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salmon streams that lie within the Hobart Bay ownership of Gold- 

 belt, which are the Lorris Creek and Sawchuck. 



We have checked the Alaska Department of Fish and Game com- 

 mercial fisheries pink salmon escapement surveys going back to 

 1960 to the present, up through 1988, and essentially it shows that 

 there has not been any detrimental effect on the salmon escape- 

 ment as a result of logging that has occurred essentially since 1982 

 on Goldbelt property. 



Senator Murkowski. I wonder — I do not want to get into an ar- 

 gument here, but for the record — if there are any strong opinions 

 on who has got the best forest management practices, the State or 

 the Forest Service? 



Mr. Lindh. I would like to comment on that. 



Senator Murkowski. You want to get into that? 



Mr. Lindh. There is plenty. I am sure we can all say something. 



I think last year the Governor recognized that the forest prac- 

 tices in-state were in need of some serious review and asked for a 

 review to be conducted by a joint effort of industry and State 

 agency, fisheries and environmental organizations. 



Before the State legislature right now is a substantially revised 

 Forest Practices Act which, if it is enacted, will improve not only 

 the practices on private land, but substantially improve the prac- 

 tices on State and municipal forest lands throughout the State. 



So I would say that probably the current statute that applies 

 does not provide the kind of protection which Federal law should 

 provide on national forest land. 



Senator Murkowski. Ms. Troll? 



Ms. Troll. Yes, I will agree with that. The current Forest Prac- 

 tices Act provides for minimal protection. There is no requirement 

 for streamside buffers or anything of the like on private operations. 



State lands are covered under a State forest land planning proc- 

 ess. 



Senator Murkowski. Yet there is more volume being cut cur- 

 rently, or just about as much, from the private lands? 



Ms. Troll. Yes, these past few years. 



Senator Murkowski. And there are no buffer requirements? 



Ms. Troll. And that is why it has been a number one priority 

 with the United Fishermen of Alaska to work with the Governor. 

 We advocated that this steering committee process be formulated. 

 We have actively participated in that. 



It was an oversight that in our opinion was long needed. We 

 needed it five, ten years ago. But we are glad to see that we have 

 made progress on that. 



Senator Murkowski. Do we know what current progress we have 

 made? I mean, is it going to be adopted or is it not? 



Mr. Lindh. Senator, it is basically up to the State legislature. 



Senator Murkowski. They can go back on a private sale and 

 mandate as a matter of forest practices the mandate of buffers on 

 private land? 



Mr. Lindh. Senator, the industry participants in the consensus 

 process have agreed to restrictions on their ability to harvest 

 timber next to salmon streams. They have done that in the broader 

 context of agreeing on a whole host of things, which is a very frag- 



