Legislature(2013 - 2014)BUTROVICH 205
03/18/2013 03:30 PM Senate RESOURCES
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| Confirmation Hearings | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
SENATE RESOURCES STANDING COMMITTEE
March 18, 2013
3:32 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Cathy Giessel, Chair
Senator Fred Dyson, Vice Chair
Senator Peter Micciche
Senator Click Bishop
Senator Anna Fairclough
Senator Hollis French
MEMBERS ABSENT
Senator Lesil McGuire
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
Confirmation Hearings
Board of Fisheries
Reed Morisky - Fairbanks
- CONFIRMATION ADVANCED
Big Game Commercial Services Board
Karen Polley - Juneau
James (David) Jones - Kodiak
James (Tom) Atkins - Anchorage
- CONFIRMATIONS ADVANCED
Gene Peltola, Sr. - Bethel
- CONFIRMATION RESCHEDULED
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
No previous action to consider
WITNESS REGISTER
REED MORISKY, nominee for the Board of Fisheries
Fairbanks, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Related his interests in and qualifications
for serving the Board of Fisheries.
RICKY GEASE, Executive Director
Kenai River Sport Fishing Association
Soldotna, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported Mr. Morisky's appointment to the
Board of Fisheries.
REUBEN HANKE, representing himself
Soldotna, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported Mr. Morisky's appointment to the
Board of Fisheries
ART NELSON, Director
Policy and Outreach
Bering Sea Fisherman's Association
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported Mr. Morisky's appointment to the
Board of Fisheries.
CHARLIE LEAN, Vice Chair
Northern Norton Sound Advisory Committee
Director, Fisheries Research and Development Group
Norton Sound Economic Development Corporation
Nome, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported Mr. Morisky's appointment to the
Board of Fisheries.
MONTE ROBERTS, representing himself
Soldotna, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported Mr. Morisky's appointment to the
Board of Fisheries.
HEATH HILYARD, Executive Director
Southeast Alaska Guides Association
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported Mr. Morisky's appointment to the
Board of Fisheries.
VERGIL UMPHENOUR, Chairman
Fairbanks Fish and Game Advisory Committee
Fairbanks, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported Mr. Morisky's appointment to the
Board of Fisheries.
DAVID MILLER, representing himself
Fairbanks, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported Mr. Morisky's appointment to the
Board of Fisheries.
BECCA ROBINS
Yukon River Drainage Fisheries Association
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported Mr. Morisky's appointment to the
Board of Fisheries.
KAREN POLLEY, nominee for the Big Game Commercial Services Board
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Related her experience and desire to be
reappointed to the Big Game Commercial Services Board.
JAMES ATKINS, nominee for the Big Game Commercial Services Board
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Related his experience and desire to serve
on the Big Game Commercial Services Board.
JAMES "DAVID" JONES, nominee to the Big Game Commercial Services
Board
Kodiak, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Related his experience and desire to serve
on the Big Game Commercial Services Board.
THOR STACEY, lobbyist
Alaska Professional Hunters Association
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported Mr. Peltola's appointment to the
Big Game Commercial Services Board.
ACTION NARRATIVE
3:32:55 PM
CHAIR CATHY GIESSEL called the Senate Resources Standing
Committee meeting to order at 3:32 p.m. Present at the call to
order were Senators Dyson, French, Bishop, Micciche, and Chair
Giessel.
^CONFIRMATION HEARINGS
CONFIRMATION HEARINGS
Board of Fisheries
3:33:27 PM
CHAIR GIESSEL announced the hearing for the governor's appointee
for the Board of Fisheries, Mr. Morisky. She asked him to tell
the committee about his interest in and qualifications for the
board.
3:33:38 PM
SENATOR FAIRCLOUGH joined the committee.
3:34:36 PM
REED MORISKY, nominee for the Board of Fisheries, Fairbanks,
Alaska, said he is a past member of the Sport Fish and Guide
Services Task Force and had been focused on fisheries
particularly for the last 10 years and advocates for a
responsible sport fishing industry. He just completed his first
week of board meetings where some very contentious area M
fisheries proposals were discussed.
