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            The Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute has selected another retired Coast Guardsman to replace Ray Riutta, the outgoing executive director, himself a retired Coast Guardsman. Retired Captain Michael Cerne, who served for 31 years, will join ASMI in September, allowing for several months of overlap before Riutta says goodbye at the end of the year.

            Cerne is no stranger to Alaska or its fisheries, having served on three Alaska-based cutters, including command of the Kodiak-based Storis. He also oversaw the Coast Guard's North Pacific Fisheries Training Center in Kodiak, and was the chief of Fisheries Law Enforcement from 1998 to 2002.

            His last assignment before retiring last year was in Juneau as the manager of Alaska fishery patrol operations, through which he also served on the North Pacific Fishery Management Council and a number of other international fishery management organizations. He is currently working on a project for the United Nations on improving global tuna fisheries management.

            ASMI board chairman Joe Bundrant of Trident Seafoods says he's known Cerne for many years, and is happy with the board's selection.

            Riutta said Cerne's combination of skills and experience will make him a good addition to ASMI.