HB218, the Cost Recovery Reform Bill, is up in Senate Finance Monday, May 2nd....
Although there are a couple amendments offered by Stedman that make it a bit tougher to accomplish our objectives, I think we can live with them. So once we get through Senate Finance, as we hopefully will, Senator John Cowdery, the Rules Chair, can schedule the bill and then send it back to the House for concurrence as there were several minor changes made on the Senate side.
HB484 came through nicely in Senate Resources with overwhelming support and therefore should suffer no harm in Senate Finance providing there is time in the Committee in the middle of this week. Senate Finance should be on 24 hour notice currently.
Thanks to those of you who support SEAS and to those of you who don't seine in SE, please support UFA and your local group, whomever that may be.
Good Day.
bobbyt
Saturday, April 29, 2006
Wednesday, April 26, 2006
What does SEAS do???
Gotta let you in on a little-known secret. SEAS has been in the middle of leadership in the future of our fisheries in this state for quite some time. SEAS former Executive Directors include current ADFG Deputy Commissioner David Bedford, Icicle VP Kris Noroscz, past MSC N. America director and current leading Alaskan environmentalist Kate Troll, current SE Stevedoring rep Cliff Skillings, current ASMI board member and past PSC Commissioner Bruce Wallace, and last but not least, vastly underpaid but overperforming Mr. John Peckham. Now throw in a few SEAS Presidents like John Kristovich and Jim Bacon- current Alternate Commissioner to the PSC and also past UFA President.....
In any event, what SEAS Exec. Director since April, 2003... yup, it's actually been 3 years and they still haven't fired me.... has been up to is nothing more, nothing less, than what would have been the grist to grind for any of these other Exec. Directors had this been their time at the end of the broom that tries to sweep our agenda forward.
You've got a board of directors that is exceptional in geographics, demographics, age, whatever.
3 rep's from Petersburg, 1 from Sitka, 4 from Ketchikan, 2 from Bellingham, 1 from Mt. Vernon, 1 from Carnation and 1 from Seattle. If there is an issue about the direction of SEAS and you either are or wish to be a member, please don't hesitate to contact us.
Office # is best right now at (907)463-5030.
Oh. The person spearheading the charge on HB484, in Senate Resources today, the 26th, is none other than Jason Miller's aunt, **my apologies, but her name is escaping me just now** which would make her Jim's sister, would it not? She, along with Jean Ellis, are the unsung heroes for this essential fleet consolidation legislation.
Thank you to all the staff at Representative Wilson's office.
Bob Thorstenson, Jr.
SEAS Executive Director
In any event, what SEAS Exec. Director since April, 2003... yup, it's actually been 3 years and they still haven't fired me.... has been up to is nothing more, nothing less, than what would have been the grist to grind for any of these other Exec. Directors had this been their time at the end of the broom that tries to sweep our agenda forward.
You've got a board of directors that is exceptional in geographics, demographics, age, whatever.
3 rep's from Petersburg, 1 from Sitka, 4 from Ketchikan, 2 from Bellingham, 1 from Mt. Vernon, 1 from Carnation and 1 from Seattle. If there is an issue about the direction of SEAS and you either are or wish to be a member, please don't hesitate to contact us.
Office # is best right now at (907)463-5030.
Oh. The person spearheading the charge on HB484, in Senate Resources today, the 26th, is none other than Jason Miller's aunt, **my apologies, but her name is escaping me just now** which would make her Jim's sister, would it not? She, along with Jean Ellis, are the unsung heroes for this essential fleet consolidation legislation.
Thank you to all the staff at Representative Wilson's office.
Bob Thorstenson, Jr.
SEAS Executive Director
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
last week really.... April 25th
Fellow SE seiners and other Alaskan salmon fishermen who really care about their fishery:
We're in the last week of achieving some measured change if we are able to pass hb218, which would allow a hatchery board to change cost recovery to an assessment system. This would be the most significant change to a system that has been embedded into the conventional wisdom of hatchery norms that it's been a tough nut to discuss, much less crack.
hb484, which would get us a short term fix for the optimum number riddle in the CFEC statutes, is up in Senate Resources tomorrow, Wednesday, April 26th.
stay in tune...
session ends May 9th, but in reality we must have hb218 passed by Senate Finance by very early next week in order to have a chance at passage.
bobbyt
We're in the last week of achieving some measured change if we are able to pass hb218, which would allow a hatchery board to change cost recovery to an assessment system. This would be the most significant change to a system that has been embedded into the conventional wisdom of hatchery norms that it's been a tough nut to discuss, much less crack.
hb484, which would get us a short term fix for the optimum number riddle in the CFEC statutes, is up in Senate Resources tomorrow, Wednesday, April 26th.
stay in tune...
session ends May 9th, but in reality we must have hb218 passed by Senate Finance by very early next week in order to have a chance at passage.
bobbyt
Saturday, April 15, 2006
re: Trident- OBSI deal
Guys
What can one say? Certainly we'd like to see that adjustment from last year on pinks from both ABSI and Trident. But it's certainly also a sweet alternative to the way the last major left their plants in SE.
