Good morning I call this meeting to the House of Finance Department of Fish and
Game Club Committee to order. Let the record reflect that it is 10.01 a.m. on a
Tuesday February 10, 2026. Room 120. Today present we have
representative Stootz representing the fans and myself Chair Jimmy and we'd
like to also welcome speaker Edgeman. Also today we
Renzo Moises from the Legislative Information Office.
Please remember to send to your cell phone subcommittee
minors have been provided to all committee members
and documents have posted to BISES.
Are there any questions about these?
Seeing none, today the Department of Fish and Game
will present their FY27 budget request
and FY26 mid-year status report.
that Vincent Lang Commissioner calling in.
We have Bonnie Jensen, Administrative Service Director
in person.
Commissioner Vincent Dunglang and Ms. Jensen
please join us at on record and begin your presentation.
Ms Jensen before again we'd like to also acknowledge
that we have representative McCabe in attendance at 10 on 2.
For the record, my name is Bonnie Jensen, and I'm the administrative services director on the line should be dug in sit-length commissioner
Yeah, so Madam chair, you stuck into my in-person from the last component
We should need to sorry. I couldn't be there in person on attendance energy media
For me to send ourselves used the lasting fisheries going forward
I mean basically introduce myself and on your incident because I am not moving I turn over most of the presentation
to them to go through the budget changes for this year
as well as the mid-year audit.
But I'll be available for questions
after you do the presentation for me if you want.
So with that, I will turn it over to Bonnie
Jim to the administrative services director.
Thank you.
Yes, thank you, and before we continue,
Ms. Jensen, as we go to those slides,
please skip slide five and slide seven.
Thank You.
And I hold off on questions until the very end,
so we may use the hour wisely.
Thankyou.
All right, so slide for the record, Bonnie Jensen, slide two shows our department's
budget structure. The Division of Commercial Fisheries consists of four regional components
in a statewide component.
The division manages Alaska's commercial fisheries and most subsistence and
personal use fisheries. It also houses the North Pacific Fisheries Management Council,
the Pacific Salmon Treaty staff, the statewide aquaculture permitting section,
and the department's labs, which include the genetics lab,
In the Division of Sportfish, they manage Alaska's sport fisheries and two sportfish
hatcheries.
One is located in Anchorage and the other in Fairbanks.
The Southeast Hatcherie's component includes funding for sport fish enhancement in Southeast.
That work is contracted out to local private non-profit hatchers, and it also houses the
The Division of Wildlife Conservation is made up of two major components, wildlife conservation, and the Hunter Education Public Shooting Ranges.
The division manages Alaska's hunting, trapping, viewing opportunities.
It also manages three public shooting ranges and provides Hunter education services across the state.
They also have the marine mammals and threatened endangered and diverse programs.
Ms. Jensen, before we continue, I'd like to acknowledge
representative Hemchute entered into the room at tunnel 3.
Good morning.
Thank you.
This subsistence division connects research
and is not a management division, but its mission
is defined under Alaska Statute, which
directs staff to scientifically gather, quantify, evaluate,
and report information about customary and traditional uses
of Alaska's fish and wildlife resources.
This information is provided to fisheries and wildlife managers to ensure that subsistence
uses and harvests are incorporated into management decisions.
The habitat section is responsible for the department's title 16 permitting of activities occurring in Alaska's fish bearing waters including authorizing in-stream work for
infrastructure projects and coordinating reviews of natural resource development projects as they go through state and federal processes to provide expertise on fish, wildlife, and their habitats.
different components, including the commission's office, my division administrative services,
the board's officially in game and advisory committees.
They serve different functions ranging from policy direction, budgetary oversight, administrative
support, and work that supports the boards, officially, in games, regulatory process,
and public engagement.
The Exxon Valdez Oil Spilled Trustee Council in the Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission are affiliate groups whose budgets are housed under our umbrella but are separate from the department.
Slide 3 provides a breakdown of the Department's budget structure for each division and section or total FY27 Governor's request is $274 million.
The division of commercial fisheries in blue is our largest division and makes up 34% of the overall budget.
Next is wildlife conservation in green, 27% over budget, and this division is heavily funded using federal funds and fishing game funds.
Next in purple, we have the division sport fish.
They make up 21% total overall budgets,
and like wildlife conservations, they are heavily federally funded and fish and game funded.
Next is statewide support services in green, 13%, and subsistence in brown, habitat, and pink both at 3%.
On slide 4, I'll keep brief, but I wanted to emphasize the substantial footprint that
Fish and Game maintains across Alaska.
Over the years, we have expanded online outreach through email, social media, and the Fish
and Games mobile application while maintaining in-person services in our 33 locations throughout
the state.
And before you can hear me, Stenson, we'd like to acknowledge Representative Elam, welcome at 10.08.
Thank you.
Slide 6 provides a budget comparison between FY 25 actuals, FY 26 management plan and
the FY 27 governor's request with the far right column providing the difference between management, plan, and the governor request.
Skip this one, too. Please.
