Legislature(2009 - 2010)BUTROVICH 205
03/30/2009 03:30 PM Senate RESOURCES
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SJR13 | |
| HJR21 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | SJR 13 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | HJR 21 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
HJR 21-GROUNDFISH FISHERIES LICENSES
4:25:34 PM
CO-CHAIR MCGUIRE announced HJR 21 to be up for consideration.
4:26:19 PM
REPRESENTATIVE ALAN AUSTERMAN, Alaska State Legislature, sponsor
of HJR 21, said the resolution is a message to the North Pacific
Fisheries Management Council (NPFMC). [The NPFMC oversees the
management of federal fisheries beyond the three-mile limit] and
it has a history of either giving away fishery resources to
individual fishermen or restricting access. The halibut
Individual Fishing Quotas (IFQ) is one such example. As a result
of quota prices, a young upstart halibut fisherman today would
need to invest up to $1 million to enter that fishery.
The NPFMC was moving the Gulf of Alaska [Pacific] cod fishery in
the same direction until 2006 when the governor asked it not to
rationalize that fishery. To its credit, the NPFMC changed
course and established a limited license program for groundfish
in the Gulf of Alaska. About 800 permits were issued based on
catch history from the 1990s with the primary catch being
[Pacific] cod. Currently about 65 percent of the licenses are
latent and haven't been used for some time.
After 2006 the NPFMC looked at catch histories in a specific
range of recent years for the purpose of placing a cod
endorsement on the LLP license. Without this endorsement an LLP
license would be functionally useless. This works to the
advantage of those who receive an endorsement and creates yet
another barrier for young people to enter the industry.
HJR 21 simply asks the North Pacific Fishery Management Council
not to reduce reasonable access to this fishery. Don't place a
cod endorsement on these licenses and make 500 some latent LLP
licenses non-usable. Part of the goal of the resolution is to
raise awareness on some of the options that the NPFMC may not be
looking at. This includes looking at how to control the growth
in fisheries so the need to rationalize doesn't arise. There are
ways to do that, but the NPFMC is only looking at reducing
access so that just "X" number of boats will fish in that
fishery.
4:33:55 PM
REPRESENTATIVE AUSTERMAN said that when he worked for the former
governor on fishery issues it was an eye-opener to learn that
the administration, through the commissioner of the Department
of Fish and Game, and the five Board of Fisheries appointees
make policy calls in federal fisheries that directly affect
Alaskans and put them out of work. The Crab Rationalization
Program is a prime example. Over 1,000 jobs were lost; about
half were lost by Alaskans and the other half were by people
from the West Coast that came to Alaska to fish. Clearly, the
Alaska Legislature should be involved in the policy issues that
affect Alaskans so greatly.
4:37:05 PM
DON BREMNER, Central Council Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of
Alaska (CCTHITA), said HJR 21 is an opportunity to influence
control over the Alaska seafood resources. CCTHITA has actively
opposed steps by the North Pacific Fisheries Management Council
toward rationalization, but has had limited success. When the
Magnuson-Stevens Act passed in 1976 it was designed for the
average Alaska fisherman. Rationalization came as a result of
large open ocean fishermen lobbying their interests at the
expense of inshore fisheries and communities. HJR 21 is a good
idea, it helps the little guy.
4:40:55 PM
SHAWN DOCHTERMANN said he is a second generation Kodiak
commercial fishermen who supports HJR 21. He is opposed to
eliminating LLP licenses and implementation of Pacific cod
endorsements. The NPFMC should stick with the status quo for
Gulf of Alaska groundfish management. He noted that a council
member recently told him the endorsements will go through
regardless and said he has a hard time understanding why the
council doesn't listen to the stakeholders. Over 17 Native
villages or organizations support the resolution.
MR. DOCHTERMANN said the purpose and need statement for the
amendments is flawed. There is no increased market value, there
is nothing wrong with competition, and this will not insure that
active fisherman will be able to participate in these fisheries.
The Magnuson-Stevens Act was brought forward for habitat
protection and sustainability of resources yet the amendments
don't mention that. It's for economic allocation, which violates
a standard in the Sustainable Fisheries Act of 1996.
Removing the latent licenses from groundfish permit holders will
leave state waters as the dumping ground for new entrants. Why
shouldn't federal waters have a place for active new entry
fishermen to transition to all fisheries? Fishing rights need to
remain with those who go out on boats. Removing the LLPs from
fixed gear fishermen will take rights from active and future
fishermen and give exclusive rights to an investor-only faction
that does not fish.
4:45:03 PM
DJ VINBERG said he is a third generation Kodiak fisherman and he
opposes HJR 21. Morally he agrees with the concept of open
fishing, but without restriction the cod fishery is becoming a
derby not unlike halibut fishing of the past. The cod season
used to last 3-4 months and this year it lasted just 26 days.
