Juneau watch

A Senate resolution was introduced today establishing a Joint Legislative Seafood Industry Task Force.

Juneau watch

State Sen. Click Bishop, R-Fairbanks, has introduced a resolution calling on Congress and all federal agencies to "adopt policies and engage in certain efforts to improve the competitiveness and resiliency of the state's seafood industry."

Juneau watch

The Alaska Legislature opened its new session today, and Rep. Andy Josephson, D-Anchorage, introduced a resolution opposing orca bycatch.

Juneau watch

Rep. Sarah Vance, R-Homer, has introduced a resolution "encouraging the Department of Fish and Game to adopt certain regulations relating to fisheries bycatch."

More from Juneau

The Alaska House of Representatives has passed a resolution in defense of the embattled Southeast Alaska troll fishery. The vote was 35-1, with Rep. David Eastman, R-Wasilla, the lone nay.

House Bill 92 titled "An act relating to claims against protection and indemnity insurance policies of vessel owners" was introduced today.

Juneau watch

Legislators have introduced a resolution urging defense of the state's fisheries, including the Southeast Alaska troll fishery.

Dealing with Russia and China

State legislators have introduced a pair of resolutions aimed at troublesome overseas markets.

Senate Joint Resolution 16 — Calling on President Biden to immediately seek and secure an end to the embargo imposed by Russia on seafood imports from abroad so that Alaska seafood producers' access to the Russian domestic seafood market is fully restored.

Senate Joint Resolution 17 — Requesting the U.S. Trade Representative bring a renewed focus on the plight of producers of seafood in the state and the United States and to compel China to comply with its commitment to increase its imports of seafood products from the United States.

Therefore be it resolved...

Here's a resolution signed by quite a few fishing, processing and hatchery players urging the Legislature and governor to "carefully analyze the cumulative impact of any additional taxes and fees levied on the seafood industry."

The resolution also opposes the 12.5 fisheries royalty proposed under Senate Bill 198.

Resolution opposes Aleutians marine sanctuary

State Rep. Bryce Edgmon, D-Dillingham, has introduced a resolution opposing the proposed designation of an Aleutian Islands National Marine Sanctuary.

A number of other legislators have signed on as co-sponsors, including Republican House Speaker Mike Chenault.

No support here

The Aleutians East Borough Assembly unanimously passed a resolution opposing the nomination of the Aleutian Islands as a national marine sanctuary. Here's a press release.

Legislature passes anti-GE salmon resolution

The Alaska Senate today unanimously passed a resolution opposing U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval of genetically engineered salmon.

The resolution, which previously passed the House, now goes to Gov. Sean Parnell.

A resolution does not carry the force of law. Rather, it merely expresses legislative sentiment.

Four council seats for Natives only?

Check out Senate Joint Resolution 29, introduced a few days ago in the Alaska Legislature.

It asks the state's congressional delegation to pursue a change in federal law to add four new voting members to the North Pacific Fishery Management Council.

These four couldn't be just anybody.

The resolution says the seats must be filled with "members of federally recognized tribes or Alaska Native organizations who are not employed by a community development quota program or the pollock industry."

The problem with the present council, the resolution says, is that it's "dominated by state and industry voices that do not advocate or represent the subsistence needs of Alaska's rural tribal peoples."

The council currently has 11 voting members from Alaska, Oregon and Washington.

So four new Native seats obviously would form a potentially powerful voting bloc.

No individual legislator's name appears on the resolution as sponsor. Rather, it was introduced by the Senate Community and Regional Affairs Committee, the chairman of which is Sen. Donny Olson, D-Nome.

The resolution hasn't advanced since it was introduced on Feb. 26.

Of course, legislative resolutions don't carry the same weight as bills to actually change the law.