Legislature(1995 - 1996)
02/10/1995 03:38 PM Senate RES
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
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SENATE RESOURCES COMMITTEE
February 10, 1995
3:38 P.M.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Loren Leman, Chairman
Senator Drue Pearce, Vice Chairman
Senator Steve Frank
Senator Robin Taylor
COMMITTEE MEMBERS ABSENT
Senator Rick Halford
Senator Georgianna Lincoln
Senator Lyman Hoffman
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 12
Relating to the United States Department of Agriculture, Forest
Service; relating to the United States Department of Agriculture,
Forest Service, strategic plan known as "Reinvention of the Forest
Service"; and advocating that implementation of the plan be
suspended pending Congressional review and consultation with local
governments.
Presentation by the Arctic Research Commission: Donald O'Dowd,
Cliff Groh, Gary Brass, and Lyle Perrigo
Confirmation Hearing:
Robert A. Hinman to the Big Game Commercial Services Board
Virgil Umphenour to the Board of Fisheries
PREVIOUS ACTION
SJR 12 - No previous action to record.
WITNESS REGISTER
Chuck Achberger, Director
Juneau Chamber of Commerce
124 W. 5th
Juneau, AK 99801
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SJR 12.
Vern Miller, Executive Director
Southeast Conference
124 W. 5th
Juneau, AK 99801
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SJR 12 and the proposed CS to SJR
12.
David Katz
Southeast Alaska Conservation Council (SEACC)
419 6th Street
Juneau, AK 99801
POSITION STATEMENT: Commented on SJR 12.
Sara Hannan
Alaska Environmental Lobby
P.O. Box 22151
Juneau, AK 99801
POSITION STATEMENT: Commented on SJR 12.
Dick Bishop, Executive Director
Alaska Outdoor Council
P.O. Box 73902
Fairbanks, AK 99707
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported confirmation of Virgil Umphenour to
the Board of Fisheries and Robert Hinman to the Board of Big Game
Commercial Services Board.
David Osterback
Sand Point, AK 99661
POSITION STATEMENT: Opposed Virgil Umphenour's confirmation to the
Board of Fisheries.
Paul Grunholdt
Sand Point, AK 99661
POSITION STATEMENT: Opposed Virgil Umphenour's confirmation to the
Board of Fisheries.
Art Nelson
Kawerak, Inc.
P.O. Box 948
Nome, AK 99762
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported Virgil Umphenour's confirmation to
the Board of Fisheries.
Al Osterback
Sand Point, AK 99661
POSITION STATEMENT: Opposed Virgil Umphenour's confirmation to the
Board of Fisheries.
Bruce Schactler
P.O. Box 2254
Kodiak, AK 99615
POSITION STATEMENT: Opposed Virgil Umphenour's confirmation to the
Board of Fisheries.
Byron Haley
1002 Pioneer Rd.
Fairbanks, AK 99701
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported Virgil Umphenour's confirmation to
the Board of Fisheries.
Gary Moore, Director
Planning and Development
Tanana Chiefs' Conference
122 1st Ave., Suite 600
Fairbanks, AK 99701
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported Virgil Umphenour's confirmation to
the Board of Fisheries.
Bill Henry
1081 Duck Pond Rd.
North Pole, AK 99705
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported Virgil Umphenour's appointment to
the Board of Fisheries.
Jamie Ross
Area M Fishermen
P.O. Box 3476
Homer, AK 99603
POSITION STATEMENT: Opposed Virgil Umphenour's appointment to the
Board of Fisheries.
Roger Huntington
Galena, AK 99741
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported Virgil Umphenour's appointment to
the Board of Fisheries.
Gilbert Huntington
Galena, AK 99741
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported Virgil Umphenour's appointment to
the Board of Fisheries.
Sidney Huntington
Galena, AK 99741
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported Virgil Umphenour's appointment to
the Board of Fisheries.
Art Ivanoff
Kotzebue, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported Virgil Umphenour's appointment to
the Board of Fisheries.
Dean Paddock
P.O. Box 20312
Juneau, AK 99802
POSITION STATEMENT: Testifying for himself supported Virgil
Umphenour's appointment to the Board of Fisheries and Robert
Hinman's appointment to the Board of Big Game and Commercial
Services Board.
Bob King, Press Secretary
Office of the Governor
P.O. Box 110001
Juneau, AK 99811-0001
POSITION STATEMENT: Commented on Board appointments.
