Session: State Capitol, Room 418 Juneau, AK 99801-1182 Phone: (907) 465-2995 Fax: (907) 465-6592 Interim: 716 W. 4th Ave., Suite 430 Anchorage, AK 99501-2133 Phone: (907) 269-0250 Fax: (907) 269-0249

Sponsor Statement for HB 513
Shellfish Mariculture

An Act relating to issuance of permits for aquatic farming of shellfish.

Shellfish mariculture represents a major economic development opportunity for Alaska and its communities, particularly in rural areas where it has been difficult to identify private sector development options.

There was clear intent to support the development of mariculture when the Legislature enacted the limited entry constitutional amendment, adopted by Alaskan voters, which states:

This legislation represents a compromise between competing users and attempts to balance the constitutional issues of common property resources, the limited entry and aquaculture constitutional amendment, and sustained yield principles in Alaska's constitution.

Basically, the legislation says that when there are significant stocks on a proposed farm site where there is no current commercial fishery, the divers or public would have first opportunity to harvest the resource for a period of time, after which the remaining stocks would be available to the farmer for cultivation and eventual harvest. The farmer would have to reseed the area to the original population levels at the farmer's cost.

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Attachments:

• Bill History for HB 513
  
• Print Friendly Version
  Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader - 1 page(s) - 6.7K
  

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