This slides
provides a view of how our funding sources are allocated, federal funding is our largest
funding source by 0.4 percent at 34.2 and based on FY 25 actuals the Pittman Robertson grant in
the Division of Wildlife Conservation made up 43 percent of this and the Dingle Johnson Award
in Sportfish was 14 percent and their remaining 43 were other non-competitive and competitive awards
And I wanted to point out those two awards
since they make up more than 50% of our federal funds
that are spent.
The other funding sources on the pie chart on
the right primarily consist of fishing game funds,
which is mainly revenue from the sales of
fishing and hunting licenses.
And it makes up 34%
of the funding source.
There are also statutory designated program receipts in our agency receipts Exxon Valdez oil
Spill settlement funds
CIP project receipts and interagency oil and hazardous waste
Third is UGF and we are not heavily reliant on UGF and it makes up 28% of our budget
Our smallest funding source is designated general funds, which makes up 4% of our total overall budget.
The funding sources included are commercial fisheries entry commission receipts at 3.6 million,
commercial crew license revenue at 2.7 million and test fish receipts that 3,8 million.
Moving on to our FY27 operating budget requests.
And I do want to make note on the IT classification study.
We did not include those because it is a, the study is being
conducted by the Department of Administration and I wanted to focus on our department specific
commercial fisheries, wildlife conservation,
sport fisheries and administrative services.
And it's in the tune of 764,000 total
with just under 300,00 of that being UGF funds.
So the first item is in commercial fissures.
We are requesting an increase
in their Fish and Game Fund Authority
for their two labs here in Juneau.
The Pathology Lab.
recently renegotiated their lease and it went up substantially to $1,200 a month and that
is owned by the city and borough of Juneau and the mark tag and age lab is own by
the University of Alaska and they are needing additional space for analysis and to store
The next item on the list, or the next two items, are in wildlife conservation.
And this division is just requesting a couple of authority adjustments to align with their current needs.
A $3 million decrement in federal authority, this will still provide the division with 5 million in access authority to ensure that they do not revert any pimpment Roberts in funding.
And it allows for opportunities to apply for competitive grants if any arise.
Additionally, they are requesting a 300,000 increase in CIP receipt authority to capture
personal service expenditures that posted capital projects, specifically in the marine
mammals and endangered species section.
In the Sport Fish Division, we have a $300,000 fund swap, a decrement to federal authority,
and an increment to statutory designated receipt authority to support incoming non-federal reimbursement opportunities,
specifically with the Pacific State Spring Fisheries Commission.
And then we have my division, administrative services.
I'm requesting an increase of 500,000
in statutory designated receipt authority
to cover department-wide operational costs
so that they do not trickle down to the divisions.
These costs include yearly course services
like paid for phones or leases,
and it can also cover one-time charges.
And in FY27, I would like to ensure our website
maintains ADA compliance.
I'm also requesting an increase in CIP authority, similar to wildlife conservation.
But this would be to cover the personal service expenditures for
one state Exxon Valdez oil spill, EVO state employee that is paid using EVOS capital funds.
I am also request to delete a position that was added in the FY 25 budget request.
We were provided three positions during that switch.
We quickly felt two of them.
This one has remained vacant
and we developed efficiencies and were just giving it back.
Lastly, in the commissioner's office, we have a yearly request for a multi-year operating
appropriation unit for fishery disaster funding from Pacific State's Marine Fisheries Commission.
This authority funds projects that were approved in federal fisheries disaster grants, and
the funding is distributed to Fish and Game from specific states through a cooperative
agreement.
involved in the de-consolidation of payroll.
And we are getting six payroll positions.
Four of those are filled, two are vacant.
And, we're also getting seven accounts payable
and travel positions from shared services of Alaska.
And all of these are filed.
I'm working with the governor's office
and with Department of Administration on
the needs of our agency organizational structure
to ensure that this is successful.
So you've got Vincent Lang.
Did you want to share a song with us?
Oh, I got some background noise.
Sorry.
Thank you.
Excuse me, so slide 10 provides an update on our budget and items from the FY26 operating budget.
The first item on the list was in commercial fisheries.
We had originally requested a 300,000 in general fun
and general fund match.
And this request was to offset the decreasing federal award
and the decrease in X-special value of stable fish
here in Southeast.
This is one of the commercial fishery's awards
that does have a match requirement.
During the legislative process, this was reduced by 100,000.
To compensate for the decrease, one position was left vacant.
And the division did not move forward
with the yellow eye rockfish remote operating vehicle survey,
as well as the stable fish mark capture stock assessment
survey.
And, the Division focused on core functions, critical assessments,
and management obligations.
Next on the list we have the full-time boat officer 3 for the newly acquired equinox.
We have an approved a higher waiver from the governor's office and current vessel staff is in Oregon gearing up on
the vessel, they're gearing it up to depart and head to Alaska.
The position will be recruited for and filled when the vessels arrives in Homer.
In commercial fisheries, the Senate put in a request for 200,000 of statutory designated program receipt authority for anchor point and season management data collection.
This item was vetoed by the governor because the division had sufficient authority to move forward with the project, and they did with The Alaska Salmon Alliance.
vessel, vehicle, and aircraft maintenance.
