Legislature(2009 - 2010)CAPITOL 106
04/05/2010 03:00 PM House FISHERIES
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| Board of Fisheries | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
JOINT MEETING
HOUSE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON FISHERIES
HOUSE RESOURCES STANDING COMMITTEE
April 5, 2010
3:06 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
HOUSE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON FISHERIES
Representative Bryce Edgmon, Chair
Representative Craig Johnson
Representative Robert L. "Bob" Buch
Representative Scott Kawasaki
HOUSE RESOURCES STANDING COMMITTEE
Representative Craig Johnson, Co-Chair
Representative Bryce Edgmon
Representative Paul Seaton
Representative Peggy Wilson
Representative David Guttenberg
Representative Scott Kawasaki
Representative Chris Tuck
MEMBERS ABSENT
HOUSE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON FISHERIES
Representative Charisse Millett
Representative Cathy Engstrom Munoz
Representative Wes Keller, Vice Chair
HOUSE RESOURCES STANDING COMMITTEE
Representative Mark Neuman, Co-Chair
Representative Kurt Olson
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
CONFIRMATION HEARING(S)
Board of Fisheries
Claude Vincent Webster - King Salmon
Thomas G. Kluberton - Talkeetna
- CONFIRMATION(S) ADVANCED
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
No previous action to record
WITNESS REGISTER
CLAUDE VINCENT WEBSTER, Appointee
to the Board of Fisheries
King Salmon, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified as appointee to the Board of
Fisheries.
THOMAS G. KLUBERTON, Appointee
to the Board of Fisheries
Talkeetna, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified as appointee to the Board of
Fisheries.
SCOTT EGGEMEYER, Member at Large
Kenai River Professional Guide Association
Soldotna, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in favor of the appointees to the
Board of Fisheries.
ROLAND MAW, Executive Director
United Cook Inlet Drift Association
Soldotna, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified during the Board of Fisheries
confirmation hearings.
DAVE GOGGIA, President
Kenai River Professional Guide Association
Kenai, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in favor of the appointees to the
Board of Fisheries.
REUBEN HANKE, Fisheries Chair
Kenai River Sportfishing Association
Soldotna, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in favor of the appointees to the
Board of Fisheries.
ANDY SZCESNY
Soldotna, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in favor of the appointees to the
Board of Fisheries.
DAVID MARTIN
Clam Gulch, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified during the Board of Fisheries
confirmation hearings.
JOHN BLAIR, Executive Director
SouthEast Alaska Guides Organization (SEAGO)
Sitka, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in favor of the appointees to the
Board of Fisheries.
VIRGIL UMPHENOUR
Fairbanks, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in favor of the appointees to the
Board of Fisheries.
JIM MARCOTTE, Executive Director
Board of Fisheries
Boards Support Section
Alaska Department of Fish & Game (ADF&G)
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified during the Board of Fisheries
confirmation hearings.
ACTION NARRATIVE
3:06:46 PM
CO-CHAIR CRAIG JOHNSON AND CHAIR BRYCE EDGMON called the joint
meeting of the House Resources Standing Committee and the House
Special Committee on Fisheries to order at 3:07 p.m. Present at
the call to order from the House Special Committee on Fisheries
were Representatives Edgmon, Kawasaki, Buch, and Johnson.
Present at the call to order from the House Resources Standing
Committee were Representatives Johnson, Kawasaki, Tuck, Seaton,
Edgmon, and Guttenberg. Representative Peggy Wilson arrived as
the meeting was in progress.
^CONFIRMATION HEARING(S)
CONFIRMATION HEARING(S)
^Board of Fisheries
Board of Fisheries
3:07:37 PM
CO-CHAIR JOHNSON announced that the committees would first
consider the appointment of Claude Webster to the Board of
Fisheries (BOF).
3:07:53 PM
CLAUDE VINCENT WEBSTER, Appointee to the BOF, said he is known
as Vince, and informed the committee he has been commercial
fishing for 26 years in King Salmon and Bristol Bay. He pointed
out he currently serves on the BOF and has been reappointed by
the governor.
3:08:25 PM
REPRESENTATIVE GUTTENBERG complimented Mr. Webster on his
resume.
3:09:04 PM
MR. WEBSTER, in response to Co-Chair Johnson, said it is a great
honor to serve on the BOF and look after one of the largest
renewable resources in the world. He expressed his pleasure at
his reappointment.
