House fisheries committee advances resolution to form Southeast Alaska sport-fishing task force

The House Special Committee on Fisheries on May 15 adopted an amendment to HCR 1 and voted to report the resolution out of committee, sending a proposal to establish a joint legislative task force on sport-fishing service providers in Southeast Alaska to the next stage with an attached fiscal note.

The resolution would create a task force to study options for managing sport-fishing service providers and recommend possible legislative solutions. Chair Stutes, chair of the House Special Committee on Fisheries, opened the session and, after an amendment was offered, said, “Hearing no objections, HCR 1 ... is reported out of the house fishery committees as amended with individual recommendations and attached fiscal note.”

The committee adopted an amendment that reduces the size of the task force and revises its membership and administrative rules. Thatcher Brower, staff to Representative Himchute, summarized the changes: “The first change is on page 2, line 11. … we replaced limited with managed,” and later described membership reductions from 12 to nine and specific seats for tribal representatives, guide organizations and members currently serving on Southeast Alaska Fish and Game advisory committees. Brower also said the amendment clarifies that task force members “are not entitled to per diem or travel expenses” and may attend meetings virtually, and that the task force’s expiration date was extended to February 1, 2027.

Representative Pemshutt formally moved the amendment, saying, “I move amendment 1.” After discussion, Chair Stutes removed her objection and the amendment was adopted. Representative Edgmon then moved to report the resolution out of committee, saying, “I move to report HCR 1 version 34-ls0208 backslash g out of committee as amended with individual recommendations and attached fiscal note,” and the committee proceeded on a no-objection basis.

During discussion, members raised why legislation was needed to convene stakeholders. Representative Edgmon said he was “confused” because the matter is regional and questioned why stakeholders could not convene themselves. Representative Poe said the size and geographic diversity of Alaska made a legislative convening useful and suggested Southeast could serve as a model for other regions. Representative Pemshutt and Brower told the committee they had received letters of support from subsistence users, tribes, commercial fishermen and guide organizations saying stakeholders want a neutral, legislative forum because the issue is “contentious” and groups are currently unwilling or unable to convene directly.

The amendment specifies the task force membership as a mix of legislative appointees and members of the public representing tribal interests, guide organizations, recreational anglers and commercial fishermen, with appointments split between the speaker of the house and the president of the senate. The amendment also aims to limit costs by removing per diem and travel expense entitlements and allowing virtual attendance. Committee members noted that a fiscal note is attached to the reported measure.

No roll-call vote was recorded in the transcript; the chair reported the measure out of committee after hearing no objections. The committee chair said the meeting was the last of the year for the committee and adjourned.

The committee did not adopt statutory language beyond the resolution text; it reported HCR 1, as amended, out of committee for further consideration by the legislature.