Dear UFA Members and Friends,
Opponents have arisen to the Governor’s appointment of Duncan Fields to the Alaska Board of Fisheries. We have sent an action alert and we urge you to send letters of support for his confirmation to your legislator. Confirmation interviews for Fields are expected to be scheduled in House and Senate committees during the week of April 2. The joint session for confirmations has not been scheduled.
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.
This week the House spent most of its time in floor sessions debating amendments to the operating budget HB 286. With over 200 amendments, most House committee hearings that were scheduled were cancelled, so much of what we showed as scheduled for this week is still on the plate for next week.
Highlights this coming week include Senate Resources committee to hear presentations from ADFG, DNR and DEC on permitting for anadromous streams on Wednesday, and House Fisheries may have a new version of HB 199 Salmon Habitat Permitting for its Thursday meeting.
Thank you for your membership and support of UFA. As always, feel free to reach out to us with questions or concerns.
Mark Vinsel
Administrator
Please support our business members – see links on our website…
To join UFA see https://www.ufafish.org/become-a-member/
Contents:
- Legislation – happening from this week…
- Legislative meetings of interest for the week of March 26
- To testify, watch or listen in to a hearing
- Bills related to fisheries, and others that may be of interest to fishermen
- Legislation – happening from this week…
CSSJR 13: Urging Co-management Planfor Sea Otters – was passed on March 21out of Senate Resources, its final committee of referral in the Senate and is now in Senate Rules committee awaiting scheduling for the Senate floor… Current bill text… UFA letter of support.
HB 354 Dive Fishery Management was heard and held with public testimony on Wednesday in House Resources committee and is scheduled for Monday, March 26…. UFA letter of support.
HB 379 Fishermen’s Fund Reimbursement was heard with public testimony in House Labor and Commerce on Monday… The hearing for invited testimony scheduled for Friday was cancelled, and is now scheduled for Monday 3/26 – see below.
HB 231 relating to the Alaska Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission is scheduled for Friday March 30 in House Finance.
HJR 19: Arctic Marine Safety Agreements has passed House and Senate committees and is in Senate Rules awaiting scheduling for the floor vote.
- Legislative meetings of interest for the week of March 26
Monday, March 26, 2018
1:00 P.M. House Resources Committee – Room 106
HB 354 – Dive Fishery assessment – invited testimony
Meeting link… Bill home page for tracking, text and documents
3:15 P.M. House Labor and Commerce committee – Room 124
HB 379 – Fishermen’s Fund reimbursement – public testimony
Meeting link…. Bill home page for tracking, full text, and documents
Tuesday, March 27, 2018
10:00 A.M. House Fisheries special committee – Room 120
Presentation: Pike Predation of Salmon Smolt by ADF&G..
Meeting link… look for the presentation in Acrobat under the documents tab at the hearing link, before or when the meeting begins.
3:30 P.M. Senate State Affairs committee – Room 205
SB 210 – Mislabeling by retail food establishments – public testimony (UFA supports – letter has been sent)
Meeting link… Bill home page for full text, tracking and documents
Wednesday, March 28, 2018
8:00 A.M. Senate Finance Fish and Game subcommittee – Room 532 – close out
1:00 P.M. House Resources committee – Room 124 –
HB 173 – Climate Change Commission – invited testimony only – Meeting link
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6:00 P.M. House Resources committee – Room 124 –
HB 173 – Climate Change Commission – public testimony – Meeting link
1:30 P.M. House Finance committee – Room 519
HB 386 – Vessels” registration/Titles/Derelicts (House companion bill to SB 92)
Meeting Link… Bill home page for tracking, full text, and documents
3:30 P.M. Senate Resources committee – Room 205
Overview of State of Alaska’s Permitting System for Anadromous Streams – invited testimony by: Department of Natural Resources, Department of Environmental Conservation, and Department of Fish & Game
Meeting link… related documents:
ADFG presentation to House Fisheries, Feb 6
DEC presentation to House Fisheries Feb 8
DNR presentation to House Fisheries Feb 15
Thursday, March 29, 2018
10:00 A.M. House Fisheries special committee – Room 120
“Bills previously Heard / Scheduled” – Committee staff has sent out that they are awaiting a new version of HB 199 – Salmon Habitat permitting bill, from Legislative Legal and hope to hear it at this time…
Friday, March 30, 2018
1:30 P.M. House Finance committee – Room 519
HB 231 “An Act relating to the Alaska Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission; and providing for an effective date.”
Meeting link… Bill home page for tracking, full text, and documents (UFA supports)
- 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, 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 – UFA Supports)
HJR 12 – Opposing FDA approval of GM Salmon and urging labeling (Tarr – passed House and Senate, awaiting transmittal to the Governor – UFA Supports)
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 – House Fisheries)
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 – UFA Supports)
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 – Passed House – now in Senate Finance – UFA Supports)
& companion bill:
SB 71 – Relating to limitations on certain commercial fishing loans (Stevens –Senate Finance – UFA Supports)
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 – UFA Supports)
HB 128 – companion bill (Ortiz – passed House and now in Senate Finance – UFA Supports)
SB 95 – Mariculture revolving loan fund (Stevens – Senate Finance – UFA Supports)
HB 76 – House companion bill – (Ortiz – passed House and now in Senate Finance – UFA Supports)
HB 87 Board of Fisheries and Board of Game – Conflict of Interest (Stutes –passed House, now in Senate State Affairs – UFA Supports)
HB 88 Board of Fisheries Membership (Rep. Stutes – now in House Fisheries)
SB 92 – (CS Posted) 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 – now in Senate Finance)
& House companion
HB 386 (Seaton – passed House Fisheries and now in Senate Resources)
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 –Passed House Fisheries, now in House Finance – UFA Supports)
HB 129 – Fish and Game offense, licenses, and penalties (Administration – Passed House Resources and Judiciary committees and was given an additional referral, currently in House Finance)
SB 60 -Companion bill passed (Administration -now in Senate Judiciary)
HB 149 – Board of Fisheries five year cycle (Chenault – House Fisheries – UFA Supports)
HB 155 – AK Mental Health Land Exchange (Ortiz –House Finance)
SB 173 – “An Act relating to the liability of a person or the state for the release of certain pesticides during application on a utility pole.” (Micciche – passed S. Resources and now in S. Judiciary)
HB 173 – Climate Change Commission (Josephson – now in House resources)
HB 177 – Invasive Species (Tarr–House Finance)
HB 188 – Regional permit banks (Kreiss–Tomkins – passed House Fisheries, now in House Labor and Commerce)
HB 199 – Salmon Habitat permitting (Stutes – House Fisheries – awaiting new CS)
HB 237 – Salmon Escapement Goals (Neuman – House Fisheries)
HB 354 – Dive Fishery management (Ortiz – passed House Fisheries and now in House Resources – UFA Supports)
HB 379 – Fishermen’s Fund reimbursement (Ortiz – passed House Fisheries and now in House Labor and Commerce – UFA Supports)
SB 210 – Mislabeling by retail food establishments (Wielechowski – Senate State Affairs – UFA Supports)
SB 211 “An Act relating to the temporary transfer of limited entry commercial fishing permits; and providing for an effective date.” (Stevens, referred to Resources and Finance committees)
HJR 35 Urging Co-Management Plan for Sea Otters (Millett – House Community and Regional Affairs – UFA Supports)
SJR 13: Urging Co-Management Plan for Sea Otters (Stedman – Senate Resources – UFA Supports)
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 – UFA Supports)
HCR 25 Requesting the Governor to establish an office of outdoor access and recreation…
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-a-member/