HB 218-SALT WATER FISHING: OPERATORS/GUIDES  11:17:24 AM CHAIR STUTES announced that the final order of business would be HOUSE BILL NO. 218, "An Act relating to salt water sport fishing operators and salt water sport fishing guides; and providing for an effective date." 11:18:44 AM DOUG VINCENT-LANG, Commissioner, Alaska Department of Fish & Game (ADF&G), presented HB 218 on behalf of the House Rules Committee, by request of the governor. He explained that the bill would reinstitute saltwater sport fishing guide and operator licensing standards, saltwater guide and operator fees, and logbook reporting requirements for saltwater guides. The logbook data provided by saltwater fishing guides provides critical information that informs in-season management. He said that the Board of Fisheries (BOF) management plans also benefit from updated and complete information. The data obtained through the logbook reporting requirements is critical for the ADF&G to successfully uphold its obligations under the Pacific Salmon treaty, as well as the International Pacific Halibut Commission "obligation treaties." He said the treaties require the state to issue logbooks and collect data; however, this mandate is not funded. He stated that HB 218 would reestablish licensees for saltwater sport fishing guide services to cover the cost of the mandated program. He explained that this program existed in the past, but it was a saltwater and freshwater program; there was a lot of controversy surrounding the freshwater portion of the program, which is not included in HB 218. The program proposed under HB 218 would only focus on the saltwater portion, which is mandated by treaty obligations. 11:20:24 AM REPRESENTATIVE KOPP asked Commissioner Vincent-Lang whether he could clarify what the concerns surrounding the freshwater guide licensing logbooks were, and why a different course had been chosen. 11:20:45 AM COMMISSIONER VINCENT-LANG replied that the main concern surrounding the freshwater portion of the program was that the ADF&G was requiring freshwater guides across the entire state to license with the state and maintain logbooks for fisheries that didn't need the management information in season. As an example, he pointed to the grayling fisheries in Bristol Bay and parts of Interior Alaska. He explained that the ADF&G wasn't using this information for in-season management purposes, and there were many questions as to why it was requiring information that wasn't being used and was duplicative of a statewide harvest survey being collected. In the areas where freshwater information is clearly needed, the ADF&G has freshwater survey programs in place and eliminated the statewide requirements for logbooks in those fisheries. 11:21:40 AM CHAIR STUTES asked whether [the salt water portion] of the previous bill [program] sunsetted due to its connection to the freshwater logbooks [program]. COMMISSIONER VINCENT-LANG replied that when the bill's sunset clause came due for renewal, the freshwater portion of it became very controversial; rather than amending the bill at the end it was decided to just let the bill die. He explained that there wasn't much concern regarding the saltwater portion of the bill, but the freshwater portion "drug the whole thing down." 11:22:20 AM REPRESENTATIVE NEUMAN asked how this bill might affect private boat owners that rent or lease their boats for recreational sport fishing. COMMISSIONER VINCENT-LANG replied that there is a clearly defined definition of what a guide is, which is "accompanying an individual"; therefore, it would not affect the rental boat sector. In response to a follow up question, he clarified that this also applies to lodge owners who have boat rentals associated through the rental of rooms or additional fees. REPRESENTATIVE NEUMAN remarked that he wanted these explanations on the record for any business owners, legislators, or other people who may be listening to the meeting. He referred to Cook Inlet and its "16 tributaries of stocks of concern," and he noted that "we're getting rid of the weirs in pretty much all of the state for in-season management tools." He asked how the ADF&G would use guide logbooks to help areas that do not currently have any in-season management. COMMISSIONER VINCENT-LANG replied that the ADF&G would have an accurate counting of the guided saltwater harvests through this program. As an example, he said the ADF&G would know the saltwater portion of the king salmon harvest but would not know the freshwater portion of that harvest. He explained that to the extent that the ADF&G sees that this information is needed, it will investigate alternative methods for obtaining that information for freshwater fisheries. 11:25:05 AM REPRESENTATIVE NEUMAN asked Commissioner Vincent-Lang whether he thinks the ADF&G will be able to keep the logbooks up to date so that the information can be used for real-time management. COMMISSIONER VINCENT-LANG answered that the ADF&G already has an electronically formatted program in Southeast Alaska; currently it is seeing a 5- to 10-percent compliance rate. He expressed that it is the desire of the ADF&G to make these logbooks electronic to the extent possible for timely in season management; he noted that there are some remote locations where this will not be possible. He summarized that the information is currently being processed, in season, to inform management decisions for saltwater fisheries. REPRESENTATIVE NEUMAN asked how long a delay there is from when the information is recorded to when the ADF&G receives it. COMMISSIONER VINCENT-LANG replied that it takes approximately a week and a half for the ADF&G to receive the logbooks. He explained that in Southeast Alaska that time frame is short enough to meet the treaty mandate obligations; however, he reiterated that the ADF&G is looking for ways to speed the process up through electronic means. 11:27:20 AM CHAIR STUTES announced that HB 218 would be held over for further consideration.