05/01/2004 04:14 PM STA

    CSHB 309(JUD) am-CRIMES: NONINDIGENOUS FISH ; SENTENCING                                                                
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  GARY STEVENS  announced  CSHB  309(JUD) am  to  be up  for                                                               
consideration.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
NEIL DuPERRON, staff to Representative Kelly Wolf, announced:                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
     "A  person may  not  knowingly  release, or  transport,                                                                    
     possess, import  or export for  the purpose  of release                                                                    
     into the  waters of the state,  live nonindigenous fish                                                                    
     or live  fertilized eggs of nonindigenous  fish, unless                                                                    
     permitted by AS 16.05 - 16.40."                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR GARY STEVENS asked him to explain the problem.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  KELLY  WOLF  joined   the  meeting  and  informed                                                               
members that  throughout south-central  Alaska there's  a problem                                                               
with nonindigenous  fish that have  been introduced  into streams                                                               
and  lakes  through  a  process he  called  bucket  biology.  The                                                               
introduced  species  tend  to  be   predatory  and  endanger  the                                                               
indigenous   game  fish   populations.  Specifically,   he  said,                                                               
Northern Pike are  prolific and are capable of  eating between 40                                                               
and 50 juvenile salmon a day.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
The  Alaska Department  of  Fish  and Game  (ADF&G)  has made  an                                                               
effort  to  exterminate the  nonindigenous  game  fish, but  it's                                                               
expensive  and  the  procedures  are  detrimental  to  indigenous                                                               
species as well.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR BERT  STEDMAN asked if it  was correct that if  this bill                                                               
were  to pass  then the  only way  to restock  a lake  with trout                                                               
would be to  obtain permission from ADF&G and they  could issue a                                                               
permit for whatever type of fish they thought was reasonable.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
MR. DuPERRON said that's correct as far as he knows.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR JOHN COWDERY asked what fish typically feed on.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
MR. DuPERRON replied, "Other little fish."                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR COWDERY said that's what he thought.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR GRETCHEN GUESS  motioned to report CSHB  309(JUD) am from                                                               
committee  with  individual   recommendations  and  the  attached                                                               
fiscal notes. There being no objection, it was so ordered.