Lawmakers in the Alaska State House are on the verge of passing HB 93, which would increase the number of days Alaskans must be physically present in the state in order to qualify as a resident hunter, fisherman or trapper.
If passed, the proposal would make it more difficult for individuals to become resident fisherman than to cast an Alaska ballot.
Sponsored by leftwing Sitka Rep. Rebecca Himschoot, the stated goal of bill is to reduce pressure on fish and game resources by ensuring resident license holders are full-time residents.
Currently, individuals who spend little-to-no time in Alaska can still obtain generous hunting and fishing bag and possession licenses, along with reduced fees. That’s because these licenses are granted to Alaskans who are indefinitely absent, so long as they “intend” to return to Alaska, maintain a home in the state and haven’t establish official residency elsewhere.
Those are nearly identical to the qualifications for voting in local and national elections, which has resulted in massively bloated and wildly inaccurate Alaska voter rolls where ballots are still mailed to people who have long since left the state.
If Rep. Himschoot gets her way, that wouldn’t be tolerated when it comes to obtaining resident fishing and hunting licenses.
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According to Himschoot, her legislation is needed in order to ensure that those who qualify for resident licenses are “in fact year-round residents of Alaska who deserve the privileges.”
If HB 93 passes the House and Senate and is signed by Gov. Mike Dunleavy, it would require resident hunters and fishermen to meet a much more difficult residency threshold – akin to what is needed in order to collect an annual Permanent Fund Dividend check, which mandates that Alaskans be physically present in the state for at least 185 days a year, with limited exceptions.
Himschoot’s bill has made it through the committee process and is now set for a vote before the full house on Jan. 30.
16 Comments
I do not think non residents should be allowed to be taking a single fish from our waters for the next 5 years. Let our numbers build back up. I see individual tourists taking more fish on the ferry every day from Prince of Wales Island than we are allowed in a year for subsistence. They have done the same with our deer. I see outside people by the thousands coming in shooting any deer, legal or not, same with bears. It makes zero sense to let these people come in and destroy an entire islands fish and wildlife population. I watched a guy drive a truck onto the ferry with six does in the back, that is completely illegal, yet even with multiple people reporting it, there was nobody there to meet him when the ferry arrived in Ketchkan. There are guides on POW that have fishermen go out and get their limit three times a day, residents are not allowed to do that…
Shut down hunting and fishing tourism in southeast Alaska for a few years, and start jailing unscrupulous guides. I do not understand how the subsistence laws on POW apply statewide, because wealthy people come from all over the state to kill our deer and bears in large quantities. Subsistence laws need to be specific for where one resides, and the tourists need to look but not touch.
He might have been hunting as a proxy for an old-timer. It’s very common. Ask first before bothering law enforcement.
Shooting does is not legal on POW unless you have a specific local subsitance permit, and then you are allowed one doe AFTER harvesting 4 bucks. The doe can only be harvested after a certain date as well. A friend and I watched a couple guys put a doe in the back of their van from a restaurant from Ketchikan opening week one year. Im sure those guys filled that thing with every deer they saw. Poachers from Ketchikan is a huge problem. I do proxy hunt for people, but am still required to obey the hunting laws. I wish the hunting and fishing guides were required to obey them as well. It is a huge problem having nonresidents coming up for the summer just to take. They have no skin in the game, They poach, they have no problem taking out clients and letting them get two or three limits a day, its not their fish. Its the same with hunters. I wont even get into nonresident commercial fishermen…
Well, well, well! Why don’t they extend this to non-resident commercial fishing vessels, that steal Alaska fish and sell them to foreign countries? Alaska resources should be for Alaskans. Or put a tariff or income tax non-resident commercial fishing vessels.
Mary I believe you will do great as long as you look out for all Alaskan’s and not for just the ones that have money. People aren’t stupid they have eyes.
Left-wing politician or not, this is a good thing. There’s so much cheating on residency issues. Good and glad to hear this.
How will HB 93 affect college students who go to school in the lower 48 and still claim
Alaska Residency? Returning college students who come home for the summer won’t be able to fish with their families over the summer. What about the military who have to go over seas and own a home in Alaska, their families waiting for their return and now will be disqualified to fish, hunt or trap with their families upon their return? What about Alaska Resident Commercial Pilots and flight attendants, will they be disqualified as well?
Vote against it if you don’t like it! Why is it an issue in the first place?
where is all her concern over trawlers ripping off every thing in the ocean.
oh wait they have lobbyists to listen to
absurd
That’s what I thought it always was. Silly me. It seems fair and reasonable to me.
Should include an exception for resident military who get deployed overseas.
Military and students will already have exceptions granted
PFD guidelines would be fine IMO allowing you to prove health issues for care, military, college residency for extended circumstances out of state.and or proxy for us elderly. Resident sportsman should be priority 1 over commercial trwaling etc.
PFD guidelines would be fine IMO allowing you to prove health issues for care, military, college residency for extended circumstances out of state.and or proxy for us elderly. Resident sportsman should be priority 1 over commercial trwaling etc.
Thank you Watchman bring these stories.
I for one completely agree with her, whatever her political affiliation.
As a nearly 50 year resident I’m finding harder and harder to find who to vote for in elections.
The state Republican Party, this website as well as others need to address this!
I don’t want to join Facebook or and other social media to get a clear understanding of who to vote for in assembly , school board , governor etc. etc. elections!
Get the message out or we will continue to drown in a sea of blue!!
Thank you
She’s a leftist what else do you need to know.