Legislation that would create a regulatory framework for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game to manage shellfish enhancement projects has passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 37-2 and now heads to the Senate for consideration.
House Bill 41, with Rep. Dan Ortiz, I-Ketchikan, as its main sponsor, calls for qualified nonprofits to pursue shellfish enhancement and restoration projects, with strict safety standards to ensure sustainability of existing stocks while enabling ADF&G Commissioner Doug Vincent-Lang to make a determination of substantial public benefit before any project proceeds.
This proposal will help diversify the fishing industry and establish the infrastructure needed to help grow the mariculture sector into a potentially $100 million industry in the next 20 years, Ortiz said.
Speaker of the House Louise Stutes, R-Kodiak, also praised the bill’s potential. “This legislation will help farmers increase their harvest and yield of shellfish in an environmentally safe and responsible manner and bring more jobs to our state,” Stutes said.
“Alaska’s burgeoning shellfish industry has incredible potential to become a staple of coastal Alaska’s economy,” added Rep. Andi Story, D-Juneau.