This year 30 more boats participated than two years ago. Most
disturbing were the boats that came that have crab IFQs. They
are free to participate in any open fishery at no risk to their
already banked crab money. In an open fishing environment these
highly competitive fishermen will receive a bonus season at his
expense. If unchecked the cod fishery will become over-
capitalized.
There should be more restrictions on access to the gulf cod
fishery including some qualifying years. The more than 800 LLP
licenses in the gulf do nothing to protect people like him who
live in Kodiak and are committed to the fishery. His options are
limited; he is too small to fish cod out west and his business
is jeopardized if his piece of the "cod pie" continues to
shrink. While he doesn't favor further privatizations or IFQs,
he believes that limiting the number of permits is a good
starting tool.
The Legislature should be concerned about Alaska fisheries and
knowledgeable about the situation, but it should respect those
whose sole responsibility it is to make fisheries management
decisions.
4:48:41 PM
ALVIN BIRCH, Executive Director, Alaska Whitefish Trawlers
Association, said he submitted written testimony. He is well
familiar with fisheries management issues and his concerns with
HJR 21 are numerous. In particular he is concerned about the
precedent it sets for the Legislature to make a quick decision
about a fisheries issue that is going through the long and very
public NPFMC process. The stated purpose of the resolution is
far from accurate and is an example of why it is so very
important to have a long decision-making process for fishery
issues. That way all sides and opinions can be weighed against
scientific data. Without scientific data, all fisheries are at
risk. The recent NPFMC amendment package is the result of a long
public process, scientific input, and months of deliberation.
New entrants are allowed into the fisheries and those with a
long history of fishing cod are protected.
4:51:44 PM
PETER ALLEN, representing himself, said he is a fisherman in
Kodiak who has been fishing a small boat for over 25 years. This
has been possible because he's been flexible to adapt as fish
stocks and markets rise and fall. Small boat fishermen need this
flexibility. Currently he has an inactive LP, an inactive salmon
seine permit, an inactive herring gillnet permit, and an
inactive crab permit. All these permits make up his fishing
business. If the federal government takes away his cod fishing
rights and the state takes away other rights he'll be out of
business. This resolution tells the council what a lot of people
feel and it's right on, he said.
4:53:43 PM
TONY GREGORIO, representing himself, Chignik Lagoon, said he has
fished since 1959 and when people talk about rationalization he
thinks back to the time when Del Monte owned all the boats in
Chignik and told the skippers how many fish they could catch
every day. "That's where we're going back to," he said. In the
'50s villages like Squaw Harbor, Unga, and Chignik Lagoon had
private salteries but when the cod fishing died out they went to
somewhere else. Now those villages are gone. He applauds
Representative Austerman for bring this to the Legislature
because "trying to deal with the North Pacific [Fisheries
Management Council] is like trying to tell your wife not to go
shopping anymore."
4:56:02 PM
FREDDIE CHRISTIANSEN, representing himself, Anchorage, said he
was born and raised on Kodiak Island. He has fished his entire
life and believes there comes a time when the state needs to
stand up and say, "Enough is enough." These communities aren't
asking for a handout; they're asking that their needs are
considered when fish are rationalized, he said. When he grew up
his family and others fished many different fisheries and now
participation is very limited. He noted that the new chief of
NOAH recently stated that she knows that what Americans want
from the ocean is clean beaches, safe and healthy seafood,
abundant wildlife, and stable fisheries. This means vibrant
coastal communities for us, our kids, and our grandkids, he
said. He thanked Representative Austerman for bringing the
resolution forward.
4:58:30 PM
STEPHEN TAUFEN, Groundswell Fisheries Movement, Kodiak, said he
agrees with earlier testimony that the purposes and needs that
the NPFMC is basing its action on are inaccurate. The argument
for the cod endorsement eschews efficiencies and makes it clear
that this council "is nothing but hell-bent on
privatizations…even when things become disconnected from
reality." For a lot of reasons the Legislature should be
involved in the council's action. Number one is to ensure that
their problem and purpose and need statements are accurate and
sensible before there is a regulatory review. Also, the state
needs to have a deputy attorney general ensure that coastal
communities, small business people, and other stakeholders are
represented and protected. He applauded Representative
Austerman's efforts.
CO-CHAIR MCGUIRE closed public testimony and held HJR 21 in
committee.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| SJR 13 - Bill Packet.pdf |
SRES 3/30/2009 3:30:00 PM |
|
| SJR 21 - Bill Packet.pdf |
SRES 3/30/2009 3:30:00 PM |