Bill > SB269

This bill restructures the Board of Fisheries by dividing it into three regional boards: the Southeast Board of Fisheries, the Central Board of Fisheries, and the Western Board of Fisheries, each composed of five members appointed by the governor and confirmed by the legislature, with specific representation for commercial fishing, sport fishing, and subsistence users, and two public members. These regional boards will adopt regulations for fisheries within their designated geographical areas, which are based on bodies of water draining into the Gulf of Alaska, Bering Sea, and the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas, respectively, with the commissioner responsible for setting precise boundaries. The bill also mandates that the Board of Game and the regional Boards of Fisheries hold joint meetings to address conflicts and statewide management issues, and clarifies quorum requirements for both individual regional boards and joint meetings. Additionally, it allows each regional board to hire one clerical assistant and defines "Board of Fisheries" to encompass these regional structures. The changes are set to take effect on January 1, 2027, with provisions for adopting necessary regulations beforehand.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://www.akleg.gov/basis/Bill/Detail/34?Root=SB269