The division requested 450,000 unrestricted general fund
for maintenance funding for their six large vessels,
five aircrafts,
and numerous other smaller vessels and equipment.
The legislature cut this request in half,
down to 225, 000.
And the research special casserole is currently in dry dock under going routine maintenance.
This is going to cost an estimated amount of 1.3 million.
So all funding is being redirected to that.
If any is left over, it's going be allocated to aircraft in the western region.
And due to budgetary constraints, the Medea was slated for maintenance this winter but
Next, in the same division, commercial fisheries.
The division had requested a $716,000 increment in unrestricted general fund.
This was cut in FY 25.
The legislator cut this down to $400,00.
salmon assessment. But due to the reduction of 300,000, the division did not move forward
with the Sandy River weirr project, The Togiak Hearing Project,
the Prince William Sound Troll Survey, and the Lower Yukon Test Fishery was reduced.
Item number six. The Genetics Lab and The Division of Commercial Fisheries, they are moving forward
that they're going through the procurement process right now.
We did remove number seven because that is related to CFEC.
And then number eight.
In the division of sport fish, in the Anchorage and Fairbanks hatcheries, we did request 100,000 in federal
free state authority and 100 thousand in fishing game fund, 200, 000 total, to ensure the hatchery
just had sufficient authority to cover projected increases in utility expenditures.
The division actually saw decrease in these so there was no effect
When this item was not approved during the legislative process last year, and that's also why you do not see it in the FY 27 request
Item number nine
Restore federal receipt authority for Dingle Johnson funds and to leverage
in kind match from construction costs.
The division had a higher than expected DJI apportionment,
and we're able to absorb the $65,000.
increase, and they did use the facility construction cost this match with no effect on agency operations.
And I wanted to point out that the DJ apportionment fluctuates annually and the division will
not be able to absorb decreases in UGF and increases in federal authority without an
impact to their current operations
The legislature approved the division's request to increase their fishing game fund authority in 270,000 for state vehicle and aircraft maintenance.
This is adequate for the divisions 10 aircraft and the Division is able to utilize a portion of their hitments,
Roberson funding to supplement any additional funds that are needed.
And all of this work is contracted out and
the decision is soliciting for two engine overhauls or replacements now.
So in number 11, in wildlife conservation,
This was to add a wildlife biologist and funding for board support due to the guide's concession permit program, SB 189.
The legislature denied funding, for this budget, request and omitted this funding in the fiscal note.
Wildlife conservation has addressed regulatory needs that were required with establishing an initial guide concession area in
the board of game process, and without additional funding to support a staff position dedicated to this program.
additional work towards the guide concession program and in the board support section they were able to schedule a proposal but is unlikely to absorb any additional meaning or travel costs as additional proposals are taken up in
public shooting ranges component.
There was an increased funding and authority
for hunter education programs in total of 500,000.
375, 000 is PR funds federal
with 125,00 fish game fund match.
The division was able to utilize this additional authority
to purchase trading materials and supplies
for Hunter education classes.
This is also covering shipping costs of Hunter Education Field Day supplies to remote locations
and updates to the three Fish and Game shooting range classrooms.
I'm number 13 in the commissioner's office under statewide support services.
This was our yearly ask for a operating
a multi-year operating appropriation unit for fishery disaster funds.
The department is using this authority last fiscal year on the Copper River,
Chinook, and Stock Eye Genetic Stock Identification Project and
the copper river stock eye historic genetic stock identification project.
This authority funds projects that were approved and
The reason why it's a zero dollar amount and unlimited is because we really don't know which one specific states are going to send us in a given year.
In my division, administrative services, I had requested to delete a full time administrative officer one due to department efficiencies.
This was not approved by the legislature.
And the position has since been reclassed down to an accounting technician and I'm currently
leaving at vacant due to the de-consolidation of shared services of Alaska and payroll.
And I am trying to see where this is going to fit into the mix.
I might need to re-class it again.
Since we have over 60 facilities throughout the state,
this structure change has taken some time for the department
to work through, but we do have a plan in place
in implementing number 16 habitat, increased authority
for federal granting opportunities.
The habitat section is making use
of this additional 100,000 in federal authority.
applied for and obtained to federal awards.
One is the Aquatic Biomonitoring and Transboundary Rivers
from the Environmental Protection Agency EPA.
And another award called the Fish Habitat Assessment
on the Men and Hall River from
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NOAA.
Number 17, in subsistence.
contract with Triac Regional Resource Commission for subsistence research projects in Prince
William Sound. The 50,000 in statutory designated program we see to authority has allowed the
division to move forward with the Triiac Regional resource commission and the project
is currently in progress.
The same division subsistence for number 18 to add authority for multiple North Pacific
research board projects.
And this $100,000 increase has allowed the division to address fisheries management needs
by providing updated data necessary for consideration of existing regulatory structures regarding
And then, number 19, the FY26 salary adjustments.
So, all divisions besides commercial fisheries were able to absorb the impacts of the salaries adjustments,
and we worked with OMB on our budgetary needs and determined a supplemental request was necessary
Thank you director Jensen for soldiering on through that report. I commend you and thank you so much
We'll give you time to take a breather
But we do have a lineup in the queue
We have represented
Representative
Stoops and represent events will start with representative stoops
Thank You manager appreciate that. Um, I find
Item number four, commercial fishery state wide management funding for
state vessel vehicle and aircraft maintenance of 225.
