HB 256 - FREE SPORT FISHING DAYS                                            
                                                                               
 Number 013                                                                    
                                                                               
 REPRESENTATIVE PETE KELLY, PRIME SPONSOR, HB 256, testified, "This            
 is a fairly simple bill.  It establishes a free fishing day in this           
 state.  It directs the commissioner to appoint not more than two              
 days in which fishing can be participated in by the general public            
 without actually purchasing a license.  The idea is just to promote           
 the idea of fishing and one would hope it would get more people               
 involved in it and they'll buy more licenses and we'll be able to             
 manage our fishing resources even better. "                                   
                                                                               
 Number 036                                                                    
                                                                               
 REPRESENTATIVE GARY DAVIS said, "I live on the Kenai River and I'm            
 wondering if you have a companion bill that discourages people from           
 fishing on certain days. (Laughter ensued.)  I don't know is there            
 something out there that says people need to generate more interest           
 in sport fishing?"                                                            
                                                                               
 REPRESENTATIVE KELLY said, "Forty four other states, I believe it             
 is, have this program.  That doesn't necessarily mean that we                 
 should have it but it's just considered a fun thing that people can           
 participate in and enjoy our natural resources even more than they            
 do now."                                                                      
                                                                               
 CHAIRMAN AUSTERMAN added that there are programs teaching children            
 to fish and it was this association which led him to sign on as               
 cosponsor to HB 256.                                                          
                                                                               
 Number 082                                                                    
                                                                               
 JOHN BURKE, Director, Division of Sport Fish, Department of Fish              
 and Game (ADF&G), testified in support of HB 256.  He said, "Free             
 fishing days offer people who do not ordinarily fish the                      
 opportunity to experience sportfishing without the associated                 
 expense of buying a license.  A free fishing day in conjunction               
 with National Fishing Week activities, or winter fishing carnivals,           
 can certainly introduce or reacquaint people who otherwise wouldn't           
 have taken the opportunity.  He added, "Free fishing days primarily           
 serve for us as an effective centerpiece for department sponsored             
 or assisted aquatic education activities.  These programs primarily           
 focus on conservation concepts.  They focus on young people who               
 aren't familiar with fishing and they focus on angler ethics.  A              
 free fishing day serves as an attractant to bring people into these           
 programs."                                                                    
                                                                               
 MR. BURKE continued, "In Alaska, there's a number of family fishing           
 days that are held in the present time with these activities.                 
 There are fairly large ones in Juneau and Fairbanks and Ketchikan,            
 on Prince of Wales Island.  There may be others throughout the                
 state also."  He added, "They've used these activities to promote             
 a number of things and obviously the war on drugs is something                
 everybody is very familiar with: `Hooked on Fish, not on Drugs.'"             
 He then described some of the educational concepts and processes.             
                                                                               
 REPRESENTATIVE OGAN pointed out, "The family that slays together,             
 stays together."                                                              
                                                                               
 Number 223                                                                    
                                                                               
 REPRESENTATIVE DAVIS moved that HB 256 be moved from committee with           
 individual recommendations.  There were no objections.