Alaska State Legislature
News from the House Majority

Jerry Ritter, House Majority Press Secretary
State Capitol
Juneau, AK 99801
Ph: (907) 465-3804
web site: http://www.akrepublicans.org
Actuality line: 1-800-478-6540

House Members Say Much Work Remains on Pacific Salmon Talks

Differences Remain, But Legislators Hopeful for Agreement

For Immediate Release: March 27, 1998 Contact: Majority Press Office at (907) 465-3804.

Juneau -- Five Alaska Legislators have returned from Victoria, British Columbia, after two days of salmon talks with Canadian and British Columbia officials. The Legislators say they're hopeful the session may lead to further talks to unravel the knotty questions surrounding Pacific Salmon stocks.

Representatives Alan Austerman (R-Kodiak), Bill Hudson (R-Juneau), Eldon Mulder (R-Anchorage), and Bill Williams (D-Saxman), and Senator Loren Leman (R-Anchorage) joined lawmakers from four other states for the talks.

"It's clear to me, after listening to the Americans and the Canadians during these sessions that the statistical information from the two sides has got to be reconciled," said Hudson. "Such a scientifically involved question must be resolved using good science; this issue cannot be relegated to the political arena," Hudson said.

"The Canadians want to negotiate an agreement government to government. From Alaska's perspective, that's not acceptable," said Williams. "We've taken care of our stocks and streams, they have not, so they're reluctant to negotiate in good faith, using catch data and science. The destruction of our timber industry in Southeast is a good example of what happens when science takes a back seat and politics drives an issue," Williams said. "We don't want to see that happen to our fisheries."

The Alaskans agreed that stakeholders and scientists will ultimately have to solve the problems of salmon allocations in the North Pacific. They added that both sides must, ultimately, become better informed about the other's actions and interests. They warned, too, about attempts by Provincial Government officials in British Columbia to divide Alaska from the rest of the American delegation.

"It's a good thing we were there, to show that sort of thing just won't work," Hudson said.

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