Legislature(2019 - 2020)BUTROVICH 205

04/01/2019 03:30 PM Senate RESOURCES

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03:30:34 PM Start
03:31:17 PM Overview: Alaska Department of Fish and Game Management, Allocation and the Boards of Fisheries and Game
04:04:56 PM Adjourn
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ Overview: TELECONFERENCED
Department of Fish & Game: Management,
Allocation & the Boards of Fisheries & Game
+ Bills Previously Heard/Scheduled TELECONFERENCED
                    ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE                                                                                  
              SENATE RESOURCES STANDING COMMITTEE                                                                             
                         April 1, 2019                                                                                          
                           3:30 p.m.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS PRESENT                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Senator Chris Birch, Chair                                                                                                      
Senator John Coghill, Vice Chair                                                                                                
Senator Cathy Giessel                                                                                                           
Senator Lora Reinbold                                                                                                           
Senator Scott Kawasaki                                                                                                          
Senator Jesse Kiehl                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS ABSENT                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Senator Click Bishop                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
COMMITTEE CALENDAR                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
OVERVIEW: ALASKA DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME MANAGEMENT~                                                                        
ALLOCATION AND THE BOARDS OF FISHERIES AND GAME                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
     - HEARD                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
No previous action to record                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
WITNESS REGISTER                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
DOUGLAS VINCENT-LANG, Commissioner Designee                                                                                     
Alaska Department of Fish and Game                                                                                              
Juneau, Alaska                                                                                                                  
POSITION STATEMENT: Provided a departmental management overview.                                                              
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
ACTION NARRATIVE                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
3:30:34 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR CHRIS BIRCH  called the Senate Resources  Standing Committee                                                            
meeting to  order at 3:30 p.m. Present  at the call to  order were                                                              
Senators Coghill,  Reinbold, Giessel,  Kawasaki, Kiehl,  and Chair                                                              
Birch.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
^OVERVIEW:  Alaska   Department  of  Fish  and   Game  Management,                                                              
Allocation and the Boards of Fisheries and Game                                                                                 
    OVERVIEW: Alaska Department of Fish and Game Management,                                                                
        Allocation and the Boards of Fisheries and Game                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
3:31:17 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR   BIRCH  announced   that   the   committee   will  hear   a                                                              
presentation by  the Alaska Department  of Fish and  Game (ADF&G).                                                              
He  noted  that  the  presentation  was  originally  scheduled  in                                                              
anticipation of a  U.S. Supreme Court ruling on  the John Sturgeon                                                              
case.  Although  the  John  Sturgeon  case  dealt  primarily  with                                                              
navigable waters,  the court  ruling had  the potential  to impact                                                              
Alaska's  dual  federal  and  state   system  of  subsistence  use                                                              
management.  The court's  recent ruling  was a  clear win  for the                                                              
state in terms  of Alaska's right to manage a  navigable waterway.                                                              
However, the  decision steered clear  of fish and  game management                                                              
issues.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
He  said considering  the  earlier pending  discussion  on a  bill                                                              
relating  to competing  uses of  the state's  limited resource  of                                                              
big  game, he  thought  committee members  would  benefit from  an                                                              
overview  of  fish  and  game  management   as  well  as  how  the                                                              
department and the  Board of Fisheries and the Board  of Game work                                                              
together to ensure  fair allocation and management  of the state's                                                              
limited resources. He welcomed the commissioner designee.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
3:32:07 PM                                                                                                                    
DOUGLAS  VINCENT-LANG,  Commissioner Designee,  Alaska  Department                                                              
of Fish  and Game,  Juneau, Alaska,  explained that Alaska's  fish                                                              
and  game management  is founded  in the  Alaska Constitution.  He                                                              
referenced   page    2   from   his   overview,    "Constitutional                                                              
Foundation/Authority,"   regarding    the   Alaska   Constitution,                                                              
Article  VIII,   Natural  Resources,   and  referenced   the  five                                                              
sections that deal with fish and game management as follows:                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
   • Section 1:                                                                                                                 
        o Policy of maximum use of resources consistent with                                                                  
          public interest.                                                                                                      
        o Resources are a public trust resource.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
   • Section 2:                                                                                                                 
        o Gives authority to legislature, which is to provide                                                                 
          for utilization, development, and conservation of                                                                     
          natural resources for maximum benefit of people.                                                                    
        o The   legislature's  role   is  clearly  identified   in                                                              