A joke, let me ask this, what is the cost overruns right now currently on the equinox?
Through the chair, Representative Stutes.
The division of commercial fisheries is waiting on the final invoice from the shipyard, but it's roughly
300,000 is what they're estimating over
over budget
Which wipes this out?
essentially I mean this and you've got six vessels five aircrafts and a multitude of smaller vessels I
Don't understand the request for 225, 000 on that. I just think that
you're setting yourself up. I mean, that's crazy. You're the, excuse me, the
medias tied up and the kestrel is going in for 1.3 million. Who does your numbers?
I'm mean it isn't, and that is crazy that crazy I just find that really
Because what it does is the people that are trying to balance this, it's distressing for them.
How are we going to do it? Where are going get the money from?
Is there a reason why that number isn't any higher than it is?
Through the chair, representatives due to the fiscal situation of the state,
it wasn't deemed a priority.
Follow-up?
Thank you.
you saw what happened to our vessels. They're all just a pile of tin that we're
trying to save and that's what's going to happen. If you don't maintain the
equipment, it's not going have any value to it. So that number, I'll just
stop at this one item, but that
number is very distressing to me because I think it leads to the fact that
equipment, and a lot of property that has no value because it hasn't been maintained.
And so I'd like to see that number increase substantially.
Thank you.
Do you have any other questions?
Madam Chair, if I could, can I wait for you, please, for this one?
Mr. Robinson-Lank, go ahead.
Yeah.
Correct you answer this correct is correct. We basically tried to balance this budget with the fiscal concerns that were given to us
In this case, we we were considering asking for some additional money from the media
But I was told that we could get the work done for this year with existing requests that
We have in place now is that going to be the future request moving forward? Probably not
We're gonna probably need more money, but we're trying to
ensure that we didn't get more money for research activities that basically made us cut
critical management programs or research programs that were in place. So I was assured
at least within my division, commercial fisheries, that if we waited a year, we wouldn't have
In the future, we are going to need warm money to maintain these vehicles in aircraft moving forward.
Follow-up?
Thank you for that, Commissioner.
I guess my comment would be you're already close to 300,000 over on the equinox.
So, looking to maintaining any of these other vessels is essentially off the table because you are out of dough.
It's pretty concerning to me to see a budget for maintenance so low when you have,
and that, again, I say that doesn't include any
of the aircraft maintenance that's going to be required.
So, and we have a member here that can speak to what the cost
of aircraft, maintenance is, but I don't imagine it's very cheap either.
But thank you.
Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank You, Representative Stutz.
Do you have any other questions you'd like to add?
I can vote.
OK.
Representative Vance.
Thank Madem Chair, and I do have more questions along the line
with the equinox here, because if the 225,000
is going for other maintenance, how
are you going to pay the bills on the Equinocs that's due?
And what's the impact on these statewide surveys?
We haven't been able to have the surveys and like we needed to in previous years because the state vessel wasn't available contracts were not we're not taken up so what's the impact of the the survey's until we can get the equinox moving forward.
Coming up this year, like very shortly, so we expect that to be a fully operational vessel moving forward.
I understand that that replaced the pendalis, but the
pendalis has been out of commission for two or three years.
So, again, we're convinced we are going to get the necessary surveys done that are the priority series moving
forward as we integrate the equinox into our fleet right now.
Is there anything you'd like to add, Director Jensen?
Yeah, for the record, Bonnie Jensen.
So I was in conversations with the budget manager
for commercial fisheries regarding the overages.
And they purposefully left a couple of positions vacant
and are utilizing those vacancy funds
to cover the average in the equinox.
Follow up, follow up.
Well, that leads to my next question on line 10, excuse me.
line 19 that you're asking for $9.3 million to adjust for positions.
How many vacant positions are available in the department right now?
Through the chair representative Vance, we have eight long term vacancies.
But five of those are funded through federal funds and
fishing game funds, and only one of them is partially UGF funded.
And it's one of the ones that they purposefully let vacant.
The other two are funded using federal fishery disaster funds,
and they were waiting on the awards from Pacific states.
Follow-up.
Follow?
So out of that entire Fish and Game Department,
that's how many vacancies?
Because that sounds fantastic.
Through the chair, represent in advance, all the others are short-term vacancies due to retirements and they're in the recruitment process.
Can I pull up my notes?
Yes, just a second.
Well, she's looking for notes, I'm sure if I could, in, the last year, we needed a priority to fill vacancies that we have, because
We were, for many years, not filling vacancies just because it just took a lot of payroll
process, I mean, the recruiting process and anything else, sorry, but staff had been working
incredibly hard to get those vacancies filled, and you had the funding basically to fill
those positions.
I told them I said, we have to put our vacancy rate down.
We know a lotta work to do, you're not going to stress our staff on anymore by double-loading
workflows, then you need to go so.
We can make a very conservative effort to fill our vacancies in a different way.
