The House of Representatives passed a bill that would allow the Department of Fish and Game to collect funds considered vital to the successful operation of Alaska’s sportfish hatcheries and facilities. House Bill 80 was introduced by the Dunleavy Administration. The measure would allow the state to resume collection of a surcharge on sportfishing licenses. An estimated half a million dollars would be raised annually, with the funds collected going toward the enhancement and maintenance of the sportfishing facilities.
District 1 Rep. Bart LeBon of Fairbanks, “What we’re looking to do is to recognize that the bonded indebtedness to build the hatcheries in Fairbanks and Anchorage have been satisfied and those debts are gone. But the issues surrounding the operation of those hatcheries continue and, what better way to maintain those facilities, enhance the fisheries of those hatcheries and also, I might add, there’s a piece of this surcharge that’s in addition to the fishing licenses, which, by the way, is not equal to the amount that was collected before. It has been reduced. We also have evasive species issues and interior lakes and other lakes around the state so we need not to just grow the resource through these hatcheries, but also protect the waters that those hatcheries support to enable the fish to thrive and to increase in number.”
House Bill 80 0states that the finances from the sport fishing enhancement surcharge will be deposited in a separate account known as the sport fishing enhancement account within the fish and game fund. The department will allocate the money in the enhancement account to programs intended to directly benefit license purchasers.
After a third reading, the bill passed in the House with 36 yeas and 2 nays. It now goes to the Senate for consideration.
Transcribed audio courtesy of KTOO 360TV.