ACTION NARRATIVE
TAPE 95-7, SIDE A
Number 001
SRES - 2/10/95
SJR 12 U.S. FOREST SERVICE PLAN
CHAIRMAN LEMAN called the Senate Resources Committee meeting to
order at 3:38 p.m. He said they didn't have a quorum yet, but would
begin to take testimony on SJR 12.
SENATOR TAYLOR, sponsor, said early in December the Forest Service
announced its "reinvention plan" which would centralize the
decision making in Washington, D.C. This policy flies in the face
of President Clinton's Executive Order 12875 calling for "enhancing
intergovernmental partnerships." It also goes against Vice
President Gore's report on empowering state and local governments
and decentralizing the decision making power.
Under "reinvention" regional forest supervisors and other front
line leaders who now have decision making authority would be
replaced with four people in "leadership teams" answerable only to
the Chief of the Forest Service and the Secretary of Agriculture.
Gone is any pretense of involving local and state governments in
U.S. Forest Service decisions.
The plan consolidates the regional offices now located in Alaska
and Montana to a central office in Oregon. SJR 12 calls for
suspension of this plan and true partnership meetings with states,
communities and tribal governments. His suggested Committee
Substitute adds ANCSA Corporations to that list.
SENATOR TAYLOR said the "reinvention scheme" goes far beyond the
relocation of regional offices. It will mean Forest Service policy
dictated from "on-high" without consulting the people most impacted
by those policies.
He noted a poll that was taken by the federal government that
included less than 15% of respondents living west of the
Mississippi River. 85% of the people polled about what to do with
our Forest Service live in states that don't have a Forest Service
office. The majority of the 15% lived in either Los Angeles or in
one of the midwest cities around St. Louis.
He said he was contacted by five retired members of the U.S. Forest
Service who were very upset with the "reinvention" process. He
said all of their comments were completely disregarded in
Washington. They received a letter from Jack Ward Thomas telling
about the reinvention and one of the primary concerns was that the
Forest Service Offices reflect "ecosystem management." He said now
they have semi-arid dessert areas of Montana, Idaho, Oregon, and
Washington connected up with the rain forest environment of
Southeast Alaska.
This resolution, SENATOR TAYLOR said, calls upon the federal
government to listen to the people that are affected. He noted
that this community stands to lose a significant portion of its
employment base, but the biggest problem is that they will be
further diluted in their ability to do effective decision making in
the area being regulated.
Adding the ANCSA Corporation members to the resolution is very
important, he said, because they are the largest private land
owners within the Tongass.
Number 186
CHUCK ACHBERGER, Director, Juneau Chamber of Commerce, said the
history of the Tongass is one of compromise on the part of
industry. Out of 17 million acres we are down to 1.7 million acres
of harvestable area for timber.
The regional mandate of the Forest Service was to create economic
growth using federal lands. This has been sacrificed to the
current politics of special interest groups who would merge the
Forest Service into a Park Service.
In closing, he said, the Forest Service cannot be trusted.
Washington D.C. continually succumbs to the political pressure of
the environmental community. We have one of the largest forests
"in the world" and we can't support a mill.
Number 214
VERN MILLER, Executive Director, Southeast Conference, said that
while many aspects of the Forest Service reinvention plan may have
merit, the Southeast Conference is strongly opposed to two specific
elements: merging the Alaska region with the Pacific Northwest
region and moving the headquarters to Portland. That would take
Forest Service people who make decisions that affect Alaskans and
move them out of Alaska. And second, regardless of where the
headquarters is located, replacing a regional forester with a four-
person management team will result in decisions being kicked to
higher levels, once again having the net effect of taking the
decision making outside of Alaska. Both of these run counter to
what the President is trying to do which is decentralize decision
making, empower state and local governments and enhance
governmental partnerships. The Conference would support a
resolution that makes those two points strongly.
SENATOR LEMAN asked him if he had seen the Committee Substitute?
MR. MILLER answered yes and he supported it.
Number 247
DAVID KATZ, Southeast Alaska Conservation Council, said he wanted
it on the record that of the 17 million acres that nominally
comprise the Tongass National Forest only around 15% of those acres
are actually acres anyone would want to harvest. Those also turn
out to be the acres that are most important for wildlife, fish,
subsistence, tourism, and all the other uses that we put this
forest to. The Tongass National Forest is a multiple use and
sustained yield forest. Conflicts over habitat areas are about all
wildlife - supporting wildlife for future generations of Alaskans
for hunters, fishermen, and guides, etc..