So again, Bonnie Jensen and through the chair representative Vance, we have about 50 vacancies, but most of those are under a year.
I'd like to also add on to that that 19 is from the mid year status report, and we already approved slides 10 and 11 for last year and.
Yes, Madam Chair, I wanted to know on the laboratory facility rent area of
$50,000 for the University, how long are they going to need this? This looks like
it will not be just a one-time increment. How much planning do we need to have
increments to be added every year, moving forward a 50,000, a fishing game fund authority, and
if you were to tour the Mark Tagan age lab, they are using every single space available
and they've needed additional space for years.
The division of commercial fisheries
gets a small portion of fishing game fund.
They bring in roughly 150,000 a year
due to fines and forfeitures and commercial fissures.
And they have been able to build up a balance,
and so this is going to help bring the balance down.
And, they had sufficient revenue to cover the expenditures.
We have another question from representative. Thank you madam chair. I
Appreciate
What you're doing and I'm sure it is at the direction of trying to reduce?
Department costs, but you are robbing Peter to pay Paul
You're taking from one department or one area that really can't afford it to
pay another
debt. And that just doesn't make sense to me. It just simply doesnít make
sense. I mean, I could go into all the reasons why our fisheries as a whole are
so important to this state and to cut them off the way this budget is is very, very
I'm best directed to the commissioner and I am wondering if there have been any independent hires to perform surveys in the last year or so.
I know that the department's record hasn't been particularly shining in this area.
I know that vessels have been hired and been paid
and hardly left the dock, which is quite disturbing.
But I'm wondering if that is still going on.
Commissioner Doug Fincinley?
Yes, there are two chair representatives.
Of course, we're interested in working with personnel, I think.
We have a lot of voluntary incentive programs with these buy kits that is basically relying
on the fleet collecting information rather than parking collecting the information.
We're designing one now in the Bering Sea with the North Council through his chum-sum
and buy test. We got disaster money to do crab surveys that really utilize a
lot commercial crab fleet to collect information and we are certainly interested in working with
to collect programs as long as the industry is willing to
collect it based on scientific focus or a scientific
operational plan, we're more than happy to cooperate.
I think hearing stories going on now that are dependent upon
the heritage of any opportunity we can do to not have to buy
a new voter or invest our time with our existing team by
working with the industries we are all for.
Thank you, Madam Chair, Commissioner, I appreciate that and I understand what you're saying, but I'm also well aware of the fact that there have been vessels paid good money, lots of money to perform surveys and those surveys were not performed and it's alarming when I am looking at all the cuts in this budget.
to know that money has been paid out for for nothing in return.
Mr. Chair, I'd be glad to sit down with you and go to those ones if you've identified
and tried to figure out what you're wrong like wrong, but I can tell you that the success
stories of working with the industry are vastly vastly outnumbering those instances where
you are looking at it.
I'll look forward to that conversation, Commissioner.
Now, the other one I'd like to point out real quick is, you know, we asked for money to do that, like, cook in the line survey and we were able to work with industry to get that survey basically done at no cost of the state, which was another example of working with
Thank you commissioner. I believe we do have a question from our representative Hemshoot. Thank You chair, Jimmy
Not sure where to direct this. So I'm just gonna ask it.
I still stuck on the Medea I need to understand is the medea tied up
For the rest of this year and I guess I mean about calendar year physically it doesn't matter how long are we expecting it to be tied?
Through the chair, Representative Hemshoot, the Medea will be operable in FY27.
Follow up?
Thank you, through the chairs.
So that means you have tonnage crew who, when the vessels tied up, what is your captain
of that vessel doing?
Director.
currently tied up, but my assumption is they're not currently out on the survey.
I would have to reach out to the Division of Commercial Fisheries to get an update on
the mid-to-year, though.
Follow-up?
Thanks.
It's just a really specialized position, and those skills are needed in a number of different
places, so if we can second somebody over to ferries, it could be a little bit of a stretch,
you know, tonnage capacity, who's sitting still, I think we could use them, but we don't want to
lose them just because we haven't managed to maintain their Russell. So, another quick question?
Thank you. Through the chair, item 19 is huge. It's massive. What I want
maybe being a little bit undiplomatic,
does it bring us to parity with the federal biologists
because now that's been shaken up too.
So we, for a long time, fishing game biologists
were fleeing to go to federal service,
and now federal services in a bit of a flux, we could call it.
And so what does this mean for staffing
and only eight vacancies or whatever?
But.
This is going to help make sure that we maintain our gold standard on research.
Is this going fill positions?
Are these increases for biologists specifically or just across the board?
Director Jensen?
Through the chair representative, him shoot.
This was large, well, the reason why it's so large is because
bargaining unit with the most members, the general government, GGU, did receive a lump sum payout on July 1st of $2,500.
So, and that was last calendar year. This calendar, year, it's going to be reduced to 2,000 on july 1.
