Wrangell Sentinel -

A bill before the House Resources Committee would tighten residency requirements for Alaska sportfishing, hunting and trapping licenses.

Community groups have raised concerns that a gap in state law allows people who don’t live year-round in Alaska to claim residency to harvest fish and wildlife with cheaper licenses and higher catch or bag limits. The measure, introduced by Sitka Rep. Rebecca Himschoot, would align requirements to renew those licenses with requirements to get a Permanent Fund dividend.

Like the dividend, applicants would need to have lived in Alaska for more than half of...