MR. KATZ said he knew of no one in his organization or anyone else
that wants to make this whole area into a park. They want to
maintain the integrity of the Tongass as a multiple use and
sustained yield forest.
Regarding SJR 12, he thought it tried to do too many things and
confuses a couple of things. First he thinks it is reasonable to
keep management of the forest close to the people who live in it.
He did not think management strategy would change by combining
offices. On line 10, page 2 it's important to realize that
community stability depends on forest ecosystem health. Looking at
the long term health of ecosystems helps improve community
stability.
Secondly, he didn't think reinventing government turns away from
providing a continual flow of renewable resources. It doesn't
concentrate on just timber, but all uses.
He urged the Committee to turn away from this single purpose bill
which confuses the idea of reorganizing government with changing
the entire mission of the Forest Service - two things which are not
connected. He would support a different resolution keeping the
regional office here in Juneau for the purposes of managing the
forest for multiple use and sustained yield.
Number 324
SENATOR TAYLOR said he asked the Forest Service for a number of the
total amount of acreage harvested since it became a forest in
around 1908. They told him that 450,000 acres had been harvested
in that period of time. He asked what number of millions of acres
is currently locked up in the single use of Wilderness? MR. KATZ
answered around 5 million acres are in Wilderness.
SENATOR TAYLOR asked if Wilderness was a multiple use concept. MR.
KATZ said his understanding was that you could access Wilderness
areas by fixed-wing craft in Alaska. He said a balance had to be
reached in the types of land available in the forest.
SENATOR TAYLOR said he was only concerned with what percent of the
forest could be utilized for people to earn a living on harvesting
trees and opening it up for other recreational uses.
MR. KATZ said the Forest Service now plans to harvest 1.7 million
acres of the forest over 100 years. They believe that will sustain
the industry that is here.
SENATOR TAYLOR asked him if he thought that was appropriate. MR.
KATZ answered he thought that was appropriate if it could be done
in a way that balances all the uses in the forest. He said it is
important to realize that all acres are not created equal on this
forest. The vast amount of harvesting has occurred in the highest
value fish and wildlife habitat.
Number 399
SARA HANNAN, Alaska Environmental Lobby, said she applauded a
couple of the Resolves in Senator Taylor's resolution. She said
the communities that depend on our forest resources are complex in
their economics and ecosystem. She applauded Senator Taylor for
urging government entities to work with local users in resolving
resource disputes. She was also very concerned with the loss of
jobs to Juneau and other Alaska communities.
The other FURTHER RESOLVED she approved of was including tribal
governments that are frequently overlooked when the State talks
about partnerships and resource use in the "true partnership
meetings."
Number 430
SENATOR LEMAN officially called the meeting to order saying the
Committee had had a quorum for at least the last fifteen minutes.
SENATOR TAYLOR moved to adopt the CS to SJR 12. There were no
objections and it was so ordered.
SENATOR FRANK asked what was the history of fish populations in the
Southeastern waters for the last 50 years. Had it been declining?
SENATOR TAYLOR answered going back to 1945 fish populations were in
the decline. By the early 50's fish levels had declined
dramatically. Logging started with some intensity with the
building of the pulp mill in 1954. Since about 1962 or 1963 fish
runs have been on the increase. Today a normal run in Southeast
Alaska has three times the volume of salmon that a run had in the
late 50's or early 60's.
SENATOR TAYLOR moved to pass CSSJR 12 (Res) from Committee with
individual recommendations. There were no objections and it was so
ordered.
Number 465
SENATOR LEMAN announced that they would next have a presentation by
Dr. Donald O'Dowd of the Arctic Research Commission.
MR. DONALD O'DOWD, Chairman, introduced Gary Brass, Executive
Director, Cliff Groh, and Lyle Perrigo - all members of the
Commission. He said they were established by the Arctic Research
and Policy Act of 1984, the purpose of which was to shift federal
interest in polar research to arctic research where it had not been
focused to any great degree at an earlier time.
MR. O'DOWD said the Commission consists of seven members, three
from Alaska. The purpose is to formulate policy and priorities for
the arctic research endeavor which consists, this year, of $183
million worth of expenditure, much of which is in the State of
Alaska. Part of the charge they have under the law is to relate to
the State of Alaska and its government and to convey into the
federal research system the priorities and needs as perceived by
Alaskans. That is why they are here this week.