Governor's office recognizing that the contracts are doing, they basically negotiated contracts
for all the unions that are out there for across the board and what they wanted to do is make sure
that to the extent possible that agencies were held harmless rather than taking in this case
$9.3 million cut. So it is a provided money to departments to basically cover those salary
and basically allowed us to then continue moving forward with with cost neutrality with respect to
those salary with those contract adjustments. Good call follow thank you so commissioner can you
verify that our biologists are staying with fishing game or that we're getting some back
from federal service or what is the status of our scientific staff at the department?
four or five years ago, we definitely have biologists leading the state's service to take
other jobs. But I think the salary adjustments that have made the nature of contract agreements
as well as some of the changes in how security with the federal government has decreased a little
bit. We're starting to see it much easier to fill positions now. In the past we had choices of
10 to 15 people to choose from for jobs.
So that's something we're seeing when I talk to my director
and even supervisor, we've seen a greater job full of candidates
of micro jobs that were able to get more qualified
in the register for Jobs.
And that is part of the interview.
Thank you.
Can I add to that, sorry, through the chair,
Representative Hymnchute, I also want to add that
or vacancy rate is 2% less than what it was last year.
Thank you.
I believe we have a question from Representative Elam.
Thank You.
Thank for your presentation.
I was just hoping that maybe you could help me understand
some of your funding sources a little bit.
Specifically, which ones do the fines and
Four for church go to
Through the chair representative elum in statute 16 o 5 1 10. It's the composition of the fishing game fund
in section B that
Points out the finds in four features and that's for the division of commercial fisheries
Um, if it would be beneficial I could provide an example
So, a permit holder and diver in southeast gets CEQ covers.
They collect over their allowable amount.
That overage is then forfeited, sold,
and that those funds are given to commercial fisheries
in their fishing game fund.
And so, yes, please.
Thank you.
So which line would that be in this budget?
through the chair representative that would be other okay what else is in
follow-up which other funds are in the other fund the second largest in other
is interagency receipts and that's when the department or divisions work with
each other
And specifically, like a good example would be like the genetics lab does work for the
division of sport fish on some analysis, that that would
be funded through interagency receipts.
And then it also contains statutory designated program receipts, and that is when the department
Also, the Interagency Oil and Hazardous Waste,
that is specifically for the Habitat section for when they work
with the Department of Environmental Conservation
on Spill Responses and how it affects the surrounding habitats.
Okay, thank you.
Thank you, and I see we have a question from Representative McCabe.
Thank You, Chair Jimmy.
So, I think this is probably for.
Commissioner Vincent Lang, but it might be
It might before somebody else. So page seven this might even be off of your slide page 7 of the governor's
Department of Fish and Game budget
Listen average annual average contribution to Alaska's economy and it divides it up by
commercial fisheries sport fishing wildlife and subsistence
I'd like to know where you got those numbers first of all that if you don't mind a follow-up or two you list 2.5 billion
for sport fishing
contribution to Alaska's economy and I'm sort of interested to where that number came from
maybe it's you
Maybe it maybe
to the chair and I'll take the first shot of this.
So when I became a commissioner and eight years ago,
I decided to ask my staff to put together
kind of an assessment of return on investment base.
I told staff, I said,
I want to make sure that if we're asking for money
from the legislature to do things
that we are actually giving return
on that investment in terms of dollars.
So.
But I have to do the skill or all the different kinds of data sets that were out there.
In terms of sports history, there were yet some old economic data as well as we had data
from the structures and it's a bit of a miracle.
It follows the off log.
We put that information together in terms what we saw in the terms
of returning investments of sport history.
So that's where those numbers came from.
I'll be glad to provide you the references that we have for that sort of
if you're interested.
Thanks.
That'd be a great follow-up.
Follow-ups.
So I'd like to direct you to a notice
that you put out yesterday, Commissioner,
closing virtually every single river in South
Central Alaska to every.
almost every single sport fish.
So how do we expect to maintain
$2.5 billion, which I think is wildly underestimated.
Contribution to the state of Alaska's economy
when you have had to virtually close every,
every Single River other than Stariski Creek
is closed to King salmon.
Anchor River, Deep Creek, and Anilchik yesterday
are now closed, to all sport fishing.
Eagle River drainage to sit in a river,
little to sitting in the river.
Anchor River, deep creek, I mean,
the closures are significant.
And even at 2.5 billion,
this is going to be a huge hit to Alaska's economy.
So how are we going mitigate that?
And I know it's a little bit off the budget.
Oh, sorry.
Commissioner?
Oh yeah.
Yeah, sure. The chair, I don't disagree. Those are going to be huge, large economic impacts.
The cultures are necessary, unfortunately, to ensure that we may have long-term sustained yield.
We're kind of looking at Gulf of Alaska since any stocks overall right now we're seeing some
at least bright spots on the horizon.
On the past, we were meeting one out of six estate and goals in Southeast Alaska for Q&A.
Now we're meeting five out six and most of the river systems are back providing long-term
yield. We're moving to the top, wherever we are seeing those existing goals being met.
We were having trouble in cooking with it, but we met the late one, Tina,
and we weren't seeing time in the state and goal. The optimal yield goal that the board
We're not sure what's going to happen this year, but the Sissitna River stocks are definitely not
showing the same signs of recovery. We are looking very carefully at what the causes
those are, whether it's warm temperatures or whether some interceptive fisheries.