HB484 made it through Resources and is on the way to House Finance.
HB218 is in Senate Resources tomorrow, Friday, April 7th, and we hope to see it get a ticket to Senate Finance. We'll need your help there. Senator_Lyda_Green@legis.state.ak.us and Senator_Gary_Wilken@legis.state.ak.us as well as Senator_Fred_Dyson@legis.state.ak.us are key over there. Senator_Con_Bunde@legis.state.ak.us as well is important and SEAS has supported his campaigns very enthusiastically, especially the current one.
Senator_Bert_Stedman@legis.state.ak.us (and phone (907)465-3873) is key on the Senate Finance Committee. The remaining members on the committee are Senator_Don_Olson@legis.state.ak.us and Senator_Lyman_Hofman@legis.state.ak.us.
HB218 is responsible legislation to help commercial fishermenKeep the faith.
bobbyt
Seiners.
Hope some of you are lining up on herring and some on longlining and what not.
HB484 is being taken up in Chairman Thomas' House Fisheries Committee this wednesday. Thanks to those of you who are being active and writing when we need it. We're probably good in this committee but may need some letters of support by House Resources. We'll let you know. Representative Peggy Wilson, R-Wrangell, is our sponsor on the House side. Over on the Senate side it's the Resources committee with the companion bill SB296.
Right now we could still use support for HB218 to Senator Stedman-- through March 25th or so.
Senator_Stedman@legis.state.ak.us
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Missed Commfish. Debate was great, though. Heard it on the radio here in Juneau. Sylvi says Binkley won it.
Sounds like several newer buyers around southeast this summer. Guys switching markets, getting poached from A-list markets as well. Probably have buyers all over and then no fish. Just kidding. How could anyone joke about something like that? The Fed's have alot lower numbers than the state. We'll see how humpies spawn successfully after holding out in saltwater estuaries for a month longer than usual......
I really don't totally know how this thing works so sorry if it comes up wrong. I also can't seem to get comments. Thanks to Jason Miller with the comment early on. I won't ID other comment folks unless you don't mind.
Have a pleasant day and I'll try to update this again before weeks end.
bobbyt
What can one say? Certainly we'd like to see that adjustment from last year on pinks from both ABSI and Trident. But it's certainly also a sweet alternative to the way the last major left their plants in SE.
HB484 made it through Resources and is on the way to House Finance.
HB218 is in Senate Resources tomorrow, Friday, April 7th, and we hope to see it get a ticket to Senate Finance. We'll need your help there. Senator_Lyda_Green@legis.state.ak.us and Senator_Gary_Wilken@legis.state.ak.us as well as Senator_Fred_Dyson@legis.state.ak.us are key over there. Senator_Con_Bunde@legis.state.ak.us as well is important and SEAS has supported his campaigns very enthusiastically, especially the current one.
Senator_Bert_Stedman@legis.state.ak.us (and phone (907)465-3873) is key on the Senate Finance Committee. The remaining members on the committee are Senator_Don_Olson@legis.state.ak.us and Senator_Lyman_Hofman@legis.state.ak.us.
HB218 is responsible legislation to help commercial fishermenKeep the faith.
bobbyt
Seiners.
Hope some of you are lining up on herring and some on longlining and what not.
HB484 is being taken up in Chairman Thomas' House Fisheries Committee this wednesday. Thanks to those of you who are being active and writing when we need it. We're probably good in this committee but may need some letters of support by House Resources. We'll let you know. Representative Peggy Wilson, R-Wrangell, is our sponsor on the House side. Over on the Senate side it's the Resources committee with the companion bill SB296.
Right now we could still use support for HB218 to Senator Stedman-- through March 25th or so.
Senator_Stedman@legis.state.ak.us
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Missed Commfish. Debate was great, though. Heard it on the radio here in Juneau. Sylvi says Binkley won it.
Sounds like several newer buyers around southeast this summer. Guys switching markets, getting poached from A-list markets as well. Probably have buyers all over and then no fish. Just kidding. How could anyone joke about something like that? The Fed's have alot lower numbers than the state. We'll see how humpies spawn successfully after holding out in saltwater estuaries for a month longer than usual......
I really don't totally know how this thing works so sorry if it comes up wrong. I also can't seem to get comments. Thanks to Jason Miller with the comment early on. I won't ID other comment folks unless you don't mind.
