Dear UFA members and friends,
This week the Senate Finance committee Fish and Game budget subcommittee started with an overview, while the House F&G subcommittee entertained amendments and will be closing out this coming week, as are most of the other House finance subcommittees.
Senate State Affairs will hear and take public testimony Tuesday 2/20 at 3:30 pm on CSHB 87 regarding Board of Fisheries and Game Conflict of Interest, and conflict and ethics for other bodies. Letters of support from UFA and many member groups are under the documents tab.
House Fisheries special committee will hear HB 231 regarding the CFEC on Thursday at 10:00 AM, we expect a committee substitute.
Warmest welcome to Senator Lisa Murkowski – she will address a joint session of the Legislature on Thursday 2/22 at 11:00 A.M.
The UFA Annual Spring meeting will be held February 27 – March 1 at the Juneau Arts and Culture Center. UFA meeting are open to current members and invited guests. To join UFA see https://www.ufafish.org/become-
Welcome new UFA member group Kodiak Seiners Association.
Thanks to UFA members for their support.
We encourage members to support our business members – see links on our website…
Contents:
1. Governor Bill Walker makes appointments to Senate District E…still open.
2. New documents have been posted to HB 199 Salmon Habitat – also see #7
3. The 30th Alaska Legislature – happenings from this week…
4. Legislative meetings of interest for the week of February 19
5. To testify, watch or listen in to a hearing…
6. Bills related to fisheries, and others that may be of interest to fishermen…
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7. Comment deadline March 2 on Changes to the Anadromous Catalog and Atlas
What’s new…
1. Governor Bill Walker makes appointments to Senate District E…seat still open.
Governor’s (2/15) Statement regarding appointment process for Senate District E (re Braund)
Must Read Alaska piece (2/16): District E provides more names for Senate seat
Governor’s press release re appointment of Kowalke (2/9)
2. New documents have been posted to HB 199 Salmon Habitat permitting – See the documents tab for DNR permitting presentation
Related: Comment deadline March 2 on Changes to the Anadromous Catalog and Atlas
Does your favorite salmon stream have the protections afforded by Title 16 –i.e. is it included in the catalog?
Is the catalog accurate as to the species and their ranges min the system? Scroll to the bottom of this update for insight regarding the current protections for salmon habitat (or lack thereof in the case of waters not included in the catalog – estimated on the record around 50%).
3. The 30th Alaska Legislature – happenings from this week…
- Wednesday 2/14 and Friday 2/16, Senate Resources committee heard a committee substitute for SB 92 –An Act relating to abandoned and derelict vessels; and passed a committee substitute out of committee. The insurance requirement was removed from the bill. We expect the new CS and the committee’s actions to be updated soon on the bill’s home page.
- House Finance Fish and Game subcommittee met 2/15 and took up amendments to the FY2019 ADFG budget – see the documents tab for amendment details.
- Senate Finance Fish and Game subcommittee began its work 3/14 with overview presentation from ADFG.
- House Fisheries special committee met on Tuesday 2/13 and heard and held HB 149 – Board of Fisheries five year cycle. See the meeting tab for documents and UFA letter of support. The committee also heard HB272for a Tangle Lakes State Wildlife Refuge…
- …and met Thursday 2/15 for a presentation on DNR permitting…video is posted on the meeting page and the PowerPoint is under the documents tab.
- House Resources committee heard a presentation on 2/16 by General (Ret’d) Mark Hamilton – Pebble Mine Status Update – PowerPoint.
- HB 129: Fish & Game: Offenses; licenses; penalties has changed from (H) AWAIT NEXT COM to status (H) FIN… this was an additional committee of referral on 2/14.
4. Legislative meetings of interest for the week of February 19 (click on committee name for link to the hearing page):
Monday, February 19, 2018
1:00 P.M. House Resources committee – Room 124 – Presentations on the proposed Pebble Line by Rick Halford, Daniel Schindler, Lindsay Layland, Tom Tilden, Nanci Morris-Lyon, and Norm Van Vactor.
See the documents tab for an investor recommendation from Kerrisdale Capital: “We believe Northern Dynasty is worthless.”
Tuesday, February 20, 2018
10:00 A.M. House Fish and Game finance subcommittee – Room 120 – Close out – for House ADFG budget amendments see above under happenings from this week.
11:00 A.M. House Fisheries special committee – Room 120 – HB 188 – Regional permit banks – public testimony will be taken.