We haven't pinpointed those ideas but those causes yet. Yeah, I share your concern.
Now, the other aspect is that there are partitioned opportunities to shock my family
Those are still being provided for to cook in the drainage,
as well as the personal industries.
And moreover, the Costco works in our king salmon table bowls
in north-class peninsula, and the customers
remember being met, but we're not seeing them in a heap hunt
in that.
So the bright spot is that from five years ago,
we were actually starting to see some recovery of king
salmon bowls, we are hoping that that translates
into the Pacific drainage.
And in Southeast Alaska, or any one of the king's camp.
one of two salmon goals for those systems. We took a lot of
eol authority to restrict those fisheries and, you know, this I could tell it has helped
rebuild those stocks, so we're hoping this thing really happens and could do it. But you're right,
they will have these closures are necessary if we are going to at least protect that
and with the hope of recovering those socks moving forward.
So I'm curious. We've talked earlier on and we mentioned it earlier. How are we going to know?
I mean, we've cut funding for studies.
We have cut for boats. I am looking at the Desker River forecast. This would be an emergency
predicted escapement goals, 9,000 to 18,00,
and we're down to 3,400 fish is the forecast for King salmon.
I mean, this is rivaling what we see on the upper Yukon
where we are going to shut down all fishing
and not even allow any, it's, I sort of agree with,
well, we have a different philosophy.
I sort of agree with Representative Stutz.
We are Robin Peter to pay Paul.
And I get that the state is pretty much broke.
And, and I have no idea where the money is going to come from.
But, you know, 2.5 billion in economic opportunity for Alaska.
And we're just going
to do away with that.
Maybe we should focus a little bit more on the studies
so we know exactly what we are doing.
Well, if I could share a response.
You know, we are doing continuing with wear assessments, but in my eyes, a lot of the
issues regarding what's happening in systems is we're finding out from the work we do in
Northern Bering Sea is that first year I would see.
So we have now invested in a juvenile stroke salmon study using microtags to figure out
what is happening with juvenile salmon as they out migrate and figure that out migration
with the equinox now that's going to be used to not only
to the non-inverancy research, we need
to move that research into some
of the during seeing the Gulf of Alaska.
So we're starting to piece those things together,
but unfortunately it's not, you know,
answers in the ocean are not easily obtainable within a year,
so it can take a multi-year effort.
But at least we are now starting
to look out in that near-shore marine line,
which atleastically known and guaranteed.
is pinpointing the fact that that first couple of years out of C is critical to our understanding
what's going to return back as adults later in life. Thanks.
Thank you. Commissioner, I have a couple questions for you as well.
What is the money replacement of value on subsistence and what is
the culture value of subsistence?
Yeah, so the numbers we put together for subsistence are supposed to be a mix of
We placed on food values in other things, but you're exactly right. How we're estimating
those cultural values, in terms of dollars, is very difficult. But in some respects,
immeasurable in term of the importance of cultural resources. So, yeah, I agree that it's
probably under us in the net of a value, how you turn those culture values into dollar signs
Thank you commissioner. We do have a couple people representatives in the question key.
We will start with readjust
Representative feeling. Thank You
Appreciate the conversation
Going back to the other state funds
I just noticed, you know
Kind of a climb in those or a delta between the actuals and the
Future projections. Can you give me some insight on that?
Of course, through the chair, Representative to Elam.
So you'll also notice a change in federal as well.
So we have to have extra federal authority
so that we do not revert any Dingle Johnson
or Pym and Robertson funds,
and those do require a match and it's fishing game funds.
So, you will see overages in both of those
just to ensure we don't revert funds
Thank you. And that actually brought to my next kind of question there was that I noticed the
UGF dollars and the federal dollars both were kind
of equally climbing there it looked like and so that's all related to the same or why is that
and what are we going to do if federal dollar for any reason should change because there's a
Jump there when we go from the the federal dollars of 25 at 68.8 to 94.7. That's a pretty big gap
Through the chair representative elum, yes
They need at least five million in access authority and that's for each large division
So that 15 and then you have the other smaller divisions because
subsistence
Um, they have a really difficult time estimating how much authority they'll need because
um, federal opportunities will arise throughout the entire fiscal year and they don't want to
do extra paperwork. So they do have excess authority as well so that we can utilize subsistence
fund is if they become available. Okay, thank you. Thank you, Madam Chair of commissioner.
Yeah, one of the things we really want to do is not lose the opportunity to get other funding
sources when they provide themselves. And, you know, we would like to we don't want
to have a lot of excess authorities or so we're turning something different rather than
decreasing. But we do want have that loss of opportunities. We're able to seize a grant that's
going to answer a fundamental question that we need answered and federal money or other
a delta between what we may use or not use,
but in my eyes that delta is necessary
to ensure we don't need some opportunity
to seize on some brand-up of things
that may or may not come up throughout the year.
Thank you.
Thank You.
We will go to represent our events.
Thank-you, Madam Chair.
