UFA Legislative Update: April 5, 2019

Dear UFA Members and Friends,

In this issue:

  • ACTION ALERT: UFA Opposes Karl Johnstone Appointment to BOF
  • Public Comment Invited by Aquaculture Science Planning Task Force
  • UFA is Hiring
  • **Legislative Happenings from this Week**
  • **Legislative Meetings of Interest for Next Week**
  • How to Testify, Watch, or Listen to a Hearing
  • Bills Related for Fisheries, and other Bills of Interest to Fishermen

ACTION ALERT: UFA Opposes Karl Johnstone Appointment to BOF
On April 1, Governor Dunleavy appointed Gerad Godfrey, Israel Payton, Karl Johnstone, and Marit Carlson-Van Dort to the Alaska Board of Fisheries.United Fishermen of Alaska Board of Directors met and voted to oppose the appointment of Karl Johnstone based on his actions when he served the BOF from 2008-2015. Opportunities to testify against Mr. Johnstone are Wednesday, April 10 in Senate Resources and Saturday, April 13 in House Resources.  We ask that you please testify, and more importantly send in a letter of opposition to legislators.  To do this, please visit the Alaska State Public Opinion Messageform.  Once entering in your name and address, please select ALL Legislators, not just the ones in your district.  Write a short statement that you oppose Johnstone and why.  Please contact the UFA office you need assistance.  To testify, please visit section on How to Testify, Watch, or Listen to a Hearing


Public Comment Invited by Aquaculture Science Planning Task Force
The Subcommittee on Aquaculture (SCA), previously known as the Interagency Working Group on Aquaculture, serves as the federal interagency coordinating group working to increase the overall effectiveness and productivity of federal aquaculture research, regulation, technology transfer, and assistance programs. The subcommittee includes members from NOAA, USDA, EPA, Army Corps of Engineers, and other federal agencies. The current work plan for the group was approved by the Office of Science and Technology Policy and can be found here

The Science Planning Task Force of the SCA has recently developed a draft outline and is seeking public comment on the document. The draft outline can be downloaded here. Comments on the outline can be submitted through April 19, 2019. Please email your comments to: AquaSciencePlan@usda.gov

The SCA will continue to seek public input and foster engagement on future work products that aim to increase aquaculture opportunities and regulatory efficiency. To learn more about the SCA visit www.ars.usda.gov/SCA/index.html

UFA is Hiring
United Fishermen of Alaska is seeking an Office Manager based in Juneau to work in a fast-paced environment.  The Office Manager is responsible for general office work including membership correspondence, bookkeeping, filing of paper and electronic records, meeting preparation, and staff support to the Executive Director. The position is based in Juneau, Alaska. For a more detailed job description, please go to UFA’s website: UFA Office Manager Description.

-Frances Leach, Executive Director

Legislation – Happenings from this week on fishery related bills we are tracking. (April 1 – April 5)

House Fisheries Committee

  • April 2, HB 105 Commercial Fishermen’s Fund: Vessel Owner Claims. Public Testimony was held and bill was scheduled to be heard again on April 4 .  Watch Meeting Here
  • April 4, HB 105 Commercial Fishermen’s Fund: Vessel Owner Claims was moved out of committee and assigned to House Finance. Watch Meeting Here
  • April 4, HB 65 – Fish Tax: Repeal Muni Refunds/Rev. Share was heard.  Watch Meeting Here

House Resources

  • April 1, Presentation: Pebble Project Status & Update on Permitting & Environmental Impact Statement by Norman Van Vactor (CEO, Bristol Bay Regional Development Corp.), Daniel Schindler (Professor, School of Aquatic & Fishery Sciences, University of Washington), Camron Wobus (Senior Scientist, Lynker Technologies), Rick Halford (Former AK Senator & Consultant), Bristol Bay Coalition. Watch Meeting Here
  • April 1, Consideration of Governor’s Appointees: Commissioner Designee Jason Brune, Department of Conservation.  Watch Meeting Here
  • April 5, Presentation: Process for the Evaluation of the Department of Army Application Submitted by the Pebble Limited Partnership by David S. Hobbie (Regional Regulatory Division Chief, US Army Corps of Engineers.  Watch Meeting Here

Senate Resources

  • April 1, Department of Fish and Game: Management, Allocation, & the Boards of Fisheries and Game.  Watch Meeting Here
  • April 3, SB 51  – Natl. Res. Water Nomination/Designation was heard.  The bill is scheduled to be heard again in Senate Resources on April 8.

Senate Finance

  • On April 1, SB 61  – Commercial Fishermen’s Fund: Vessel Owner Claims moved out of Senate Finance and referred to Senate Rules. Watch Meeting Here

House Finance

  • On Wednesday, April 3, House Finance dropped amendments to the Governor’s budget.  There were several amendments to the Fish and Game budget offered by Representative Carpenter cutting ADF&G Southeast Region Fisheries Management travel by 50%, and drastically reducing Region Fisheries Management for Southeast, Central Region, AYK Region, and Westward Region. Carpenter’s amendments failed.  Representative Ortiz also submitted amendments asking to increase funding for Southeast Region Fisheries Management to uphold our agreement with the Pacific Salmon Treaty commitment.  Representative Ortiz also made amendments to move the Subsistence and Habitat Divisions into their own appropriation to prevent funds from being moved outside the program. All of Representative Ortiz’s amendments passed.

