"An Act relating to a preference for the consumptive use of fish and game."

Article VIII, Section 3 of the Alaska Constitution provides that, "Wherever occurring in their natural state, fish, wildlife, and waters are reserved to the people for common use."

Article VIII, Section 4 of the Alaska Constitution provides that, "Fish, forests, wildlife, grasslands, and all other replenishable resources belonging to the State shall be utilized, developed, and maintained on the sustained yield principle, subject to preferences among beneficial uses."

The qualifying phrase "subject to preferences among beneficial uses" signals recognition by the constitutional delegates that not all the demands made upon resources can be satisfied, and that prudent resource management based on modern conservation principles necessarily involves prioritizing competing uses.

Alaska's natural resources are "public trust" assets. They are held by the state in trust for the benefit of all its people. In Alaska, the Legislature serves as the "Trustee" of these assets. As such, it has delegated some of its trust powers and duties to the Board of Fish, the Board of Game and the Department of Fish and Game.

Senate Bill 318 gives direction from the Trustees (the Legislature) to the Boards and the Department that, when making decisions regarding the management and/or allocation of these commonly owned assets, they should recognize that the consumptive use of wild fish and game resources by Alaskans to feed themselves and their families represents a high preference among competing uses.

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