"An Act relating to sport fishing license fees and anadromous king salmon tag fees for residents of Yukon, Canada; and providing for an effective date."

The Yukon Territory and its residents have a great deal in common with Alaska and Alaskans. SB 56 extends a small, but important, gesture of good will to our closest neighbor. Yukoners have no coast on the Pacific Ocean and several hundred of them buy Alaska Fishing Licenses each year to fish in Alaskan salt waters. They spend thousands of dollars in our local economies on their fishing expeditions.

When Representative John Harris and former Senator Phillips introduced similar legislation in April of 2000, the Yukon Legislative Assembly immediately passed laws that will give reciprocity to Alaskans. They not only give us resident fishing license rates for the fresh water fish that are under territorial jurisdictions, but they have worked through an agreement with their Federal Department of Oceans and Fish to allow Alaskans to catch Salmon in Yukon rivers. Yukon has some wonderful fishing opportunities including in world record Lake Trout and Pike.

The people and government of Yukon Territory are going through challenging times with a decreasing population of approximately 30,000 people and a stifled economy. Regardless, they are supporting our efforts to build our gas pipeline, connect our railroad to the North American RailRoad System, and upgrade the Alaska Highway.

SB 56 is supported and endorsed by Alaska Governor Frank Murkowski and Yukon Premier Dennis Fentie.

As president of the Pacific Northwest Economic Region (PNWER), which includes Alaska and Yukon, I believe there is a huge value in enhancing more and better relationships between the US and Canada. SB 56 is a step in that direction.

# # #