3:30 P.M. Senate State Affairs committee – Room 205 – HB 87 Board of Fisheries and Board of Game – Conflict of Interest – and other bills related to conflict of interest in other arenas – Public testimony.
Wednesday, February 21, 2018
1:00 P.M. House Resources committee – Room 124 – will hear a presentation on the proposed Pebble Mine by ADF&G, DNR, and DEC.
Thursday, February 22, 2018
10:00 A.M. House Fisheries special committee – Room 120 – HB 231 “An Act relating to the Alaska Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission. We expect a new committee substitute to be introduced – look for it under the documents tab before the meeting.
11:00 A.M. Joint Session – House Chamber – Senator Lisa Murkowski annual address to the Legislature.
Friday, February 23, 2018
3:30 P.M. Senate Resources committee – Room 205 – bills previously heard (of the bills previously heard, we are tracking SB 92 derelict vessels)
5. 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 – & 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.
6. Bills related to fisheries, and others that may be of interest to fishermen…
HCR 8 – Kodiak Seafood and Marine Science Center (House Fisheries – passed House and Senate Committees, now in Senate Rules)
HJR 12 – Opposing FDA approval of GM Salmon and urging labeling (Tarr – passed House and Senate Committees, now in Senate Rules)
HB 14 – Leg. approval of Bristol Bay sulfide mine (Josephson – now in House Resources – new fiscal notes posted by DEC, DNR & ADFG)
HB 17 – Establishing a fish and game conservation program/account in ADFG (Josephson – now in House Resources)
HB 19 – Ban neonicotinoid pesticides (Drummond – passed House Resources, now in Finance)
SB25 – Motor Fuel Tax – Senate Rules by Request of the Governor (Senate Finance)
HB 29 -Prohibiting sale of genetically modified fish/fish products – Tarr
HB 32 – Relating to the labeling of food; relating to the misbranding of food; requiring labeling of food produced with genetic engineering (Tarr- House Resources)
HB 42 – Relating to seizure of property; relating to forfeiture to the state – includes language on seizure of fishing permits (Wilson – House Finance)
HB 46 Procure AK Fish, Ag Prod.; Raw Milk Sales (Tarr – House Finance)
HB 56 Relating to limitations on certain commercial fishing loans (Ortiz – House Finance)
& companion bill:
SB 71 – Relating to limitations on certain commercial fishing loans (Stevens –Senate Finance)
HB 60 – Motor Fuel Tax ((House Rules by Request of the Governor –now in House Finance)
SB 89 – Shellfish Enhancement Hatcheries (Stevens – now in Senate Finance)
HB 128 – companion bill (Ortiz – passed House and now in Senate Finance)
SB 95 – Mariculture revolving loan fund (Stevens – Senate Finance)
HB 76 – House companion bill – (Ortiz – passed House and now in Senate Finance)
HB 87 Board of Fisheries and Board of Game – Conflict of Interest (Stutes –passed House, now in Senate State Affairs)
HB 88 Board of Fisheries Membership (Rep. Stutes – now in House Fisheries)
SB 92 –An Act relating to abandoned and derelict vessels; relating to the registration of vessels; relating to certificates of title for vessels; relating to the duties of the Department of Administration; relating to the duties of the Department of Natural Resources; establishing the derelict vessel prevention program; establishing the derelict vessel prevention program fund; and providing for an effective date.” (Micciche – CS passed Senate Resources – not yet posted as of 2/17 – next committee is Senate Finance)
HB 107 Fisheries enhancement permit – egg & unfed fry enhancement in same waters (Talerico – House Resources)
SB 115 “An Act relating to the Alaska Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission; and providing for an effective date.” (Administration – Senate State Affairs) )
HB 231 “An Act relating to the Alaska Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission; and providing for an effective date.” (Administration –House Fisheries)
HB 129 – Fish and Game offense, licenses, and penalties (Administration – Passed House Resources and Judiciary committees has now been given an additional referral to House Finance on 2/14)
SB 60 -Companion bill passed (Administration -now in senate Judiciary)
HB 149 – Board of Fisheries five year cycle (Chenault – House Fisheries)
HB 155 – AK Mental Health Land Exchange (Ortiz –House Finance)
HB 177 – Invasive Species (Tarr–House Finance)
HB 188 – Regional permit banks (Kreiss–Tomkins – House Fisheries)
HB 199 – Salmon Habitat permitting (Stutes – House Fisheries – new version introduced – see above)
SJR 3 Urging the President of the United States and the United States Congress to mitigate the harm done to the state’s seafood industry because of the withdrawal of the United States from the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement; and urging the President of the United States and the United States Congress to work to benefit and protect the state’s seafood industry (Senator Wielechowski –Senate State Affairs)