MR. MORISKY said he was raised in a family that values fishing
and the outdoors and his brother has fished in Alaska
commercially for several decades. Over the years he has learned
from him the challenges that commercial fishermen in Alaska
face. He has also run a sport fishing guide business for 25-plus
years, so he has a broad background in fisheries issues.
3:35:21 PM
SENATOR MICCICHE noted a couple of letters of support for Mr.
Morisky's appointment and didn't see anyone having issues with
him serving on the board. He asked Mr. Morisky if he honestly
felt that he could face both sides of an issue in absolute
fairness.
MR. MORISKY answered that he has an open mind and could make
fair decisions. Even though he has a background in sport fishing
he is very close to his brother and followed him as a commercial
fisherman. Commercial fishing is a legitimate industry in
Alaska. He wanted to bring a balanced approach to the board
process.
3:37:14 PM
SENATOR FAIRCLOUGH said she was wondering how he viewed his
responsibilities on the board and asked who he thought he was
serving; the governor, the legislature or his community.
MR. MORISKY said he understood that being from Fairbanks and
having a sport fish guide business he might be viewed as leaning
that way just as others on the board have a commercial fishing
background and may lean that way. However, in the last board
meeting he listened to all sides and dealt into all the issues
from mesh depth to the genetic study of where the fish may or
may not be going. These issues are complicated and have no pat
answers. He hoped to bring a sense of exploration to the process
to find out what the core issues are. There's a lot more going
on than just the perception that it's sport versus commercial;
for instance environmental elements could be affecting fish
runs. "It's going to take some shared responsibility here to
bring a lot of these things to a solution," he said.
SENATOR FAIRCLOUGH said Mr. Morisky had letters of support that
absolutely outline his fairness and indicate that he is well
read on the topics and asked him to talk about his independence
as a board member and how that will balance what ADF&G tells him
is gospel. If they tell him something should be closed or
opened, how would he remain independent and on behalf of the
legislature make sure that Alaskans' voices are heard?
MR. MORISKY said he greatly respects the work that ADF&G does in
figuring out what biologically and scientifically is going on,
however, the board deals with allocation issues, seasons and bag
limits. The board would have a responsibility to work through
the information "in full spectrum."
3:41:53 PM
SENATOR FAIRCLOUGH said the board will have proposal 28 about
advisory committees (AC) in front of it and asked him to talk
about he perceives the value of their information and if they
should be included as a voice or a voting member as the Board of
Fisheries meets.
MR. MORISKY said he looks at the advisory committee votes as
well as their comments; they bring a lot to the table. Different
ACs from adjacent areas can reveal patterns so one can get an
idea of what is going on in a particular region.
SENATOR FAIRCLOUGH asked specifically if ACs should have a
voting or advisory role and if they should participate in the
meetings in any way.
MR. MORISKY replied that voting may dilute the board process or
not, but they have testified before the board before and that
maybe carries more weight than other testimony.
SENATOR FAIRCLOUGH said proposal 28 gives the ACs that are
already referred to in regulation formal recognition. At least
one suggestion to the Board of Fisheries was that one delegate
from each AC across the state be able to participate in a
discussion of an amendment within the board process and defend a
perspective affecting a regional stock that might not otherwise
be there after the public comment period had closed.
MR. MORISKY said he didn't have a problem with what she just
described.
3:45:11 PM
RICKY GEASE, Executive Director, Kenai River Sport Fishing
Association, Soldotna, Alaska, supported Mr. Morisky's
appointment to the Board of Fisheries. They observed his first
meeting on the board during a contentious area M meeting where
there were lots of different factions. He read the information,
had good questions, and was approachable on issues; he was very
thoughtful in deliberating the various proposals.
3:46:48 PM
REUBEN HANKE, representing himself, Soldotna, Alaska, supported
Mr. Morisky's appointment to the Board of Fisheries saying he
will make an excellent addition to it. He knew Mr. Morisky for
several years and had worked with him on the Guide Task Force
several years ago. In addition, he had seen him in action at the
last area M meeting; he was very approachable and a good
communicator.
