AK SB135

Legislature finds it is in the public interest to reduce the number of commercial set net fishers on the east side of Cook Inlet.

Establishes the Eastern Set Net Subdistrict of the Cook Inlet Central District as a separate administrative area effective January 1, 2019, and reassigns entry permits based on participation history in that area within two years preceding December 31, 2018.

Conducts a March 1, 2019 election among eligible set net fishers with land leases to vote on whether to establish a voluntary entry permit buy-back program offering $260,000 per permit.

Buy-back program terminates when commercial set net entry permits fished on state land leases in the Eastern Set Net Subdistrict are reduced by 40 percent from 2017 levels; participating fishers' land leases are terminated without penalty and property is prohibited from future shore gill net leasing.

Prohibits new shore gill net leases on state land adjacent to the Eastern Set Net Subdistrict, though existing leases may be extended or renewed.