CSHB 118(RES)am-TRANSPORTATION OF COMMERCIAL FISH  CHAIR BUNDE announced CSHB 118(RES)am to be up for consideration. REPRESENTATIVE PAUL SEATON, sponsor, explained that this measure corrects a situation that allows only process servers to hire tenders and pick up fish on the fishing grounds. This bill will allow fishermen to consolidate their catches, fill out their required paperwork so that the necessary documentation is available for ADF&G, and run that consolidated catch on a fishing vessel into the processor. It would also allow a fisherman or group of fishermen to hire a tender, transfer their fish to that tender, have the fish ticket made out, and have that transported to town for delivery. He explained that a number of processors have rolled back the number of tenders they hire. That is problematic for the fishermen because, according to statute, they must be at the dock at the time of delivery. This bill is limited in its application to the sale of three species: salmon, herring and Pacific cod. It was amended to say that all incidental legally caught fish could also be delivered by the tender. Fishermen and processors support this bill. SENATOR SEEKINS moved to adopt SCS CSHB 118(L&C), Version B, as a working document. There were no objections. CHAIR BUNDE explained that the committee substitute (CS) also addresses another issue that has been before this committee about obtaining social security numbers [on fishing licenses] to be used for child support enforcement. He asked if a fisherman without a permit gave his fish to someone with a permit for transport that might create an enforcement problem. REPRESENTATIVE SEATON replied it would not be anymore of a problem than it is using the current system. This bill requires all paper work to be filled out and that requires all supporting documents and identification. This bill does not loosen the regulations. In fact, it will provide ADF&G with better information. SENATOR STEVENS said the Salmon Task Force saw it as a useful tool. He asked Representative Seaton if the fish ticket is issued when the fish are weighed as they go into the transporter or whether the fish ticket is written when the fish are delivered to the processor. REPRESENTATIVE SEATON replied that a fish ticket is issued when the fish are transferred from the fishermen to the transporter. However, some flexibility needs to be provided since some tenders will have certified scales. The person functioning as a fisherman and a transporter has to have a fish ticket corresponding to the amount of fish onboard. The weight has to be estimated, if nothing else, and the accurate weight is recorded when the fish is delivered to the processor. CHAIR BUNDE asked if two boats combined a catch of dog and red salmon and the transporter put all the red salmon on one ticket and the dog salmon on another, which would amount to a significant difference in money, how that would be regulated or whether the fishermen would just have to trust each other. MR. DOUG MEECUM, Director, Division of Commercial Fisheries, ADF&G, said the bill doesn't really address private contractual arrangements between transporters and fishermen. The existing fish ticket system contains columns to record the amount of each species and the price that was paid. He said the division supports the bill and that it addresses a priority of the Salmon Task Force. It might reduce costs to fishermen and lead to improvements in quality. He said [ADF&G] may place limits on where it will issue these permits, one being Bristol Bay because of a prohibition against having fish onboard when a fishing vessel has gear on board. CHAIR BUNDE said the committee would hold the bill for another hearing.