(Juneau) - As Chairman of the House Finance Subcommittee for the Department of Fish and Game, Representative Jim Holm (R- Fairbanks) yesterday heard testimony from the Department regarding proposed budget increments that will serve to improve the management of fish and game resources across all Alaska, and especially in the Interior.

This was the third of many budget committee hearings to be held as part of the state budget process in the legislature. The highlights focused on the assessment of salmon stocks in the Yukon river, improved groundfish and shellfish studies in Alaska's coastal regions, increased fish science education, expanding mariculture, crab, and dive fisheries projects, and improving the use and accuracy of sonar detection for fish counts.

"We have a constitutional mandate to take care of our State resources, including fish and game resources," Representative Holm said, adding, "it's up to us to determine how best to appropriate the financial resources necessary for our state managers to fulfill that mandate."

The subcommittee makes initial recommendations for funding levels that are forwarded to the full Finance Committee for adoption. Representative Holm commented, "We received a lot of good information that will help us make the right appropriation decisions. I'm pleased to see that the Department [of Fish and Game] is utilizing its resources wisely."

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