3:47:38 PM
ART NELSON, Director, Policy and Outreach, Bering Sea
Fisherman's Association, Anchorage, Alaska, supported Mr.
Morisky's appointment to the Board of Fisheries. He met Mr.
Morisky for the first time last month when he did a great job of
jumping right into a very contentious meeting and hit the ground
running; he was very impressed.
3:48:44 PM
CHARLIE LEAN, Vice Chair, Northern Norton Sound Advisory
Committee, Nome, Alaska, and Director, Norton Sound Economic
Development Corporation's Fisheries Research and Development
Group, said he had attended Board of Fisheries meetings since
the late 1970s and supported Mr. Morisky's appointment. He
watched Mr. Morisky in his first board meeting when he had very
little time to prepare, but he was prepared, composed and fair.
His questions indicated that he had prepared for this meeting.
Most importantly, he was able to express his analysis that lead
to his conclusions, which is an important quality that is
necessary for building a record.
3:50:28 PM
MONTE ROBERTS, representing himself, Soldotna, Alaska, said he
owned a fishing guide business and supported Mr. Morisky's
appointment to the Board of Fisheries for a lot of the same
reasons that had already been mentioned. In addition, he felt
the Interior was often under-represented on the Board of
Fisheries and he was happy to see someone from there who is
interested, dedicated and knows a lot about the Interior
fisheries who will help the board make good decisions on those
areas.
3:51:28 PM
HEATH HILYARD, Executive Director, Southeast Alaska Guides
Association, Anchorage, Alaska, supported Mr. Morisky's
appointment to the Board of Fisheries. His association had an
opportunity to work very closely with the governor's office on
this appointment and had been very impressed with his
performance so far. A number of his board members are quite
familiar with him and are confident he will be fair and balanced
with commercial and sport interests as well as conservation and
economic considerations.
3:52:35 PM
VERGIL UMPHENOUR, Chairman, Fairbanks Fish and Game Advisory
Committee, Fairbanks, Alaska, fully supported Mr. Morisky's
appointment to the Board of Fisheries. He said he listened to
the deliberations portion of the area M meeting, which he
thought was the toughest one of all (because all the fish they
harvest in the month of June are headed to western Alaska where
fisheries are severely restricted and some are even closed) and
Mr. Morisky did an excellent job of bringing a perspective the
board hadn't had for a while and.
3:54:19 PM
DAVID MILLER, representing himself, Fairbanks, Alaska, supported
Mr. Morisky's appointment to the Board of Fisheries. He knew and
worked with Mr. Morisky for a number of years. As a sport and
subsistence fisherman he thought Mr. Morisky was perfect for
this job; he is honest, intelligent, fair, compassionate and
caring. He has the ability to listen and to hear both sides of
an argument.
3:55:12 PM
BECCA ROBINS, Yukon River Drainage Fisheries Association,
Anchorage, Alaska, supported Mr. Morisky's appointment to the
Board of Fisheries. They are an association of commercial and
subsistence fishermen on the length of the Yukon River in Alaska
and had the privilege of working with him at the most recent
area M meeting and could echo previous comments about his
participation.
CHAIR GIESSEL thanked everyone for their testimony and finding
no further comments, closed public testimony and announced that
the committee was forwarding Mr. Morisky's appointment to the
full body in accordance with AS 16.05.221 and AS 39.05.080 for
consideration. She said this does not reflect intent of any of
the members to vote for or against the confirmation of this
individual during any further sessions.
3:56:32 PM
At ease from 3:56 to 3:58 p.m.
^CONFIRMATION HEARINGS
Big Game Commercial Services Board
3:58:09 PM
CHAIR GIESSEL announced the committee would next hear the
governor's appointments to the Big Game Commercial Services
Board. She invited Ms. Polley to tell the committee about her
interests and qualifications for this position.
KAREN POLLEY, nominee for the Big Game Commercial Services
Board, said she is currently serving on the Board as the public
member and this would be her reappointment. She has interest in
resource management and big game in general and works to assure
resources are well managed in the big game guide industry.
SENATOR FRENCH asked what parts of being on the board she enjoys
the most and which the least.
