Session: State Capitol, Room 119 Juneau, AK 99801-1182 Phone: (907) 465-4993 Fax: (907) 465-3872 Interim: 716 W 4th Avenue, Suite 510 Anchorage, AK 99501-2133 Phone: (907) 269-0200 Fax: (907) 269-0204

Sponsor Statement for CSSB 282(FIN)
Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute/Tax

An Act delaying the repeal of the salmon marketing tax; expanding the allowable use of that tax for the salmon marketing programs of the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute; relating to the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute's salmon marketing committee; and providing for an effective date.

The committee substitute for Senate Bill 282 (FIN) extends the termination date for the 1% salmon marketing tax to the year 2008. In 1993, the legislature enacted the 1% tax to raise revenues to market Alaska's salmon in the United States. The tax is paid by commercial salmon harvesters at the rate of 1% of the value of salmon that is removed from the state or transferred to a buyer in the state. The tax must be reinstated every five years by the state legislature; this will be the second extension since its enactment. CSSB 282(FIN) so permits the revenue to be used in all of ASMI's current salmon marketing programs.

ASMI receives no state funding and is the only non-regulatory state agency that is industry supported. The major components of its' budget are the 1% salmon marketing tax, a .3% seafood processors tax, and funding from two federal grant programs. As the generic marketing agency for all of Alaska's seafood, AMSI utilizes these funds to promote the quality and superiority of Alaska seafood products and to increase worldwide consumption. Over the last six years, they have worked with 34 distributor partners and 60 hotel and restaurant foodservice partners. Last year, ASMI arranged retail promotions with more than 56 major grocery store chains (about 7,000 stores). Through their marketing efforts, more than twenty-five million pounds of Alaska seafood sold directly through their domestic foodservice and retail promotions last year.

The companion bill, House Bill 390, passed both bodies and is waiting to be signed into law by the Governor.

# # #

Attachments:

• Print Friendly Version
  Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader - 1 page(s) - 8.3K

| Sen. Stevens' Page |

| Top | Home | Site Search | Breaking News | Legislators | Bills |
| Committees | E-Newsletter | Surveys | Research | Help |

The Official Web Site of the House and Senate Legislative Majorities
for the 22nd Alaska State Legislature
To Report Technical Problems or Contact Webmasters