495 

 Senator Wirth. Now, Mr. Wyman, the last member of this panel. 



STATEMENT OF PHIL WYMAN, CHAIRMAN, SITKA FISH AND 



GAME ADVISORY PANEL 



Mr. Wyman. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, Senator Burns and Sen- 

 ator Murkowski. 



My name is Phil Wyman. I am Chairman of the Sitka Fish and 

 Game Advisory Committee and as Chairman of that Committee I 

 participate on the Southeast Alaska Regional Fish and Game Coun- 

 cil. I am here today on behalf of the Council to read into the record 

 their recommendations regarding the Tongass National Forest. 



First of all, I would like to express our appreciation for the op- 

 portunity to testify before you. 



The Southeast Alaska Regional Fish and Game Council is com- 

 posed of 21 local state fish and game advisory committees as estab- 

 lished by Title VIII of ANILCA to advise and recommend manage- 

 ment of fish and wildlife resources. The Southeast Regional Council 

 is presently in session in Anchorage and has drafted this testimony 

 for presentation. The Council unanimously recommends the follow- 

 ing actions. 



One: The 450 million board foot annual timber harvest should 

 not be mandated. The mandated figure causes management to com- 

 promise true multiple use goals, such as fish and wildlife values, 

 subsistence, recreational and other resource uses. The Forest Serv- 

 ice should make the annual cut reflect a combination of true indus- 

 try needs, a comprehensive mix of market demand, environmental 

 and other resource protection concerns. We recommend the Forest 

 Service be directed to provide permanent habitat protection to sus- 

 tain and enhance the present populations of fish and wildlife. 



Two: The 50-year timber contracts should be renegotiated to re- 

 flect environmental concerns, updated silvaculture information, 

 mitigation for resources impacted by the timber harvest, and local 

 economic needs. 



Three: The $40 million Tongass timber supply fund should be ap- 

 propriated for multiple-use planning, which includes funding for 

 fisheries, habitat rehabilitation, recreational activities, fisheries en- 

 hancement, and pre-commercial thinning of second growth timber. 



Four: The Southeast Regional Council is not convinced wilder- 

 ness designation is the best method of protecting high value recrea- 

 tion, fish, and wildlife habitats from logging. We favor legislated 

 LUD II designation for the 23 acres currently listed in legislation. 



Thank you very much for coming to Southeast Alaska to hear 

 our concerns. Our Regional Council and the individual advisory 

 committees that comprise it stand ready to provide more informa- 

 tion and assistance to you as you deliberate this matter. 



Senator Wirth. I thank you very much. 



Senator Murkowski. Well, let me also include in the record at 

 this point that there is also testimony from Eric Jordan. We might 

 ask you to give us his view as well on these issues. 



[The prepared statements follow:] 