3:09:24 PM
CO-CHAIR JOHNSON invited Mr. Kluberton to testify.
3:09:37 PM
THOMAS G. KLUBERTON, Appointee to the BOF, stated his experience
with the BOF began during his term on the Matanuska-Susitna
(Mat-Su) Borough Assembly, due to the mayor and assembly's
interest in fisheries issues. Beginning in 2008, he served on
the Mayor's Blue Ribbon Sportsmen's Committee and was also very
involved in the Cook Inlet fish cycle. He said, "I'm happy to
be here and answer any questions you've got."
3:10:46 PM
CO-CHAIR JOHNSON opened public testimony.
3:11:10 PM
SCOTT EGGEMEYER, Member at Large, Kenai River Professional Guide
Association, informed the committees he was representing the
Kenai River Professional Guide Association, and expressed
support for both appointees.
3:11:41 PM
ROLAND MAW, Executive Director, United Cook Inlet Drift
Association, said his organization is not in support of the
nomination of Mr. Kluberton. The BOF regulates a multi-billion
dollar industry involving the state's economy and affecting
multiple species that have a variety of stakeholders. Mr. Maw
stated that Mr. Kluberton lacks training in biology, practical
training in resource management, and represents "a very narrow
interest." In addition, members of the association have
reviewed Mr. Kluberton's statements and question his decision-
making processes because he does not have the proper background
or experience. The association would like to discuss with Mr.
Kluberton statewide issues on species management; however, there
was not enough time before the hearing. The United Cook Inlet
Drift Association supports Mr. Webster, but not Mr. Kluberton.
CO-CHAIR JOHNSON urged Mr. Maw to talk with Mr. Kluberton as the
confirmation is not scheduled until 4/9/10.
3:13:41 PM
DAVE GOGGIA, President, Kenai River Professional Guide
Association, stated his support for Mr. Kluberton and Mr.
Webster.
3:14:26 PM
REUBEN HANKE, Fisheries Chair, Kenai River Sportfishing
Association, said his organization is in favor of the
appointments of Mr. Webster and Mr. Kluberton. The association
has had three years of good experience with Mr. Webster, who has
shown a vast knowledge of the fisheries across the state.
Furthermore, Mr. Kluberton's testimony at the upper Cook Inlet
board meeting was well taken, and the association believes he
will be an excellent addition to the BOF.
3:15:28 PM
ANDY SZCESNY informed the committees he was in favor of the
confirmations of Mr. Webster and Mr. Kluberton to the BOF. He
opined Mr. Webster is very knowledgeable and fair-minded, and
Mr. Kluberton would be a great addition.
3:16:28 PM
DAVID MARTIN said he was speaking for himself. He expressed his
support of Mr. Webster, but not of Mr. Kluberton. Mr. Kluberton
is a member of the Mat-Su Mayor's Blue Ribbon Sportsmen's
Committee which has issued proposals and publications that are
not based on the best science available, or on scientific data
from the Alaska Department of Fish & Game (ADF&G). Furthermore,
the BOF is concerned with more than Cook Inlet, and must
represent people who work in the fishing industry throughout the
state. Mr. Martin opined members of the BOF must follow
national standards and the biological management aspect of
fishing; in fact, Mr. Kluberton's previous statements indicate
that he is not the best qualified person to represent, and make
regulations on, fisheries.
3:18:35 PM
JOHN BLAIR, Executive Director, SouthEast Alaska Guides
Organization (SEAGO), stated SEAGO represents sport fishing
charter operators, lodge owners, and their angler clients. His
organization is in support of the confirmations of Mr. Webster
and Mr. Kluberton. Over the last two years, Mr. Webster has
exhibited leadership at the BOF and is a valuable and capable
member for the following reasons: understands the significance
of the decisions of the board and is well informed; makes an
effort to understand different points of view; moves the process
to a new level of professionalism and fairness. Mr. Kluberton
is knowledgeable on fishing matters and has served on many
boards and commissions, including as the chair of the Mayor's
Blue Ribbon Sportsmen's Committee. Because he is a businessman,
he also understands the importance of regulations to the fishing
industry statewide. Mr. Blair opined Mr. Kluberton has the time
and the ability to process large volumes of data, and a
willingness to build consensus regarding complex issues of
fisheries management. He encouraged the committees to support
both nominations.