He said they deal in many areas: health and medical, oil spill
related matters, engineering problems, provision of clean water,
waste water disposal in Alaska, and development of an arctic
research vessel.
SENATOR LEMAN asked if they included the subarctic also. MR.
O'DOWD said the Act is very specific. They are concerned with
research within the Arctic Circle which in Alaska is defined by a
line that comes down the Porcupine River, over the Yukon, down the
Kuskowim, and includes the Aleutian Chain.
SENATOR LEMAN asked about the Mitchell Act which hadn't been funded
in recent years. MR. O'DOWD said they weren't involved with that.
SENATOR LEMAN thanked them for attending the meeting and announced
that the Committee would take up the appointment of Robert A.
Hinman to the Big Game Commercial Services Board.
Number 541
MR. HINMAN said he is a wildlife biologist by training and gave the
Committee a brief overview of his involvement with the State.
SENATOR TAYLOR asked about licensing guides in Southeast Alaska.
MR. HINMAN said the Board is currently licensing guides in all of
Alaska, because the Legislature charged it with developing a system
that would allow ingress into the business of guiding by new
guides.
SENATOR TAYLOR said he was pleased to hear they were changing the
system.
TAPE 95-7, SIDE B
Number 541
DICK BISHOP, Executive Director, Alaska Outdoor Council, said they
supported Mr. Hinman's appointment to the Board. His most
important qualification is a genuine concern for the fish and
wildlife. His second most important qualification is a genuine
concern for fair, ethical, and well regulated use of the resources.
SENATOR LEMAN thanked him for his testimony and said they would
hear next from Virgil Umphenour, appointee to the Board of
Fisheries.
MR. UMPHENOUR gave a brief overview of his involvement in Alaska
and its resources.
SENATOR TAYLOR asked him about concerns he had written in a letter
to Governor Hickel that there were people sitting on the Board from
coastal communities and no one from the Interior and appointing
Board members who cared about the States common fishery resources
with a balanced view.
MR. UMPHENOUR said he was referring to the fact that the Yukon
River fishery for chum salmon had been closed for three consecutive
years - even subsistence. And yet, of the five major spawning
rivers in the Yukon River drainage, three of them have repeatedly
not met escapement goals and two of those rivers had only met the
escapement goal one time in the last 13 years.
SENATOR TAYLOR asked if he thought the taking of roe had an impact
on the fisheries on that river system and to what extent has the
selling of roe by subsistence fishermen prevented that roe from
being spawned and bringing back additional fish each year. MR.
UMPHENOUR responded there was one district in the Yukon system that
has a roe fishery, District 4A. He explained there is a guideline
harvest that accounts for the fish either in the round or the roe.
Selling roe from subsistence fish is illegal. He didn't feel the
selling of roe impacted the runs in those areas, because whether
the fish are sold as a fish in the round or whether the fish and
roe are sold separately, the fish are dead.
Number 487
SENATOR LEMAN asked him to explain how he deals with issues where
there are conflicts between the older established fisheries and the
newer emerging fisheries.
MR. UMPHENOUR said the Board of Fish has criteria they are supposed
to go by. The policy is to harvest as near the terminal areas as
possible and not to allow expanding, mixed stock fisheries to
develop or expand. When the Board deliberates they rely on public
testimony, information from the ADF&G, and Board members'
experience.
SENATOR PEARCE asked what he would do if no Board member has
experience in the fishery they are deliberating on. MR. UMPHENOUR
said bad decisions have been made in the past and that is why he is
sitting there right now.
SENATOR PEARCE asked him to comment on conflict of interest on the
Board. MR. UMPHENOUR said his opinion is that the Department of
Law has poor judgement, because they would like to say that if a
person possesses a limited entry permit that that is a significant
financial gain regardless of the proposal, if it's a commercial or
subsistence proposal. That is exactly 180 degrees away from the
way the conflict of interest law has been interpreted up until 10
months ago. He noted there would not be a quorum at the next
meeting using this criteria.
Number 433
SENATOR LEMAN asked his position on proposals that protect habitat
on any river system in Alaska. MR. UMPHENOUR replied that if we
don't have the rearing habitat for the fry to rear in, then we'll
lose our resource. He thought it incumbent on all Board members to
do everything in their power to preserve the rearing habitat.
SENATOR TAYLOR asked what should be done about the False Pass
intercept fishery. MR. UMPHENHOUR said they would be there all
night if he would try to explain the solution to that fishery.
