From: Terry Gardiner [tgardiner@norquest.com]
Sent: Thursday, October 09, 2003 12:09 PM
To: 'Tim Barry'
Subject: RE: Task Force Production Subcommittee Meeting Friday 10/10
Sorry I cannot attend the meetings, but here is my perspective as input to the
committee:
1) The fractionalization bill is the best alternative put forward for
reducing fleet size, the number one problem for salmon fishermen. We should work
hard to resolve any issues in this bill, perfect it as best we can and ask that
it be introduced to the Legislature.
The fractionalization bill is complex, and we should not be scared off by that.
No good solution will be simple for salmon. If the industry shows some
solidarity behind a complex solution, the Legislature will give us a good
reception. If we are fragmented and have controversy before the Legislature,
they will duck and not consider a complex bill like permit fractionalization.
2) The other permit bills under consideration on the agenda may or may not
be good to tack onto the fractionalization bill. They should be considered on
their own merits.
It is a Legislative strategic decision, not within our committee expertise, to
decide whether these should be placed in the fractionalization bill. I would
defer to Rep Williams and Sen. Stevens on whether they should be separate or
combined bills when introduced.
3) We should focus and complete our work on the fractionalization bill as it
deals with the big picture before we move onto such smaller issues as 58 ft
limit for purse seiners and 32 ft limit in Bristol Bay. Those may be good ideas,
but their impact will be very limited. We need to focus on ideas with large
impact to the fleet to assist the overall economics of the fleet.