          resource    management,   including   fish    and   game                                                              
          management.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
   • Section 3:                                                                                                                 
        o Wild fish,  wildlife, and waters reserved  to the people                                                              
          for common use.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
   • Section 4:                                                                                                                 
        o Fish   and  wildlife   resources   shall  be   utilized,                                                              
          developed,    and   maintained   on    sustained   yield                                                            
          principle, subject to preferences among beneficial                                                                  
          uses.                                                                                                                 
        o Sustained  yield  means  sustaining  fish  and  wildlife                                                              
          populations for future generations.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
   • Section 17:                                                                                                                
        o Laws  governing  disposal  of  natural  resources  shall                                                              
          apply equally to all persons similarly situated with                                                                  
          reference to the subject matter and purpose served by                                                                 
          law or regulations.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
3:34:17 PM                                                                                                                    
COMMISSIONER VINCENT-LANG said there are three entities that are                                                                
tied into fish and game management and detailed as follows:                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
   1. Legislature,                                                                                                              
   2. Boards of Fisheries and Game,                                                                                             
   3. Alaska Department of Fish and Game.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
He said each entity has a distinct role in enacting the                                                                         
constitutional authorities. Most importantly, the public engages                                                                
with each one of the three entities.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
He addressed "Powers Delegated from the Legislature to the                                                                      
Boards" as follows:                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
   • AS 16.05.221:                                                                                                              
        o Boards  of  Fisheries   and  Game  are  created  by  the                                                              
          legislature; all powers and authority derived from                                                                    
          statute.                                                                                                              
        o Established  for "conservation and development"  of fish                                                              
          and game resources.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
   • AS 16.05.221:                                                                                                              
        o Boards    have    regulation-making    powers    (quasi-                                                              
          legislative).                                                                                                         
        o No  administrative, budgeting,  or fiscal powers;  those                                                              
          are executive branch powers.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
   • AS 16.05.251 and 255:                                                                                                      
        o Sets out regulation-making authority.                                                                                 
        o The  boards   have  the   power  and  duties   to  enact                                                              
          regulations for:                                                                                                      
             square4 Fishing and hunting,                                                                                       
             square4 Subsistence fishing and hunting.                                                                           
        o Regulations  enacted  as  needed for  the  conservation,                                                              
          development, and utilization of fish and game                                                                         
          resources in the public interest.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
   • AS 16.05.258:                                                                                                              
        o The  Boards shall  identify  fish  and game  populations                                                              
          that are customarily and traditionally used for                                                                       
          subsistence.                                                                                                          
        o Determine  the   amounts  of  the   harvestable  surplus                                                              
          reasonably necessary for subsistence.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
3:36:39 PM                                                                                                                    
COMMISSIONER VINCENT-LANG addressed "Powers Delegated from                                                                      
Boards to ADF&G Commissioner" as follows:                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
   • AS 16.05.270:                                                                                                              
        o Board may  delegate power to the commissioner  to act on                                                              
          its behalf, for example:                                                                                              
             square4 Petitions for emergency regulations.                                                                       
             square4 Waterfowl regulations.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
He addressed "Regulatory Authorities Delegated to the ADF&G                                                                     
Commissioner" as follows:                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
   • AS 16.05.060:                                                                                                              
        o Emergency  order authority to  open or close  seasons or                                                              
          areas.                                                                                                                
        o Change weekly  closed periods  on fish or game  by means                                                              
          of emergency order.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
   • AS 16.05.020(3):                                                                                                           
        o Implied  authority  to  adopt regulations  to  implement                                                              
          authority.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
3:37:18 PM                                                                                                                    
