be successful. She concluded that this task force is a good way to help move things forward. Number 1390 CO-CHAIR MASEK, offering her understanding that there were no further testifiers, closed public testimony and invited committee discussion. She conveyed her support for the resolution, but indicated she hoped the legislature wouldn't have to provide a high level of funding in support of whatever [the task force] came up with. Number 1500 REPRESENTATIVE FATE moved to report [CSSCR 28(RES)] from committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes. There being no objection, CSSCR 28(RES) was moved out of the House Resources Standing Committee.
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