3:59:35 PM
MS. POLLEY said being on the board had been an interesting
experience. The first meeting for any new board member is a
little overwhelming, but with her three years of experience
behind her she was beginning to enjoy making sure the meetings
go smoothly and had just been elected as vice chair.
MS. POLLEY said she had worked in education both as a teacher
and as an administrator for 25 years; she had also worked for
the University of Alaska dealing with regulations and she uses
that experience on the board. She also served on the
Professional Teaching Practices Commission and got experience in
professional licensing. She thought these qualifications would
serve her well on the board when she was asked to serve.
4:00:43 PM
CHAIR GIESSEL asked what she thought about the concept of
limiting the number of big game guides in certain areas of the
state.
MS. POLLEY said the Big Game Guide Board had supported that
effort. The state land concessions had not been processed yet
and that should have been done a while ago. It's important to
get it done for the future of the guiding industry.
SENATOR DYSON thanked her for serving and asked for a short
summary of what the Big Game Commercial Services Board does.
MS. POLLEY replied that the board works with the Division of
Community and Regional Affairs to approve, suspend or revoke
licenses, and there are several classifications of licenses.
They also work with the Department of Commerce, Community and
Economic Development (DCCED) to do testing, both written and
practical, and provide seminars. They do require some licensees
who are on probation for violations to attend seminars at the
meetings to begin expanding the guides' education.
SENATOR DYSON asked for an idea of the more outrageous things
licenses get revoked for.
MS. POLLEY said the more outrageous things usually go through
the court system first and are either admitted and the license
is revoked through a consent agreement or if it isn't, the board
has a hearing and revokes it. Issues have included illegal
taking of game, game products going across state and federal
lines without the appropriate authority and things like that.
4:03:39 PM
SENATOR BISHOP said he liked her background as a vocational
educator.
SENATOR DYSON said he liked her background as a merchant marine
skipper.
CHAIR GIESSEL found no further comments and closed public
testimony on Ms. Polley and invited Mr. Atkins to describe his
interest and qualifications for this position.
4:04:29 PM
JAMES ATKINS, nominee for the Big Game Commercial Services
Board, Anchorage, Alaska, said he is a 40-year Alaska resident
and had been flying the Alaska Peninsula for over 30 years as a
pilot and guide and made a business out of transporting the last
few years. His big concern is the resource; he enjoys the
outdoors and camaraderie with the guides and hunters of Alaska.
He felt it was time to pay back and was encouraged to apply by
two former board members.
4:06:05 PM
SENATOR FRENCH thanked him for being willing to serve and said
part of his job might make him stand in judgment before someone
he has known through his professional contacts and asked if he
felt comfortable doing that.
MR. ATKINS said that wouldn't be a problem. He is a resource
person as well as a law and order person. If you break the laws
or bend the rules, your friendship is not going to matter that
much.
4:07:00 PM
SENATOR FAIRCLOUGH thanked him for being willing to serve and
said she was looking at his conflict of interest answer to this
question: Could you or any members of your family be affected
financially by decisions to be made by the board or commission
for which you are applying? He answered no. Others had answered
yes, because they were involved either as a pilot or somewhere
else and she wanted him to explain why he thought he wouldn't be
financially affected (she noted that he was retired and it might
be less important in his economic wellbeing).
MR. ATKINS answered that he didn't see any conflict of interest,
because he is a retired electrician and used to do the guiding
and flying to subsidize construction work. No one else in his
family is in any type of outdoor business or has any
relationship with his business.
SENATOR FAIRCLOUGH asked if he still pilots or guides now.
MR. ATKINS answered yes; he is a licensed air taxi (since 1999)
and has held a guide license since about 1989. He has about
9,000 hours in a Piper Super Cub flying mostly the Alaska
Peninsula and most of his clientele are small guides that don't
have planes. He also does some drop off hunts for resident
Alaskans.
4:09:42 PM
CHAIR GIESSEL asked what he thought about limiting the number of
guides in certain areas to reduce the hunting pressure.