He addressed "How it works" from his overview regarding ADF&G                                                                   
and the boards as follows:                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
   • ADF&G determines sustained yields for populations and                                                                      
     stocks:                                                                                                                    
        o Stock assessment,                                                                                                     
        o Federal and international cooperation.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
   • Boards determine allocation and management plans for                                                                       
     surplus yields:                                                                                                            
        o Board process;                                                                                                        
        o Advisory committee process:                                                                                           
             square4 Open Meetings Act;                                                                                         
             square4 Public participation.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
   • ADF&G using its emergency order authority to implement                                                                     
     management plans:                                                                                                          
        o In-season management programs.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
   • ADF&G uses its emergency order authority to close fisheries                                                                
     and hunts to ensure long-term sustainability:                                                                              
        o Example:                                                                                                              
             square4 Emergency order authority was recently used to                                                             
               close the northern Cook Inlet king salmon                                                                        
               fisheries because projected minimum escapement                                                                   
               goals were not met.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
3:39:29 PM                                                                                                                    
COMMISSIONER VINCENT-LANG addressed "IS IT WORKING?" as follows:                                                                
                                                                                                                                
   • Sustainable Management of Fish and Wildlife Resources means                                                                
     $11.8 billion dollars in economic value to Alaska:                                                                         
        o Commercial fisheries: $5 billion;                                                                                     
        o Sport fishing: $1.9 billion;                                                                                          
        o Wildlife: $4.6 billion;                                                                                               
        o Subsistence: $300 million;                                                                                            
        o TOTAL: $11.8 billion.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
He said  he believes the process  is working and  most importantly                                                              
the  public  has  a  role in  how  the  fisheries  and  hunts  are                                                              
managed.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR   KAWASAKI  remarked   that  when   he  hears  the   term,                                                              
"emergency  order,"  he  envisions   something  just  came  up  as                                                              
opposed to  something that is known  to be coming. He  opined that                                                              
anecdotally he thinks  that there are a lot more  emergency orders                                                              
than in the past.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
COMMISSIONER  VINCENT-LANG  replied  that  emergency  order  is  a                                                              
nomenclature  issue.  Term  is  delegated  to  the  department  by                                                              
statute. The department issues an emergency order to comply with                                                                
the management plans that have been adopted. He admitted that                                                                   
very rarely is it an emergency.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
3:41:07 PM                                                                                                                    
COMMISSIONER VINCENT-LANG addressed "Subsistence as a State                                                                     
Priority" as follows:                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
   • Subsistence use has a priority under state law (AS                                                                         
     16.05.258).                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
   • All Alaskans, regardless of their residency, have a                                                                        
     subsistence priority.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
   • Alaska has a meaningful mechanism in place to ensure                                                                       
     subsistence needs are being met.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
He addressed "AS 16.05.258" regarding subsistence use as                                                                        
follows:                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
   • Gives a priority to the use of all fish and game                                                                           
     customarily and traditionally used for subsistence.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
   • AS 16.05.258(a):                                                                                                           
        o Boards shall identify all fish and game populations,                                                                  
          and portions thereof, that are customarily and                                                                        
          traditionally taken or used for subsistence.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
   • AS 16.05.258(b):                                                                                                           
        o If a portion of a fish and game population can be                                                                     
          harvested consistent with sustained yield, the boards                                                                 
          shall determine the amount of the harvestable portion                                                                 
         that is reasonably necessary for subsistence.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
   • AS 16.05.258(f):                                                                                                           
        o Must    provide   a    "reasonable   opportunity"    for                                                              
          subsistence, defined as an opportunity that provides a                                                                
          normally diligent participant with a reasonable                                                                       
          expectation of success.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
He addressed "Priority for subsistence fishing and hunting; Tier                                                                
II permits" as follows:                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
