460 



We have seen in dramatic fashion, from the oil spill in 

 Prince William Sound, how man's negligent errors can threaten the 

 fishstocks and other marine population, which in turn jeopardize 

 economic livelihood of thousands of Alaskans. We cannot afford 

 to make a similar error by reducing the natural habitat for 

 wildstock fish. 



We recommend that a substantial portion of the current 

 Tongass Timber Supply fund be redirected toward fisheries 

 protection and enhancement, economic diversification and 

 community impact grants. Both the Governor and the Southeast 

 Conference support this need. We have legislative language to 

 achieve this objective as an addendum to my testimony. 



Such a reallocation would not only brunt the inevitable 

 economic impacts of reduced funding for timber harvesting and 

 facilitate a move toward economic diversification, but it also 

 will help reduce the ecologic impact of the recent oil spill on 

 wildstock fish populations, and provide some cushion against the 

 potential for future errors. Between the oil spill and illegal 

 high seas drift-netting by some Asian countries, viable 

 populations of commercial fish may very well be in jeopardy. 



C. LAND MANAGEMENT AND EXCHANGES 



Finally, Congress must solve the land allocation issues that 

 continue to be in limbo eighteen years after passage of ANCSA. 

 Among these controversies are Admiralty Island and a host of 

 other Native exchanges that would implement ANCSA and create new 

 economic opportunities. We also support reallocating certain 



