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HOUSE BILL NO. 356
IN THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA
THIRTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE - SECOND SESSION
BY REPRESENTATIVE VANCE
Introduced: 2/23/26
Referred: House Special Committee on Fisheries, Labor and Commerce
A BILL
FOR AN ACT ENTITLED
"An Act relating to health and sanitary requirements and certain permits for 1
commercial fishing vessels; and providing for an effective date." 2
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 3
* Section 1. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section 4
to read: 5
SHORT TITLE. This Act may be known as the Alaska Coastal Micro-Fisheries Act. 6
* Sec. 2. AS 44.46.020 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: 7
(c) If the Department of Environmental Conservation finds that a commercial 8
vessel and the associated fishery processing operation operated by a commercial fisher 9
described under AS 44.46.027(a)(1) meet safety standards, including those established 10
under 21 C.F.R. Part 123, and that the fisher harvests only fishery species that present 11
a low risk of spreading pests or disease from the vessel, the regulations of the 12
Department of Conservation that relate to the production and processing of the fishery 13
resource must 14
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(1) exempt the vessel and associated fishery processing operation from 1
additional health and sanitary requirements; and 2
(2) allow up to 5,000 pounds of harvested fishery resources to be 3
packaged and frozen aboard the vessel for each voyage. 4
* Sec. 3. AS 44.46.025 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: 5
(f) Notwithstanding (a) of this section, the Department of Environmental 6
Conservation may not charge a licensed commercial fisher who harvests fewer than 7
10,000 pounds of fishery resources annually from a vessel under 50 feet in overall 8
length, and who processes the fishery resource under a direct marketing fisheries 9
business license issued under AS 43.75.020(c), more than $100 in annual fees under 10
AS 17.20 and this chapter. 11
* Sec. 4. AS 44.46 is amended by adding a new section to read: 12
Sec. 44.46.027. Regulations for certain commercial fishers fishing from 13
small fishing vessels. (a) The Department of Environmental Conservation shall, in 14
consultation with the Department of Fish and Game, work to simplify and streamline 15
regulations applicable to a licensed commercial fisher who processes fishery resources 16
harvested by the fisher under a direct marketing fisheries business license issued under 17
AS 43.75.020(c) and who harvests 18
(1) less than 10,000 pounds of fishery resources annually from a vessel 19
under 50 feet in overall length; or 20
(2) fishery resources from a vessel that does not exceed 65 feet in 21
overall length. 22
(b) The Department of Environmental Conservation shall approve or deny a 23
permit requested by a commercial fisher described in (a)(1) or (2) of this section 24
within 30 days after the fisher applies for the permit. 25
(c) In simplifying and streamlining regulations under this section, the 26
Department of Environmental Conservation shall prioritize simplifying and 27
streamlining regulations applicable to commercial fishers described in (a)(1) of this 28
section who fish from rural coastal communities. The Department of Environmental 29
Conservation shall ensure the regulations address the specific economic challenges 30
posed by fishing from rural coastal communities, including high costs and difficulties 31
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in accessing product markets. 1
* Sec. 5. This Act takes effect July 1, 2026. 2