   • If the harvestable portion is not sufficient to provide a                                                                  
     reasonable opportunity for subsistence uses, the board                                                                     
     shall adopt regulations eliminating consumptive uses other                                                                 
     than subsistence and distinguishing among subsistence users                                                                
     based on specified criteria.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
COMMISSIONER VINCENT-LANG  explained that  in certain  cases, like                                                              
in  Norton Sound  where there  is not  enough salmon  to meet  the                                                              
needs  of  all Alaskans,  the  board  does  have a  mechanism  and                                                              
criteria  in  place that  allows  for  priority harvesting  for  a                                                              
select group of subsistence users.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
3:43:22 PM                                                                                                                    
He addressed "Nonsubsistence Use Areas" as follows:                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
   • Under 5 AAC 99.015, the joint boards may establish non-                                                                    
     subsistence areas.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
   • A nonsubsistence area is an area or community where                                                                        
     dependence    upon   subsistence    is   not   a    principle                                                              
     characteristic of the economy, culture, and way of life of                                                                 
     the community.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
   • [Five] nonsubsistence areas are currently established:                                                                     
        1. Anchorage, Mat-Su, and Kenai;                                                                                        
        2. Fairbanks;                                                                                                           
        3. Valdez;                                                                                                              
        4. Ketchikan;                                                                                                           
        5. [Juneau].                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
He explained how the subsistence process works as follows:                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
   • Board considers a proposal.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
   • ADF&G provides assessment on "customary and traditional                                                                    
     use" of affected populations and whether amounts necessary                                                                 
     for subsistence are provided for.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
   • Public and advisory committee input.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
   • Board determines if reasonable opportunity exists.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
   • Regulation adopted.                                                                                                        
He  explained  that  if  the  board  does  not  determine  that  a                                                              
reasonable   opportunity  exists,   the  board   will  amend   the                                                              
subsistence proposal  to ensure  that a reasonable  opportunity is                                                              
going to occur for subsistence users.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
He addressed "State subsistence regulations" as follows:                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
   • 5 AAC 01.100-.760, 5 AAC 02.100-.625, and 5 AAC 99.025:                                                                    
        o Board's customary and traditional findings are in                                                                     
          regulation.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
   • 5 AAC 01.100-.760, 5 AAC 02.100-.625 and 5 AAC 99.025:                                                                     
        o Amount necessary for subsistence should be put in                                                                     
          regulation, if practicable.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
COMMISSIONER VINCENT-LANG addressed the "Federal Subsistence                                                                    
Program" as follows:                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
   • Federal Subsistence Board:                                                                                                 
        o Three public members.                                                                                                 
        o Federal agencies:                                                                                                     
             square4 Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA),                                                                            
             square4 Bureau of Land Management (BLM),                                                                           
             square4 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS),                                                                    
             square4 National Park Service (NPS).                                                                               
        o Liaisons include all Regional Advisory Committees                                                                     
          (RACs) and the ADF&G Commissioner.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
   • Regional Advisory Councils:                                                                                                
        o Public Advisory Committees under the Federal Advisory                                                                 
          Committee Management (FACA) process.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
   • State's role is strictly an advisory role:                                                                                 
        o State does not have a vote on the federal advisory                                                                    
          board, but the state can comment on the proposals that                                                                
          could potentially affect the state.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
3:45:40 PM                                                                                                                    
He addressed "Federal Subsistence under ANILCA (Section 804)" as                                                                
follows:                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
   • Except as otherwise provided in the act and other federal                                                                  
     laws, the  taking on  public lands of  fish and  wildlife for                                                              
     non-wasteful  subsistence  uses  shall be  accorded  priority                                                              
     over  the taking  on  such  lands of  fish  and wildlife  for                                                              
     other purposes.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
   • Whenever it is necessary to restrict the taking of                                                                         
     populations   of  fish  and   wildlife  on  such   lands  for                                                              
     subsistence   uses  in   order  to   protect  the   continued                                                              
     viability  of such  populations,  or to  continue such  uses,                                                              
     such  priority  shall  be   implemented  through  appropriate                                                              