Legislative Meetings of interest for this weekend and the week of April 8 – April 12, 2019.

MONDAY, April 8

House Resources Committee – Barnes 124
1:00 PM ~ **Teleconferenced**

  • Presentation: Mining Industry Taxes by Department of Revenue. Testimony (Invitation Only). 
  • Presentation: Mining Industry Update by Deantha Crockett, Executive Director of Alaska Miners Association, Karen Mathias, Executive Director Council of Alaska Producers.  Testimony (Invitation Only). Meeting Link

House Finance– Adams 519
1:30 PM ~ **Teleconferenced**

  • HB 41 – Shellfish Enhance. Projects; Hatcheries.  *Public Testimony* Meeting Link

Senate Resources Committee – Butrovich 205
3:30 PM ~ **Teleconferenced**

TUESDAY, April 9

House Fisheries Committee– Gruenberg 120

  • No Meeting Scheduled

WEDNESDAY, April 10

House Resources Committee – Barnes 124
1:00 PM ~ **Teleconferenced**

  • Presentation: Fisheries Taxes by Department of Revenue. Testimony (Invitation Only)
  • Presentation: Fishing Industry Update by Frances Leach, Executive Director of United Fishermen of Alaska.  Testimony (Invitation Only) Meeting Link

Senate Resources Committee – Butrovich 205
3:30 PM ~ **Teleconferenced**

Thursday, April 11

House Fisheries Committee– Gruenberg 120
10:00 AM ~ **Teleconferenced**

  • Consideration of Governor’s Appointees: Board of Fisheries (Gerad Godfrey- Eagle River, Israel Payton- Wasilla, Karl Johnston- Anchorage, Marit Carlson-Van Dort- Anchorage) Meeting Link

Saturday, April 12
House Resources Committee – Barnes 124
9:00 AM ~ **Teleconferenced**

Please feel free to track bills in The Bill Tracking Management Facility (BTMF).

To testify, watch or listen in to a hearing …
To testify it’s best to go to a Legislative Information office – see them online at http://akleg.gov/lios.php . If you can’t get to an LIO you can call in to listen in or testify through the following numbers – call & ask for the specific committee hearing:

  • From Anchorage based phones call 907-563-9085;
  • From Juneau based phones or outside Alaska call 907-586-9085;
  • From other areas of Alaska, call toll-free 844-586-9085…and ask for the specific hearing.

To watch hearings online go to legislative home page at http://w3.akleg.gov/  at the time of the hearing, and click on the “Live Now” tab, and then select the meeting.

To watch floor sessions and other hearings see Gavel to Gavel archives.

To find your legislators and contact info see http://w3.legis.state.ak.us/  – see “WHO REPRESENTS ME?” in the lower right corner of the page.

Bills related to fisheries that we are tracking, and others that may be of interest to fishermen.

SB 22  – Shellfish Enhance. Projects; Hatcheries (Stevens- Senate Finance- UFA Supports) Referred to Senate Finance with no scheduled hearings at this time.
SB 51  – Natl. Res. Water Nomination/Designation (Senate Resources) Currently in Senate Resources with a hearing scheduled for April 8.
SB 61  – Commercial Fishermen’s Fund: Vessel Owner Claims (Stevens – UFA Supports) Currently in Senate Rules with no scheduled hearings at this time.
SB 63  – Fish Tax: Repeal Muni Refunds/Rev. Share (Senate Rules by Request of the Governor- UFA Opposes) Currently in Senate Community and Regional Affairs with no scheduled hearings at this time.
SB 90  – Cook Inlet: New Admin Area; Permit Buyback (Micciche) Currently in Senate Resources with no scheduled hearings at this time.
SB 99 *NEW* – Personal Use Fishing Priority (Kawasaki- UFA Opposes).  Referred to Senate Resources with no scheduled hearings at this time.
HB 35 – Conflict of Interest: Board Fisheries/Game (Stutes – UFA Supports) Moved out of committee and referred to House Rules with no scheduled hearings at this time.
HB 41 – Shellfish Enhance. Projects; Hatcheries (Ortiz – UFA Supports) Currently in House Finance with hearing scheduled for April 8.
HB 65 – Fish Tax: Repeal Muni Refunds/Rev. Share (House Rules by Request of the Governor – UFA Opposes) Currently in House Fisheries with no scheduled hearings at this time.
HB 105 – Commercial Fishermen’s Fund: Vessel Owner Claims.  (Ortiz- UFA Supports) Moved out of House Fisheries and assigned to House Finance with no scheduled hearings at this time.

Please support our business members – see links on our website
To join UFA see https://www.ufafish.org/become-a-member/

This update is made possible by the support of our Group, Business, Individual and Crew members.
To join UFA see https://www.ufafish.org/become-a-member/