The commercial fleet harvests the overwhelming majority of the fish taken in Alaska, 98.6% of all fish and game by weight, according to a 2017 state report, yet of the seven board members on the Alaska Board of Fisheries, only one is an active commercial fisherman.
A bill awaiting Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s signature could make it easier for the industry to be represented on the board by relaxing conflict-of-interest rules.
Currently, state law says that a member of the Alaska Board of Fisheries or the Board of Game who has a personal or financial conflict of interest can’t, “vote, deliberate, or otherwise participate,” in the board’s business on the matter.
Under House Bill 33, conflicted members still couldn’t vote, but they could at least participate in the board’s discussion.
According to data provided by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game compiled from 19 years of meetings, recusals due to conflicts of interest were common on the Board of Fisheries: On average there is about one recusal for every eight proposals considered or 12%. Typically, it’s board members who fish commercially or are sport fish guides in an area that is discussed during the Board of Fisheries’ meeting.
Rep. Louise Stutes of Kodiak said her bill would help level the playing field between commercial, subsistence and sport user groups.
“But very rarely do you ever hear of a sport fisherman being conflicted out, or a subsistence person being conflicted out," she said. "But you regularly hear of a com fish guy getting conflicted out. And consequently, it’s very difficult to get a board member for com fish because they say, ‘Why should I? I’ll be conflicted out.’”
A few of the seven Board of Fisheries board members do have commercial fishing experience, but only one is still an active commercial fisherman with a setnet site.
Stutes said versions of this bill have repeatedly failed, going back to 1993, well before she was elected. Last week on April 24 was the first time it’s cleared the Legislature.
“And then it goes to the Governor. That is the furthest that bill has ever gotten," Stutes said. "And I’m pretty excited, being this is the 12th year I’ve carried it.”
She said one main interest group has repeatedly stymied it: the Kenai River Sportfishing Association.
The association argues the bill is unnecessary because there are already ethical procedures for conflicted members in place. In written testimony to the Legislature, the association said allowing a conflicted board member to, “have influence over how allocations or regulations are interpreted or implemented, even if the influence isn’t a final vote, is inappropriate.”
A spokesperson for the governor said Dunleavy will review the bill before deciding what to do.