     limitations based on the application of the following                                                                      
     criteria:                                                                                                                  
        1. Customary and direct dependency upon the populations                                                                 
          as the mainstay of livelihood.                                                                                        
        2. Local residency.                                                                                                     
        3. The availability of alternative resources.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  KAWASAKI  asked  for  an  explanation  on  the  interplay                                                              
between  state   and  federal   lands  regarding  the   individual                                                              
management  units. He  pointed out  that wildlife  moves and  does                                                              
not stop within management units.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
COMMISSIONER  VINCENT-LANG  replied  that  the interplay  is  very                                                              
complex. An animal  taken on federal land has  a rural preference,                                                              
but  an animal  taken on  state  land is  eligible for  everybody.                                                              
State  and  federal  agencies  need  to talk  to  one  another  on                                                              
resource management to ensure sustained yield is protected.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR COGHILL pointed  out that the federal government  does not                                                              
have a sustained yield principle.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
COMMISSIONER  VINCENT-LANG  concurred  with  Senator  Coghill.  He                                                              
explained  that the federal  government does  have a  conservation                                                              
mandate to ensure wildlife population viability.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
3:47:42 PM                                                                                                                    
He explained  the "Difference between  State and  Federal Process"                                                              
as follows:                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
   • State Process:                                                                                                             
        o Customary and traditional use determination coupled                                                                   
          with    an    amount     necessary    for    subsistence                                                              
          determination.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
   • Federal Process:                                                                                                           
        o Customary and traditional use determination.                                                                          
        o No amount necessary for subsistence determination nor                                                                 
          an assessment of reasonable opportunity:                                                                              
             square4 The stock quantity that is supposed to go towards                                                          
              subsistence uses is not determined.                                                                               
             square4 No assessment of reasonable opportunity.                                                                   
        o Important targets are being missed under the federal                                                                  
          system to assess whether subsistence needs are being                                                                  
          met.                                                                                                                  
        o The federal system of assessment is qualitative and                                                                   
          the state system of assessment is quantitative.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
COMMISSIONER  VINCENT-LANG   addressed  the   Federal  Subsistence                                                              
Board (FSB) process as follows:                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
   • Call for proposals.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
   • Federal staff review.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
   • Regional Advisory Councils review.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
   • Interagency Staff Committee review.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
   • FSB meeting.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
   • Publication of final rules.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
   • Request for reconsideration option.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
3:49:01 PM                                                                                                                    
He  summarized that  preparing  the  presentation  allowed him  to                                                              
review regulations  and find  out how  ADF&G is  and is  not doing                                                              
things.  He said his  intent is  to leave  committee members  with                                                              
the impression that  Alaska's fish and game management  is working                                                              
well.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
He  opined that  ADF&G is  doing a  good job  in conserving  state                                                              
stocks. He  conceded that king  salmon stocks are  having trouble,                                                              
but the issue is due to ecological failure.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
He  said   the  state   wildlife  management   process  has   many                                                              
opportunities  for public  participation, which  is important.  He                                                              
opined that  Alaska has  a better  system of public  participation                                                              
than many other states.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
He  said in  terms  state  subsistence, Alaska  takes  subsistence                                                              
priority  seriously.  Alaska has  a  subsistence  priority with  a                                                              
mechanism to quantify  subsistence and ensure the  subsistence use                                                              
is being met.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR REINBOLD asked what ADF&G's role is for public safety.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
COMMISSIONER  VINCENT-LANG  answered   that  public  safety  is  a                                                              
factor that  ADF&G and Board of  Game considers. He noted  that he                                                              
has  gone on  record  during a  recent  meeting  in Anchorage  for                                                              
increasing   bear  harvest   opportunities   if  bear   population                                                              
conservation is not affected.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
3:51:07 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR REINBOLD  remarked that public  safety is a  serious issue                                                              
in regard  to trails  and wildlife.  She said  she has  considered                                                              
introducing   legislation  that   addresses  wildlife   management                                                              
