SENATE BILL NO. 91 "An Act amending the termination date of the licensing of sport fishing operators and sport fishing guides; and providing for an effective date." 9:04:02 AM Co-Chair Hoffman MOVED to ADOPT the proposed committee substitute (CS) for SB 91, Work Draft 27-LS0550\M (Bullard, 3/16/12). Co-Chair Stedman OBJECTED for discussion. He explained that the CS extended the sunset date from FY 13 to FY 17. He WITHDREW his OBJECTION. There being NO further OBJECTION, the CS was ADOPTED. SENATOR LESIL MCGUIRE, SPONSOR, introduced SB 91 and stated that the legislature had put the licensing of sport fish operators in place in 2004. The licensing had been beneficial to the state; the program had tracked more than 1.8 million clients, of which 88 percent were non-residents who had taken more than 460,000 guided trips in Alaska. An important feature of the program was aimed at ensuring that sport fish guides operated under basic standards and that data was provided to the Department of Fish and Game (DFG). She discussed struggles related to the tracking of salmon returns; the program was part of an overall state strategy to better manage its resources. She referred to a prior version of the bill that would have created a more comprehensive program, which she hoped the legislature could look at down the road. The CS extended the sunset to prevent the program from expiring in the near future. Co-Chair Stedman pointed to the one fiscal note from DFG that reflected a $400,000 cost to administer the program; the increment had been included in the governor's FY 13 budget. 9:06:27 AM LISA EVANS, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, SPORT FISH DIVISION, ALASKA DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME (via teleconference), highlighted that the sport fish guide program was very important to the department and fisheries managers. She relayed that the program provided critical data on guided sport fishing activities and was an effective tool for successful fisheries management in the state. Data collected from the program was used extensively to analyze regulatory options and inform decisions on pacific halibut within the International Pacific Halibut Commission and the North Pacific Fisheries Management Council. She furthered that the data was also used in a variety of ways by DFG fisheries managers at a local level and to inform decisions made by the Board of Fisheries. She elaborated that in 2010 logbooks had been modified to specifically query charter vessel operators for the harvest of sable fish by clients in Southeast Alaska because in 2009 the board had adopted an annual limit for non-residents. The data had been taken to the board in 2010 and 2011 to repeal the annual region- wide eight fish limit in order to open up opportunities for non-resident anglers and the sport fish guiding industry. Ms. Evans explained that the program provided documentation of harvest patterns within specific timeframes (e.g. bag limits), which helped fisheries managers to evaluate and update the regulatory structure for certain species. She detailed that freshwater logbook catch and harvest statistics were used in Kodiak to routinely observe preseason establishment of management objectives and for in-season assessment of harvest and effort. Local area managers relied on the data when considering management options for local fisheries. She had many statewide examples showing how managers used the information gathered under the program. She communicated that DFG had responded to concerns of the sport fish guide industry by working to modernize its logbook reporting process. The prior year the department had reported all guided sport fish harvest of halibut caught in May through June by July 15, 2011 in a pilot program that used a scanable logbook. The department planned to implement a scanning technology for guided freshwater sport fish activities that would result in more timely data reporting. She informed the committee that sport fishing was a $1.4 billion industry in the state and without the information collected under the program fisheries managers would lose a necessary tool. She expounded that in the absence of the data, fisheries would likely be managed more conservatively in order to fulfill the department's mission to protect and improve Alaska's recreational fisheries resources. 9:10:17 AM Senator Olson queried the attitude of the sport fish guide industry towards DFG, given that licenses had not been required prior to 2004. Ms. Evans noted that some guides were not fond of the requirement but she believed that in general the industry recognized the importance of the data that was collected by the department. Senator Olson asked whether sport fish guides would likely recommend the program or not. Ms. Evans replied that some guides may express that the program was slightly cumbersome and that they would prefer to be able to report electronically; however, she believed that in general guides would say that they liked the program because it protected their opportunity to have a viable economic industry. Senator Olson wondered what the penalties were for non- compliance. Ms. Evans responded that the penalties were outlined in statute; she would follow up with the information. 9:12:25 AM Senator McGuire opined that approximately 80 percent of the guides supported the program; many of the supporters were local Alaskans who were interested in protecting their resource. Pushback had been received when a bill had been introduced that would have established a board to oversee the program, which would have resulted in enhanced penalties; the bill had been introduced at the same time federal government had cracked down on salt water guides. She shared that members of the industry had expressed their support for a simple extension of the license program as an alternative to the less popular legislation. She added that concerns had been expressed related to efficiencies; the department was taking steps to address the issue, but many of the guides would like to see an electronic reporting system. Co-Chair Stedman CLOSED public testimony. SB 91 was HEARD and HELD in committee for further consideration. 9:14:18 AM AT EASE 9:16:16 AM RECONVENED