3:21:24 PM
VIRGIL UMPHENOUR stated his support of both nominees, saying
that he was a member of the BOF and has known Mr. Webster for 17
years. He opined both Mr. Webster and Mr. Kluberton understand
terminal fisheries, unlike some commercial fisherman.
3:22:50 PM
CHAIR EDGMON asked whether there was a representative from the
governor's office to testify regarding the vacant seat on the
BOF.
3:23:36 PM
JIM MARCOTTE, Executive Director, Board of Fisheries, Boards
Support Section, ADF&G, stated that he did not represent the
governor's office on the appointments, but his office works with
the members of the board. He advised that there is a vacancy on
the board created by the recent resignation of a board member
from Fairbanks. The governor's office is working on the
selection of a replacement.
3:24:45 PM
CHAIR EDGMON observed that seat would be held by an unconfirmed
member for nearly two years.
MR. MARCOTTE agreed, assuming that the appointee is named after
this legislative session, that person would serve on the board
with full rights and responsibilities, but would not be
confirmed until the legislature reconvenes. In fact, that was
the case with the person who recently resigned, Ms. Woods.
3:26:18 PM
CHAIR EDGMON asked whether there are major meetings scheduled
between now and next April.
MR. MARCOTTE advised that next October there will be a work
session, and in November there will be a meeting on lower Cook
Inlet finfish in Homer. Furthermore, in January, and early
February 2011, finfish topics will come up. Late in February
and early in March, the board will deal with upper Cook Inlet.
Finally in late March, statewide tanner crab will be addressed.
3:27:26 PM
CHAIR EDGMON surmised the unconfirmed board member would have
the opportunity to participate in the Upper and Lower Cook Inlet
meetings prior to confirmation.
MR. MARCOTTE said that is correct.
3:27:54 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON said his office has received no written
comments on these appointments, and encouraged committee members
to share any comments that are received prior to 4/9/10.
3:28:43 PM
CO-CHAIR JOHNSON affirmed any written responses would be
provided for all committee members. He then closed public
testimony.
3:29:14 PM
CO-CHAIR JOHNSON asked Mr. Webster and Mr. Kluberton for further
statements.
MR. WEBSTER observed that his qualifications have become known
during his three years of service on the board.
3:30:18 PM
CHAIR EDGMON asked the appointees about holding board meetings
in the regions under consideration.
MR. WEBSTER stated it is essential to have the board travel to
local areas. If so, professional lobbyists will not be
deterred, and locals can have a chance to testify.
MR. KLUBERTON said it is a rewarding experience, and helpful, to
have a board travel and allow access to it by local individuals.
3:33:08 PM
CO-CHAIR JOHNSON asked Mr. Kluberton for a final statement.
MR. KLUBERTON clarified that he is no longer a member of the
Mat-Su Borough Assembly, or of the Mayor's Blue Ribbon
Sportsmen's Committee. He stated that he wanted legislators,
and all aspects of the fishing community, to realize that his
perspective has its roots as a sportsman, but service on the
blue ribbon committee increased his insight to the process,
regulations, and operations of the BOF. In fact, on the
assembly, although he represented his district, assembly members
must also represent the entire borough, and biases must be set
aside "and make the best decision for all." He then pointed out
that the chair of a committee is sometimes required to sign
documents that are written by the group, and "it doesn't mean
that that's the limit of my purview or my perspective...."
3:35:06 PM
CO-CHAIR JOHNSON reminded the public the committees are only
reviewing the qualifications of the appointees at this time, and
he urged parties to submit written comments to legislators.
3:36:06 PM
CHAIR EDGMON made a motion to advance from the House Resources
Standing Committee and the House Special Committee on Fisheries
the nominations of Claude Vincent Webster and Thomas G.
Kluberton to the Board of Fisheries.
3:36:31 PM
CO-CHAIR JOHNSON asked whether there were any objections to the
motion. There being none, the nominations were advanced from
the House Resources Standing Committee and the House Special
Committee on Fisheries.
3:36:40 PM
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committees, the joint
meeting between the House Resources Standing Committee and the
House Special Committee on Fisheries was adjourned at 3:36 p.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| KRSA Webster--Kluberton Letter.PDF |
HFSH 4/5/2010 3:00:00 PM |