within municipalities.  She asked  if ADF&G  has any new  policies                                                              
regarding public safety and public awareness on trails.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
COMMISSIONER VINCENT-LANG  replied that bears in urban  areas is a                                                              
bigger  problem than  in villages.  He suggested  that bears  stay                                                              
out  of villages  because  villagers shoot  them.  He opined  that                                                              
people want  to live with bears  and wildlife in urban  areas, but                                                              
they do  not want  the wildlife  to affect  their safety.  He said                                                              
the challenge  is to determine  where the  line is. He  noted that                                                              
Anchorage  had   a  goose  population  issue  and   ADF&G  offered                                                              
population-management  options,   but  nothing  happened  until  a                                                              
flock  of  geese  caused  an  aircraft  crash.  He  conceded  that                                                              
implementing  management  options  takes people's  willingness  to                                                              
accept options to get to a level that they accept.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
3:55:03 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR REINBOLD  opined that the bear  problem is a big  issue in                                                              
Anchorage  and the cause  is not  from trash  being left  out. She                                                              
asked  if  ADF&G  has  considered  bringing  back  the  management                                                              
options  that  worked  effectively  in  the  80s,  noting  that  a                                                              
dramatic shift occurred in the 90s.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
COMMISSIONER  VINCENT-LANG  explained  that Anchorage  has  salmon                                                              
and moose  in its municipal  area, both  attract bears.  ADF&G has                                                              
heard  from  the  public  and is  addressing  issues  with  bears.                                                              
Hunting opportunities  have been liberalized for  bears, but high-                                                              
powered  rifles cannot  be used  in  Anchorage's populated  areas.                                                              
ADF&G will address cases where there are problem bears.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR GIESSEL  asked Commissioner  Vincent-Land to  explain bear                                                              
permits  at  Joint Base  Elmendorf-Richardson  (JBER).  She  noted                                                              
that  at a  recent  community  meeting  that ADF&G  attended,  the                                                              
department announced  that 25 bears permits were  conveyed on JBER                                                              
for 2019.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
COMMISSIONER  VINCENT-LANG  replied   that  ADF&G  encouraged  the                                                              
board to provide additional harvest opportunities for bear.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
3:57:17 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  BIRCH said  he appreciates  the  thinning out  of the  bear                                                              
population to address a safety issue in the Anchorage area.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR BIRCH  referenced slide  8 and  asked if he  has a  sense of                                                              
the economic  value from  wildlife based  on resident  versus non-                                                              
resident.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
COMMISSIONER  VINCENT-LANG replied  that about  $3 billion  of the                                                              
$4.6  billion in  economic  value to  Alaska  from wildlife  comes                                                              
strictly from  wildlife viewing.  He said  ADF&G will  provide the                                                              
committee with additional economic reports.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  COGHILL said  Alaska's harvest  rate per  capita and  per                                                              
geographic rate  is low  compared to other  states. He  noted that                                                              
Montana and even  Maine have a very different  harvest number than                                                              
what Alaska does.  He asked if Alaska's lower harvest  rate is due                                                              
to geography, lower population, or if there is even a problem.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
COMMISSIONER  VINCENT-LANG  remarked  that  Alaska  has  a  higher                                                              
population  percentage interested  in hunting  than other  states,                                                              
the result  is the  other states will  show a lower  participation                                                              
rate. He  noted that hunters  flock to  areas where the  roads are                                                              
rather than where  the roads are not. He said the  state must do a                                                              
better  job  of  actively  managing  its  predation  and  ungulate                                                              
populations to meet demand.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
4:01:40 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR KAWASAKI  noted that  Commissioner Vincent-Lang  mentioned                                                              
management of subsistence  between the federal government  and the                                                              
state. He  pointed out  that the  state assumes  the role  of what                                                              
the  U.S. Environmental  Protection  Agency (EPA)  does under  the                                                              
Clean Water Act.  He asked if ADF&G has an analogous  federal role                                                              
for fish and game management in federal areas.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
COMMISSIONER  VINCENT-LANG  noted that  the  U.S. Supreme  Court's                                                              
ruling on  the John Sturgeon  case left  the question of  fish and                                                              
game  management silent.  Until  a challenge  occurs, the  federal                                                              
government is  going to be  managing within the  jurisdiction that                                                              
the court has defined.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR   BIRCH   thanked   Commissioner    Vincent-Lang   for   his                                                              
presentation and lending some clarity to the process.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
4:04:56 PM                                                                                                                    
There  being no  further business  to come  before the  committee,                                                              
Chair  Birch adjourned  the  Senate Resources  Standing  Committee                                                              
meeting at 4:04 p.m.                                                                                                            

Document Name Date/Time Subjects
ADF&G Board of Fisheries Process Fact Sheet.pdf SRES 4/1/2019 3:30:00 PM
ADF&G Board of Game Process Fact Sheet.pdf SRES 4/1/2019 3:30:00 PM
ADF&G Presentation to SRES 4.1.19.pdf SRES 4/1/2019 3:30:00 PM