04/28/1995 03:38 PM Senate RES

      SJR 22 FISH & MARINE MAMMAL RESEARCH BERING SEA                       
  Number 140                                                                  
                                                                               
 SENATOR LEMAN brought  SJR 22 , which had a brief hearing on April            
 26, back before the committee.                                                
                                                                               
 ROGER MCKOWAN, staff to Senator Hoffman, explained the resolution             
 requests Congress to provide funding for appropriate federal                  
 agencies to conduct studies of the Bering Sea ecosystem.  The                 
 Bering Sea is one of the most productive fishing areas in the                 
 world.  In 1994 the catch totaled over 4 billion pounds which                 
 equated to a net worth of approximately $893 million.                         
                                                                               
 Mr. McKowan noted that paragraphs in the resolution illustrate a              
 number of examples where stocks have either declined or fluctuated            
 dramatically, so it is obvious what the potential negative economic           
 impact is if there is not proper information on the Bering Sea                
 ecosystem.  Senator Hoffman believes there are a great many                   
 questions out there and not enough answers at this point.                     
                                                                               
 Mr. McKowan said Senator Hoffman has reviewed the amendment                   
 proposed at the previous hearing and agrees with the new language.            
                                                                               
 Number 175                                                                    
                                                                               
 SENATOR TAYLOR moved the adoption of the following amendment to SJR
:                                                                           
                                                                               
 Amendment No. 1                                                             
                                                                               
 "BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature                     
 respectfully requests that Congress direct the National Marine                
 Fisheries Service to work with federal and state agencies, and                
 institutions whether private or public, to ensure that efforts are            
 not duplicated and studies are not redundant in addressing this               
 important issue."                                                             
                                                                               
 Hearing no objection, SENATOR LEMAN stated the amendment was                  
 adopted and would be incorporated into a Resources CS.                        
                                                                               
 SENATOR TAYLOR moved that CSSJR 22(RES) be passed out of committee            
 with individual recommendations.  Hearing no objection, it was so             
 ordered.