ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE  SENATE JUDICIARY STANDING COMMITTEE  May 12, 2023 1:41 p.m. MEMBERS PRESENT Senator Matt Claman, Chair Senator James Kaufman Senator Löki Tobin MEMBERS ABSENT  Senator Jesse Kiehl, Vice Chair Senator Cathy Giessel COMMITTEE CALENDAR  SENATE BILL NO. 128 "An Act temporarily closing the commercial salmon fishery in a portion of the Alaska Peninsula and Aleutian Islands; and providing for an effective date." - HEARD & HELD PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION  BILL: SB 128 SHORT TITLE: COMMERCIAL SALMON FISHERY CLOSURE SPONSOR(s): SENATOR(s) OLSON 04/12/23 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS 04/12/23 (S) JUD, RES 04/21/23 (S) JUD AT 1:30 PM BUTROVICH 205 04/21/23 (S) Heard & Held 04/21/23 (S) MINUTE(JUD) 05/12/23 (S) JUD AT 1:30 PM BUTROVICH 205 WITNESS REGISTER ALMERIA ALCANTRA, Staff Senator Donnie Olson Alaska State Legislature Juneau, Alaska POSITION STATEMENT: Explained the changes from version A to version S of SB 128. ACTION NARRATIVE 1:41:23 PM CHAIR MATT CLAMAN called the Senate Judiciary Standing Committee meeting to order at 1:41 p.m. Present at the call to order were Senators Tobin, Kaufman, and Chair Claman. SB 128-COMMERCIAL SALMON FISHERY CLOSURE  1:42:01 PM CHAIR CLAMAN announced the consideration of SENATE BILL NO. 128 "An Act temporarily closing the commercial salmon fishery in a portion of the Alaska Peninsula and Aleutian Islands; and providing for an effective date." CHAIR CLAMAN stated that this was the second hearing of the bill in the Senate Judiciary Standing Committee. He revealed that he would not take public testimony today; written testimony was welcome. He asked the public to avoid sending duplicate letters and emails. He planned to hold the bill in committee. 1:42:50 PM ALMERIA ALCANTRA, Staff, Senator Donnie Olson, Alaska State Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, reviewed the proposed changes from version A to version S of SB 103. She informed the committee that language was added on page 1, lines 11-13 to exempt the north and northwestern districts in Area M of the Alaska Peninsula. Language was also added to exempt the set gillnet fishery from the proposed June 10 - 30commercial fishery closure. She explained that the changes were proposed in light of concerns the sponsor heard from public testifiers during the last committee hearing. The vast majority of interception for chum and Chinook salmon happens on the south side of the peninsula, and it is mainly purse seine and drift gillnet fisheries intercepting these fish. She noted that the set gillnet fishery has the highest number of resident permit holders in the area. 1:44:38 PM SENATOR KAUFMAN asked for a graphic that shows the areas the CS changes. CHAIR CLAMAN replied that his staff had a map to distribute to committee members. He stated that the graphic will be posted on BASIS. MS. ALCANTRA described the map depicting the closure and how it pertains to the various districts. She stated that the closure pertains to the Unimak, Southwestern, Southcentral and Southeastern districts of the Alaska Peninsula. CHAIR CLAMAN asked if the black areas depict the exemptions. MS. ALCANTRA replied that the Northern and Northwestern districts are exempt. CHAIR CLAMAN surmised that the entire area north of the Alaska Peninsula is exempt. SENATOR KAUFMAN asked if the portrayed portion of the Bering Sea coast was exempt. MS. ALCANTRA replied in the affirmative. 1:46:44 PM SENATOR KAUFMAN requested further details about what areas are in and what areas are out. He noticed that some areas were shaded black, while others were not. MS. ALCANTRA offered to highlight the exempt areas after the hearing and present a highlighted map to the committee chair for distribution. She explained that the black areas were previously closed. SENATOR KAUFMAN appreciated Ms. Alcantra's offer to provide a more detailed map for committee members. 1:48:11 PM SENATOR TOBIN moved to adopt the committee substitute (CS) for SB 128, work order 33-LS0679\S, as the working document. CHAIR CLAMAN found no objection and version S was adopted. CHAIR CLAMAN held SB 128 in committee for further consideration. 1:48:52 PM There being no further business to come before the committee, Chair Claman adjourned the Senate Judiciary Standing Committee meeting at 1:48 p.m.