MR. ATKINS answered that he had struggled with the issue, but
the number of guides has to be limited. However, there is a
chance that some of the younger and the older guides will be
left out through some of DNR's proposed language that is very
strict and has language that doesn't apply. He understands the
reason behind it, because there is a conflict between the public
and the guides in certain areas, but as a "resource person" that
watched the Multalin caribou herd disappear, he feels deeply
troubled about the resource.
4:11:48 PM
CHAIR GIESSEL opened public testimony on Mr. Atkins and finding
none, she closed public testimony. She invited Mr. Jones to tell
the committee about his interest in and qualifications for the
appointment to this board.
4:12:14 PM
JAMES "DAVID" JONES, nominee to the Big Game Commercial Services
Board, Kodiak, Alaska, related that he came up in 1977 to be an
air taxi pilot, which he did for several years; he then moved
into commercial fishing and sport fish guiding. Although
throughout his history here he participated in transporting
hunters and fishermen as an air taxi pilot and a Coast Guard
licensed captain, recently he had become a licensed game
transporter. Retiring board members asked him to put his name
forward, because they thought he might do a good job. He doesn't
have a lot of experience in the board arena, but he hoped to
help the people of Alaska by doing it.
4:14:33 PM
SENATOR FRENCH asked if he had attended any meetings of the
Commercial Services Board.
MR. JONES answered that he had participated at the last week's
meeting in Fairbanks.
SENATOR FRENCH asked if he wanted to share anything about it.
MR. JONES said it was a "nice learning experience" in which
enjoyed meeting the members and discovered what it was all
about. He learned that some financial matters need to be looked
at.
CHAIR GIESSEL opened public testimony on Mr. Jones' appointment
and finding no comments, she closed public testimony and thanked
him for being available to the committee.
4:16:23 PM
CHAIR GIESSEL announced the committee would next take up the
appointment of Mr. Gene Peltola to Big Game Commercial Services
Board, but there were technical difficulties with the
teleconference to Bethel.
SENATOR FRENCH said he got just a paragraph from Mr. Peltola, a
thin resume to work from.
4:17:50 PM
At ease from 4:17 to 4:20 p.m.
4:20:47 PM
CHAIR GIESSEL welcomed Mr. Stacey to testify on Mr. Peltola's
appointment.
4:21:05 PM
THOR STACEY, lobbyist, Alaska Professional Hunters Association,
Juneau, Alaska, supported Mr. Peltola's appointment to the Big
Game Commercial Services Board. In general Rural Alaska is the
most important component of the state's game resource and having
someone from the Bethel region that is known to his members and
recommended makes him feel very comfortable.
CHAIR GIESSEL thanked Mr. Stacey and said the question before
them is if they want to hold his appointment over until they can
speak to him. It is not a mandatory requirement, she said.
4:22:50 PM
SENATOR MICCICHE said he thought it was appropriate to ask for
an application that gives them some idea of his experience and
employment history and an idea of how he feels about it.
CHAIR GIESSEL said she would cross his name off the committee
report.
She announced that in accordance with AS 39.05.080 the Resources
Committee reviewed the following and recommends the appointments
of James Atkins, James David Jones, and Karen Polley to the Big
Game Commercial Services Board be forwarded to a joint session
for consideration. This does not reflect any intent by any of
the members to vote for or against the confirmation of the
individuals during any further sessions.
4:24:43 PM
CHAIR GIESSEL adjourned the Senate Resources Committee meeting
at 4:24 p.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| Fisheries - Morisky #4.pdf |
SRES 3/18/2013 3:30:00 PM |
|
| Big Game - Peltola #3.pdf |
SRES 3/18/2013 3:30:00 PM |
|
| Big Game - Atkins #3.pdf |
SRES 3/18/2013 3:30:00 PM |
|
| Big Game - Polley #3.pdf |
SRES 3/18/2013 3:30:00 PM |
|
| Big Game - Jones #3.pdf |
SRES 3/18/2013 3:30:00 PM |
|
| Gov's Appointment Support Ltr Morisky BOF.pdf |
SRES 3/18/2013 3:30:00 PM |
|
| Governors Appointee BOF Supp Letters Morisky.pdf |
SRES 3/18/2013 3:30:00 PM |