HOUSE BILL NO. 173 "An Act amending the termination date of the licensing of sport fishing operators and sport fishing guides; and providing for an effective date." REPRESENTATIVE STEVE THOMPSON, SPONSOR, introduced the legislation. He explained that the bill had been crafted by the House Special Committee on Fisheries and would extend for one year the sport fishing guide and operator licensing log book program. The program provided economic data on the sport fish industry sector and harvest data for resource managers. He stated that HB 173 was supported by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G). Co-Chair Thomas noted that similar legislation amending the termination date of the licensing program had been introduced every year over the past several years. He wondered if the extension should be for more than one year. Representative Thompson responded that the other body was working to craft a more comprehensive bill that would extend the program for four to six years. Co-Chair Stoltze clarified that the passage of HB 173 was not an endorsement of legislation crafted by the other body. Co-Chair Stoltze OPENED public testimony. KEN LARSON, PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND CHARTER BOAT ASSOCIATION, FAIRBANKS (via teleconference), testified that the guide licensing bill had been worked on since 2004. He said that historically 85 percent of the licensees had opposed the legislation. He wondered why a more expensive and unnecessary oversight program was again being considered by the other body under SB 24. He stated that the existing program worked well by all accounts. He encouraged and extension of the sunset date under HB 173. He stressed that the current program should be made permanent, and that SB 24 should be abandoned. 2:21:42 PM MELVIN GROVE, PRESIDENT, PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND CHARTER BOAT ASSOCIATION, MAT-SU (via teleconference), spoke in opposition to the bill. He understood that the extension under HB 173 was meant to help with the eventual passage of SB 24. He did not believe a one year extension offered enough time for all parties involved to craft comprehensive legislation on the subject. He believed that the bill would cost too much. He felt that the current log book program was too expensive and did nothing but create state jobs in data processing. Co-Chair Stoltze pointed out that passage of HB 173 would not stop the advancement of SB 24. He thought that a sunset extension of one year would inspire more productive debate on the issue than a permanent extension. Co-Chair Stoltze CLOSED public testimony. Representative Edgmon requested that the department provide justification for the one year extension. BEN MULLIGAN, LEGISLATIVE LIAISON, DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME, explained that the one year extension would allow for additional work on the program over the interim. CHARLIE SWANTON, DIRECTOR, DIVISION OF SPORT FISH, DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME, added that the program provided a minimum professional standard and the ability for the department to collect vital statistics with regard to the recreational charter boat industry within the state. 2:27:15 PM Mr. Swanton continued that the department's primary focus had been with the guide log book program. Both fresh and saltwater guides were issued a log book in order to record the harvest and catch statistics for the anglers taken out who had been charged a fee. The information was brought back to the department. He explained that the department had in the past taken a key-punch approach to the data. On average the department logged 111 thousand trips (saltwater and freshwater combined) and that there could be 112 thousand sheets containing data for four to six anglers each. The department had instituted a scanning approach that would scan each sheet and plug all the data into a database. The automated system was still being perfected. Representative Edgmon observed the issue was politically charged. He voiced support for extending the program longer than one year for the purpose of further discussion. Representative Gara questioned the usefulness of log book data that only counted the number of fish caught by guided fishermen and not those without guides. 2:30:09 PM Mr. Swanton replied that the log book was only one of three data collection tools used throughout the state. He stated that creel surveys were conducted but that the primary data collection tool used by the department was the statewide harvest survey, which had been used since 1977. All licensed anglers were entered into a pool from which 40,000 licensees were selected to receive a survey. Different data collection tools were used in different areas for deeper comprehension. Representative Gara asked if the creel survey was the one that was sent out in the mail. Mr. Swanton replied that the survey received in the mail was the statewide harvest survey. The creel surveys involve technicians checking various ports and recording the harvest, which provided more timely information to biologists. Representative Gara asked whether the log was applied to both fresh and saltwater. Mr. Swanton replied that the log book program recorded both fresh and saltwater. Representative Gara questioned the accuracy of the survey. He reported that he was rarely surveyed when fishing. He thought that the log book might work for commercial fishermen, but expressed concern with the accuracy of the non-commercial numbers. Mr. Swanton replied that the department had had all of the survey instruments tested against one another with independent estimates, and all had been found to be of high statistical precision and scientific value. The statewide harvest survey was now being looked at by other states as a primary means by which to collect recreational harvest data. He agreed that the survey was not a complete census, but asserted that it was legitimate scientific data. Representative Costello inquired whether it was possible that the department could develop an iPhone application or web-based system that guides could upload their information to electronically. Mr. Swanton stated that anything was possible, but that the department needed to study which applications were practical. He said that smaller states had applied similar technology, but did not think Alaska was ready to move in that direction. Co-Chair Stoltze asked if optional electronic filing would be a problem for the department. He pointed out that other departments encouraged online activity. Mr. Swanton felt that online filing should be a goal for the department but he did not see it happening in the immediate future. 2:35:38 PM Vice-chair Fairclough requested clarification on the updated fiscal note. Mr. Mulligan replied that the fiscal note dated March 29, 2011 was the updated fiscal note. The note had been updated to better reflect the sunset date. The note illustrated a full year in FY 12, and the first half of FY 13. Vice-chair Fairclough MOVED to report HB 173 out of Committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal note: FN 2 ADF&G. There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered. HB 173 was REPORTED out of Committee with individual recommendations and the previously published fiscal note: FN 2 ADF&G 2:37:07 PM AT EASE 2:40:49 PM RECONVENED