HB 203-TRANSPORTATION OF LIVE CRAB                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
3:53:48 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR MICCICHE  announced that the  next order of  business would                                                               
be  CS  FOR  HOUSE  BILL   NO.  203(FSH),  "An  Act  relating  to                                                               
transportation of live crab."                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
3:54:16 PM                                                                                                                    
INTIMAYO  HARBISON,  Staff,  Representative  Gary  Knopp,  Alaska                                                               
State Legislature, Juneau,  Alaska, said HB 203  would remove the                                                               
restrictions on  surface transport of King  crab, Dungeness crab,                                                               
and Tanner crab.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Responding  to  Senator  Coghill's  earlier  question  about  the                                                               
effective date for HB 203, he  said the sponsor believes that the                                                               
standard 90-day  effective date is  more than  sufficient because                                                               
the crabbing season will be over at that time.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
He  noted that  Senator  Kiehl  also had  a  question during  the                                                               
previous  hearing that  the Alaska  Department of  Fish and  Game                                                               
(ADF&G) would answer.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR KIEHL restated  his question which was  whether ADF&G has                                                               
any  biological  concerns  should  a "crab  spill"  occur  during                                                               
transportation.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
3:55:39 PM                                                                                                                    
FORREST BOWERS,  Deputy Director,  Alaska Department of  Fish and                                                               
Game, Juneau, Alaska, answered that  the department does not have                                                               
any biological concerns  about a crab spill. He  pointed out that                                                               
normal  crab fishing  practices keep  crabs alive  in circulating                                                               
seawater tanks for up to two  or three weeks. Fishermen move live                                                               
crab from  the Bering Sea  throughout the state to  various ports                                                               
including Kodiak, Homer,  and Southeast Alaska. There  is risk of                                                               
disease and parasitic transfer, but  a lot of elements would have                                                               
to align  for that to  happen. He summarized that  the department                                                               
does  not  have  concerns  regarding   the  current  practice  of                                                               
shipping live crab or what HB 203 proposes.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
3:57:41 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR MICCICHE closed public testimony.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
He  commented that  SB 184  and HB  203 are  important bills  and                                                               
noted that  neither has  a fiscal note.  He said  the legislature                                                               
will have to help people get back  to work and get the most value                                                               
of the state's resources once  the difficulty related to COVID-19                                                               
ends. He asked for a motion.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
3:58:07 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR COGHILL  moved to  report CSHB  203(FSH), work  order 31-                                                               
LS1405\U,  from  committee  with individual  recommendations  and                                                               
attached fiscal note.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
3:58:17 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR MICCICHE found no objection  and CSHB 203(FSH) was reported                                                               
from the Senate Resources Standing Committee.