Senate Finance subcommittee adopts governor's FY2027 Fish and Game budget, flags CFEC and Dingle-Johnson concerns

The Alaska Senate Finance Fish and Game Subcommittee on April 15 reported the governor's proposed Fiscal Year 2027 operating budget for the Department of Fish and Game to the Finance Committee and adopted the report by unanimous consent.

Tim Gruesendorf, staff to Senator Hoffman and the Senate Finance Committee, told the subcommittee the recommendation is to adopt the governor's budget as presented, saying that approach gives the subcommittee the best position in conference committee to preserve hatchery operations. "Going to the governor's budget is probably the best place for this body to take a position in conference committee to get us to a position to where everybody, you know, the hatchery won't close," he said.

Gruesendorf read fund totals the subcommittee relied on: unrestricted general funds about $77,802,000; designated general funds $14,036,000; other funds $92,639,000; federal funds $93,663,000; for a total of $278,141,000. He also recited staffing counts that totaled 1,445 positions (868 full-time; permanent/part-time counts reported as 700 and 576; temporary 1).

Committee members raised two recurring oversight concerns during the closeout. One member referenced constraints on expenditures by the Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission (CFEC) and said an external commissioner had recommended discontinuing CFEC; the member praised apparent recent constraints on CFEC spending. "There's one commissioner left. He is a radio guy who actually has recommended to the senate resources committee that the CFEC be discontinued," the member said.

Another member stressed the importance of the Ruth Burnett hatchery and said she would work to keep it open. "That's a very important hatchery. I'm gonna make sure we're keeping that open," the member said, echoing staff's concern that reductions could threaten hatchery operations if not addressed in conference committee.

On a motion to report the FY2027 operating budget for the Department of Fish and Game from subcommittee with the attached Legislative Finance reports, the budget action sheet dated 04/15/2026 and the wordage report, the subcommittee also voted to give the Legislative Finance Division authority to make technical or conforming changes. The chair asked if there was objection; none was raised and the chair declared the report adopted. The subcommittee adjourned with no further business announced.

Next procedural steps were not specified during the closeout; the subcommittee's report will proceed to the Finance Committee and any adjustments will be addressed in subsequent conference committee or floor action.