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, explained HB 173.  He stated                                                                    
that the  program was an  amendment of the  termination date                                                                    
of  the  licensing  of sport  fishing  operators  and  sport                                                                    
fishing  guides  and  provided for  an  effective  date.  He                                                                    
stated that the  program provided benefits for  the state as                                                                    
well  as the  industry. The  program had  been in  operation                                                                    
since  2005  and  had   received  regular  extensions,  most                                                                    
recently in 2010. The Department  of Fish and Game supported                                                                    
the legislation.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
9:54:53 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stedman  noted the fiscal note  from the Department                                                                    
of Fish and Game.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
9:55:15 AM                                                                                                                    
Senator  McGuire  thanked  Representative Thompson  for  the                                                                    
simplified version of the bill.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
9:55:45 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Olson  spoke  to tensions  between  commercial  and                                                                    
sport fishermen.  He probed the commercial  fisheries stance                                                                    
on the legislation.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Representative Thompson  replied that the program  helped to                                                                    
provide  information   to  federal  agencies   and  resource                                                                    
managers    and    ensured    the    long-term    ecological                                                                    
sustainability  of  the  economic  statewide  fisheries.  He                                                                    
stated that the bill spoke to all fisheries user groups.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Olson  commented  on the  letter  from  the  United                                                                    
Fisheries  of   Alaska,  which   offered  support   for  the                                                                    
legislation.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
HB  173  was  HEARD  and   HELD  in  committee  for  further                                                                    
consideration.