1995-35 Urging the Reauthorization of the Federal Magnuson Fisheries Conservation and Management Act.KODIAK ISLAND BOROUGH
RESOLUTION NO. 95 -35
Introduced by: Mayor Selby
Requested by: Assembly
Drafted by: Mayor Selby /AML
Introduced: 08/17/95
Amended: 08/17/95
Adopted: 08/17/95
A RESOLUTION URGING THE REAUTHORIZATION OF THE
FEDERAL MAGNUSON FISHERIES CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT ACT
WHEREAS, the Kodiak Island Borough contains one of the largest fishery
communities in the nation and lies adjacent to, and is dependent upon, fishery
resources of the federally managed exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the Gulf of
Alaska; and
WHEREAS, the U.S. Congress is currently involved with reauthorizing the
Magnuson Fisheries Conservation and Management Act which proscribes
management of those fishery resources through the regional council process and the
National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS); and
WHEREAS, the impact on fisheries dependent communities resulting from fisheries
policies has often not been adequately considered before policies are adopted; and
WHEREAS, there are several general issues of national and regional concern being
considered for amendment within the Magnuson Act reauthorization;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE ASSEMBLY OF THE KODIAK ISLAND
BOROUGH THAT:
Section 1: The Kodiak Island Borough Assembly supports adding the requirement
for an analysis of the economic impact on coastal communities to the national
standards for all fisheries policies due to the impact on the Kodiak and other
fisheries dependent communities economy as a result of each fisheries policy that
is adopted.
Section 2: The Kodiak Island Borough Assembly supports continuation of the
existing statutory composition of the North Pacific Fishery Management Council.
Section 3: The Kodiak Island Borough Assembly supports Magnuson Act language
which encourages the regional councils to consider the effect of management
regulations on bycatch and discards in the fisheries and supports the Congressional
intent outlined in S.39 to provide economic incentives to minimize the bycatch of
unwanted species. In addition, the Assembly supports the councils' ability to
develop and enforcement's ability to enforce regulations which actually reduce
bycatch and discards.
Section 4: The Kodiak Island Borough Assembly supports statutory requirements
that appropriate regional councils establish and implement protection against
overfishing for each and every species under their respective jurisdiction including
defining the conditions approaching overfishing.
Section 5: The Kodiak Island Borough Assembly supports federal funding
Increments necessary to allow NMFS to provide the councils with sufficient
biological information to implement reasonable controls against overfishing and
provide adequate habitat protection and increased research for understanding and
Kodiak Island Borough, Alaska Resolution No. 95 -35
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management of the resource, including provisions to allow production fishing by
chartered vessels following a survey as a method of compensating the vessels for
their charter time.
Section 6: The Kodiak Island Borough Assembly supports the existing Alaskan
Bering Sea community development quota (CDQ) program and also, where
appropriate, supports community set -aside programs to aid fishery development and
recognize economic dependence in coastal communities.
Section 7: The Kodiak Island Borough Assembly believes that any fee, tax, or
royalty structure, which might be levied against the harvesting or processing of
fishery resources, must recognize and credit other federal, state, or local fees, taxes,
or royalties otherwise levied on the same resources. All such revenues should
subsequently be utilized for management, research, and administration of fishery
programs in proportion to the level of contribution from the areas in which the
revenues were derived in addition to the usual appropriation in the Federal budget.
Section 8: The Kodiak Island Borough Assembly supports the position that the
halibut and sablefish individual fishing quota (IFQ) programs be considered a pilot
program and that careful analysis of the economic impact on fisheries dependent
coastal communities and on the fishery be required before any additional IFQ
programs can be considered. This analysis needs to draw a conclusion on how
successfully the IFQ program has met the intended goals and expectations set out
for it when adopted as well as the economic impact on the coastal communities.
Additional IFQ programs must require economic impact analysis and demonstrate
negligible economic impact before adoption.
Section 9: The Kodiak Island Borough Assembly supports reasonable statutory
controls against direct, personal and financial conflicts of interest inherent in the
voting of any member of the regional councils but recognizing that some lesser
conflicts are inevitable and acceptable, given that membership of councils by
necessity must be composed of participants in the fishing and processing industry.
Section 10: The Kodiak Island Borough Assembly supports the development of a
program that provides loan guarantees for small boat owners to acquire IFQ shares
for halibut and sablefish IFQs.
ATTEST:
ADOPTED BY THE ASSEMBLY OF THE KODIAK ISLAND BOROUGH
THIS SEVENTEENTH DAY OF AUGUST, 1995.
C cPin a ;TAmithYagelorough Clerk
Kodiak Island Borough, Alaska
KODIAK ISLAND BOROUGH
Raolution No. 95 -35
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