Alaska HB 304: An Act relating to the duties of the commissioner of fish and game; establishing the sport fishing angler access account; establishing the sport fishing angler access surcharge; and providing for an effective date.

Bill Text

HB0304b -1- CSHB 304(FSH)
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CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 304(FSH)

IN THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA

THIRTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE - SECOND SESSION

BY THE HOUSE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON FISHERIES

Offered: 2/27/26
Referred: Finance

Sponsor(s): REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE
A BILL

FOR AN ACT ENTITLED

"An Act relating to the duties of the commissioner of fish and game; establishing the 1
sport fishing angler access account; establishing the sport fishing angler access 2
surcharge; and providing for an effective date." 3
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 4
* Section 1. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section 5
to read: 6
LEGISLATIVE INTENT. It is the intent of the legislature that the commissioner of 7
fish and game model the report required under AS 16.05.050(c), added by sec. 2 of this Act, 8
on the Department of Fish and Game's Professional Publication No. 08-01, titled "Economic 9
Impacts and Contributions of Sportfishing in Alaska, 2007." 10
* Sec. 2. AS 16.05.050 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: 11
(c) Every four years, the commissioner shall produce and disseminate to the 12
public a report on the economic impacts of sport fishing in the state. 13
* Sec. 3. AS 16.05.130 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: 14

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CSHB 304(FSH) -2- HB0304b
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(i) Money accruing to the state from the sport fishing angler access surcharge 1
imposed by AS 16.05.340(l) shall be deposited in a separate account known as the 2
sport fishing angler access account within the fish and game fund. The department 3
shall allocate money in the angler access account to production and dissemination of 4
the report on the economic impacts of sport fishing in the state required under 5
AS 16.05.050(c). The Department shall, after allocating funds for the production and 6
dissemination of the report under this subsection, allocate funds in the account to 7
programs intended to directly benefit license purchasers by developing, improving, 8
and maintaining access opportunities, facilities and other infrastructure, and services 9
for nonmotorized sport fishing. 10
* Sec. 4. AS 16.05.340(i) is amended to read: 11
(i) If the commissioner determines that residents of the state are entitled to 12
obtain licenses for sport fishing, including sport fishing for anadromous king salmon, 13
in Yukon, Canada, for the same fees that are charged to residents of Yukon for 14
comparable sport fishing licenses, the commissioner may adopt regulations 15
authorizing residents of Yukon to receive 16
(1) nonresident annual sport fishing licenses for the fees charged to 17
residents under (a) and (l) of this section for a resident sport fishing license; and 18
(2) nonresident anadromous king salmon annual tags for the fee 19
charged to residents under (a) of this section for a resident anadromous king salmon 20
tag. 21
* Sec. 5. AS 16.05.340 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: 22
(l) In addition to the fees for a sport fishing license set out in (a) and 23
(d) of this section, each person who purchases a sport fishing license shall pay a sport 24
fishing angler access surcharge as set out in this subsection. A person who is eligible 25
for a $5 resident hunting, trapping, and sport fishing license under (a)(6) of this 26
section or a free license under AS 16.05.341 is exempt from payment of the surcharge 27
imposed under this subsection. The surcharge authorized by this subsection shall take 28
effect on the date established by regulation by the commissioner. The amount of the 29
surcharge must be clearly disclosed on each sport fishing license. The amount of the 30
sport fishing angler access surcharge to be paid under this subsection for each sport 31

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HB0304b -3- CSHB 304(FSH)
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fishing license is as follows: 1
(1) resident sport fishing license .........................................................$1 2
(2) resident hunting and sport fishing license .......................................1 3
(3) resident hunting, trapping, and sport fishing license .......................1 4
(4) nonresident 14-day sport fishing license .........................................3 5
(5) nonresident seven-day sport fishing license ....................................2 6
(6) nonresident three-day sport fishing license ......................................2 7
(7) nonresident one-day sport fishing license .......................................2 8
(8) nonresident annual sport fishing license .........................................5 9
(9) special nonresident military small game and sport fishing license ..1 10
(10) special nonresident military sport fishing license .........................1. 11
* Sec. 6. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to 12
read: 13
TRANSITION: REGULATIONS. The commissi