Have a pleasant day and I'll try to update this again before weeks end.
bobbyt
Hello All
Seiners.
We got this website about a decade ago while I was VP of SEAS. We never used it but now we are firing it up a bit. Probably once a week would be optimistic to get on here.
In any event, SEAS is working on a few things this session and this winter.
1. Fleet consolidation. Held up a bit until fall but we're on track for finishing prior to the 2007 season.'
2. PSTreaty. Working on strengthening the homefront for future negotiations.
3. HB484/SB296. Closes the loophole that could reissue permits without renumeration after we'd already bought them out. CFEC supports. Representative_Bill_Thomas@legis.state.ak.us needs encouragement to hear hb484 for us. Senator_Thomas_Wagoner@legis.state.ak.us could hear about your support for SB296 as well as HB218, as he hears them both next in his committee, probably not until mid-April at the earliest.
4. HB218 Cost Recovery bill. To allow a statutory assessment to replace cost recovery in situations where hatcheries can agree to do so. Over 80% of fishermen in the SE seine fleet support changing cost recovery. Weigh in with Senator_Bert_Stedman@legis.state.ak.us if you care.
5. Board of Fish issues in January Ketchikan meeting. SEAS was successful in our only proposal there, BOF Proposal #270. Unfortunately, however, access to Nakat Inlet was curtailed, with the schedule for seiners looking like a gooseegg after 2007. Seiners are going out on the low end of our range for the 2nd year on a 5 year rolling average ( board procedure stipulates that changes are made only after 3 years on a 5 year rolling average-- although of course, SEAS helped the gillnet fleet with as much enhancement production support as possible even though they never did have 3 years out on a 5 year rolling average--)
So with seiners going out for a 2nd year(in 2007, it is likely that seiners will be out 3 years in a row on a 5 year rolling average), what are the gillnetters doing?
Here's what. If gillnetters catch more than 14% of the value of enhanced salmon in SE, they will be out 3 years in a row on a 5 year rolling average in 2006.... This year.
6. the ASMI budget proposal increment, which has been hammered down to $500K from $2.3 million. this needs your support.
7. the AFMB which will meet later next month or May.
8. ADFG budget, which is in need of repair, especially since the managers and scientists we need that is critical for our fishery health, need to be better compensated.
9. Chatham Strait Subsistence issues with Angoon primarily.
10. New Governor. Is the heir to FHM out there for fishermen?
bobbyt
We got this website about a decade ago while I was VP of SEAS. We never used it but now we are firing it up a bit. Probably once a week would be optimistic to get on here.
In any event, SEAS is working on a few things this session and this winter.
1. Fleet consolidation. Held up a bit until fall but we're on track for finishing prior to the 2007 season.'
2. PSTreaty. Working on strengthening the homefront for future negotiations.
3. HB484/SB296. Closes the loophole that could reissue permits without renumeration after we'd already bought them out. CFEC supports. Representative_Bill_Thomas@legis.state.ak.us needs encouragement to hear hb484 for us. Senator_Thomas_Wagoner@legis.state.ak.us could hear about your support for SB296 as well as HB218, as he hears them both next in his committee, probably not until mid-April at the earliest.
4. HB218 Cost Recovery bill. To allow a statutory assessment to replace cost recovery in situations where hatcheries can agree to do so. Over 80% of fishermen in the SE seine fleet support changing cost recovery. Weigh in with Senator_Bert_Stedman@legis.state.ak.us if you care.
5. Board of Fish issues in January Ketchikan meeting. SEAS was successful in our only proposal there, BOF Proposal #270. Unfortunately, however, access to Nakat Inlet was curtailed, with the schedule for seiners looking like a gooseegg after 2007. Seiners are going out on the low end of our range for the 2nd year on a 5 year rolling average ( board procedure stipulates that changes are made only after 3 years on a 5 year rolling average-- although of course, SEAS helped the gillnet fleet with as much enhancement production support as possible even though they never did have 3 years out on a 5 year rolling average--)
So with seiners going out for a 2nd year(in 2007, it is likely that seiners will be out 3 years in a row on a 5 year rolling average), what are the gillnetters doing?
Here's what. If gillnetters catch more than 14% of the value of enhanced salmon in SE, they will be out 3 years in a row on a 5 year rolling average in 2006.... This year.
6. the ASMI budget proposal increment, which has been hammered down to $500K from $2.3 million. this needs your support.
7. the AFMB which will meet later next month or May.
8. ADFG budget, which is in need of repair, especially since the managers and scientists we need that is critical for our fishery health, need to be better compensated.
9. Chatham Strait Subsistence issues with Angoon primarily.
10. New Governor. Is the heir to FHM out there for fishermen?
bobbyt
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