I'm seeing that there's various
receipts and things like that. You also have a ground fish project. My question
is do you have any rockfish surveys that's hidden in some of these lines that we
cannot see because we have significant reductions in rock fish and because
we've had halibut reductions rockfishes being fished more and that was some
the home or AC about doing surveys and the challenge of those, is there any of that
happening on any level within this next fiscal year?
Yeah, through the chair, this is still beginning. Um,
you know, rockfish, it's like a certain, um, we have some rock fish surveys going on
surveys that we had last time we have a selfie board and we found out that
we actually could liberalize in those opportunities and provide them to
charter mode angles and resume the last ones as well as maintain some of our
halibut histories that were that I had bikets from the cirrhoxide. So yeah we
are conducting active surveys where we are a very good team between sport
fish and commercial fisheries that work very well together to assess both the
We're kind of waiting right now to figure out what those biggest data gaps are and how
we can collect data, but right
now I'm being told that I have the necessary information to make management
decisions in both Southeast and South Central Alaska.
That said, you're right, these are long-lived species, and if you are the
species you want to be really careful with, it seems like the
If we make them a state, you're going to be paying for it for decades.
So, yeah, we are carefully looking at what surveys we need to do.
And again, hoping to get some of those surveys done.
And I think the reality of it is we're probably going
to have to work like other than the suits that find work, work with the industry
to figure out how the best, like that information moving forward.
Follow, follow, Commissioner, what does it mean that you have enough information
to manage Southeast and South Central for this year?
What that means is that what I was told is we have enough information, insurance, and
the yellow under-brokter stocks in Southeast Alaska that we can make the necessary management
decisions to move forward and protect the stocks which is same yield.
Now, does that mean that were not going to be closing or restricting some of those
I'm told that I have enough information right now to make those important decisions.
Thank you.
I think this highlights representative McCabe's concern.
Not only are we having an ecological impact, there's so many unknowns right
now, but it will have an impact on our economy.
And because we keep shuffling what species.
is being targeted and we need to figure out how to help fund the proper things and I feel
like the tail is wagging the dog right now.
Thank you, commissioner.
Thank-you.
Because of a partial survey funding, the department reported
that they discontinued the Kotzebue Area
Colbeck River Test Fishery.
Scaled back from the Yukon River test fishery program,
and would either close the Bethel test
fisherry program or the UConn sonar extension program.
Could you please tell us more about what happened
and what this means to important research?
Well, yeah, through this area, I think what we're trying to do in the UConn is figure out what the biggest questions are.
And some of the longstanding programs may not be addressing the issues that we are seeing in a river.
So, for instance, maybe part of a problem is getting a better water quality sampling program than it is to extend the sonar.
comprehensively at the assessment program we have to make sure that the data that we're
collecting is meeting our treaty obligations, but also trying to better understand the root
causes behind those officials moving forward.
And then the Council on Rivers, it's also a decision that
we are trying face right now with how we were managing that river in terms of balancing
but the federal government may or may not have need
or have an obligation to do in terms of a lower river.
So we're having those discussions right now, right?
At least that's what I'm seeing right
now for the UConn, I have sufficient information
can, again, manage based on the sonar programs
we have in place and the test pressures we
have remaining that we are going to be able to answer
those fundamental questions and be
our treaty obligations in assessing whether or not
we can open our closed fisheries in the uConn.
and the Council come river, you know, again, we're trying to figure out what the best pathway
forward is to ensure we have the necessary obligations to make sure what we are going to need to stay
moving forward. Thank you for answering that. The second question I have is this budget proposal
in the AYUK region that was already taken out in conference committee, will this,
will that action result in a decrement in that base budget for the agency?
To the chair, Jimmy, we are having conversations with OMB regarding this.
Okay. Yeah. Thank you. And I believe we can, oh yes, representative Stutz.
Would you, Ms. Jensen and Commissioner Vincent Lang do for our fisheries whether it be commercial or sport or subsistence?
I know it's a very difficult situation, but I think you can feel the frustration of this committee.
Because I can speak for myself for sure.
We just want to make sure you have the utensils.
to do your job better for all Alaskans.
And so, you know, I get a little testy
because I feel frustrated and I
feel frustrated for you.
Because if I'm frustrated sitting on this side,
you have to be incredibly frustrated.
So please know that we just want to help you do
your jobs better.
Thank you, thank you and if you need,
I will be happy to send it over to you
Madam Chair, if I could just real quick, I just want to thank the legislature and governor's office.
That's right. When I took the job eight years ago, our budget was sitting about $195 million.
Now it's, it increased. I can't imagine trying to tackle the issues that we're facing right
now with a hundred ninety five million dollar budget. So.
Well, I'm sick, put it down the road to get on record.
I want to thank the governor's office for their support
as well as the legislature in increasing our budget.
Is it enough?
I always do more with more, but I can't imagine the challenges
I would be facing if I was pushing $195 million budget
right now.
Are there any other questions or comments?
Seeing none, we will find out our scheduled upcoming
Department of Fish and James subcommittee meeting and we will post it.
Oh yeah, I'm a jacknip commissioner Vincent Douglas and Mrs. Johnson for your presentation. It is eleven or nine and then we'll adjourn this meeting. Thank you.