Juneau watch

The Alaska Legislature kicked off a new session this week, and lawmakers already have filed some bills of interest to the fishing industry.

House Bill 56 raises limits on certain state commercial fishing loans. The sponsor is Rep. Dan Ortiz, of Ketchikan.

House Bill 29 would prohibit the sale of genetically modified fish in Alaska. The sponsor is Rep. Geran Tarr, of Anchorage.

The major concern for legislators this session will be the same as last year — a multibillion-dollar budget deficit resulting from the decline in oil revenue. This could lead to new or higher taxes for industry and individuals.