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Alaska’s protections of salmon spawning and rearing habitat is dependent on inclusion in the state’s Catalog of Anadromous Waters. The Catalog is updated every year with additions or deletions as salmon habitat is documented. This is an opportunity to check into whether waters that are important to you in your own area are accurately cataloged. Here is the annual public notice:
7. Comment deadline March 2 on Changes to the Anadromous Catalog and Atlas
Online Public notice: https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/
ADFG Anadromous waters home page:
https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) proposes to adopt regulation changes in Title 5 of the Alaska Administrative Code dealing with waters important for the spawning, rearing, or migration of anadromous fish. The ADF&G proposes to amend 5 AAC 95.011, Waters Important to Anadromous Fishes, by revising the Atlas to the Catalog of Waters Important for the Spawning, Rearing, or Migration of Anadromous Fishes and the Catalog of Waters Important for the Spawning, Rearing, or Migration of Anadromous Fishes (Atlas and Catalog), which are adopted by reference in 5 AAC 95.011.
The following changes will be made to the Atlas and Catalog: the list of rivers, lakes, and streams contained in the Atlas and Catalog will be revised, and species-specific information will be used in place of undifferentiated species information where possible; and the contact information will be updated.
The information contained within the attached booklet and maps provides a summary of the proposed changes to the Atlas and Catalog. This summary is divided into the following items:
- Regulations – draft text of revised regulation 5 AAC 95.011.
- Introduction – title pages and introduction to the Atlas and Catalog as revised for 2018. Revisions have been made to the title and publication information and the contact information. Species codes have been revised to allow for species-specific designations.
- List of Revisions – list of the individual changes made to each Atlas map by region. Revisions include additions, deletions, extensions and changes to the Catalog.
- Atlas Maps – maps for the Atlas, revised for 2018. The changes made to these maps are listed in the “List of Revisions” section mentioned above.
You may comment on the proposed regulation changes, including the potential costs to private
persons of complying with the proposed changes, by submitting written comments to Brian
Blossom, Alaska Department of Fish and Game, River Center 514 Funny River Rd., Soldotna, AK 99669. Additionally, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game will accept comments by facsimile at (907) 260-5992 or by e-mail to dfg.hab.anadromous@alaska.gov. The comments must be received no later than 5:00 p.m. AKST, March 2, 2018.
You may submit written questions relevant to the proposed action to Brian Blossom by email or
at the physical address above. The questions must be received at least 10 days before the end of
the public comment period. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game will aggregate its response to substantially similar questions and make the questions and response available on
http://awc.adfg.alasla.gov . The Alaska Department of Fish and Game may, but is not required to, answer written questions received after the 10-day cut—off date and before the end of the comment period.
The proposed changes for all six regions of Alaska (Southeastern, Southcentral, S
Electronic equivalents of the review documents and the Atlas maps are available through this ADF&G website: http://awc.adfg.
For a copy of the proposed regulation changes, contact Brian Blossom at the telephone number or address above.
After the public comment period ends, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game will either adopt the proposed regulation changes or other provisions dealing with the same subject, without further notice, or decide to take no action on them. The language of the final regulations may vary from that of the proposed regulations. You should comment during the time allowed if your interests could be affected.
Information Packet Documents
- Public Notice and Additional Regulations Information (PDF)
- Proposed Draft Regulations 5 AAC 95.011 (PDF)
- Draft Atlas and Catalog Introduction Text(PDF)
- Listing of Changes (PDF)
- Additional Regulations Notice (PDF)
Related Law
- Fish Passage AS 16.05.841 – 16.05.861
- Anadromous Fishes AS 16.05.871 – 16.05.901
- Waters Important to Anadromous Fishes5AAC 95.011
Compiled by UFA staff and made possible by the support of our Group, Business, Individual and Crew members.
To join UFA see https://www.ufafish.org/become-
ufa@ufa-fish.org
PO Box 20229
Juneau AK 99802
(907) 586-2820