SENATOR LEMAN asked him to explain his reported statement that he
"has support from the sport fishing industry." MR. UMPHENHOUR said
he lives in the Interior, he has a lot of knowledge with inriver
fisheries, and he has friends who participate in all the different
type of fisheries. He said they all have the same problem, if
there are no fish, no one gets to fish.
SENATOR LEMAN asked if while he's been on the Board, he had taken
up the restrictions on fishermen in Southeast Alaska caused by
international and interstate contention. MR. UMPHENOUR answered he
had not. He said the problem in Southeast Alaska is hydroelectric
power, loss of habitat, and too much harvest. He also thought
hatchery manipulation displaced a lot of fish.
Number 365
DAVID OSTERBACK, Sand Point fisherman, opposed MR. UMPHENOUR'S
appointment. He said he was part of the fisheries transition team
that met in Kodiak. Some of the recommendations they came up with
regarding the Board of Fisheries are: retain the basic structure
of the existing Board comprised of lay citizens, ensure Board
geographic interest and expertise by members, and Board members
should not be designated from specific interest groups.
MR. OSTERBACK said that Mr. Umphenour has made very serious
allegations concerning Area M fishermen's lack of commitment during
the Vietnam war and that they were 100% responsible for the decline
in salmon stocks. He asked how such a person could be fair minded?
He said this is all a matter of record. MR. UMPHENOUR responded
that his statements had been highly distorted. SENATOR LEMAN said
he had read the transcript and it agreed with what Mr. Osterback
said. MR. UMPHENOUR replied the reason he said what he said was
because four years ago an old man from Bethel told him how proud he
was of his son who was a private in Kuwait, but he was worried
about his son coming home alive. He said to the Bethel man, "If we
were to have an all out war, the people that would fight it and
carry rifles would be the people whose parents could not afford to
send them to college. But the people that parents could afford to
send them to college would. The same has happened in Vietnam. I
did not call anyone in False Pass or the Area M a draft
dodger....If that were to happen today, and history proves that
what I said is correct, some wealthy people do go carry a rifle,
but they are volunteers. The majority of people that carry a rifle
and die are people that come from low income families and have no
choice..."
Number 289
PAUL GRUNHOLDT, Alaskan fisherman, said Mr. Umphenour's comments
made to the Board of Fisheries were inappropriate and irrational
and are an insult to the veterans of the entire state. Appointing
Mr. Umphenour to the Board will put the Board in further jeopardy,
because he has a prearranged agenda.
Number 275
AL OSTERBACK, former legislator from Sand Point, opposed Mr.
Umphenour's confirmation, because Mr. Umphenour said some men from
Sand Point were draft dodgers. He would like to see someone who is
more qualified and who knows about the fishing in Sand Point.
ART NELSON, fisheries specialist, supported Mr. Umphenour's
appointment to the Board of Fisheries, because he would represent
all user groups. He is very familiar with small scale commercial
fisheries in western Alaska and the subsistence life style. He
thought he could be objective in weighing evidence.
BRUCE SCHACTLER, Kodiak commercial fisherman, said he had been
involved with the Board process for the last 15 years. He has
heard comments from Mr. Umphenour on the mixed stock fishery and it
sounds like he has a fixed agenda. Appointing Mr. Umphenour to the
Board would further the conflict of interest problems the Board
already has and seating him would stop the Board process which
would be the worst possible thing for Alaska. Mr. Umphenour is not
qualified, because he has no idea of what is going on in the Gulf
of Alaska or the Bering Sea. He is there for the people inriver.
He stated there is no one on the Board who represents the Gulf of
Alaska and there just isn't time at the Board meetings to try and
educate ignorant Board members.
Number 200
SENATOR PEARCE asked him to explain what he meant that Mr.
Umphenour is not qualified and how he thought the members of the
Board could all be lay people and not professionals. MR. SCHACTLER
explained that the State is full of people who have been involved
in every fishery from Norton Sound to Ketchikan. He admitted it
was a big problem and said also that there simply was not enough
time to educate all the Board members about all the different
fisheries in Alaska.
MYRON NECK, President, Association of Village Council Presidents,
representing 56 villages on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, supported
the appointment of Virgil Umphenour to the Board of Fisheries.
SENATOR TAYLOR asked him if his organization supported the federal
management of fisheries in Alaska. MR. NECK replied that the way
the system has treated them in western Alaska, that is the only
fair solution.
BYRON HALEY, Fairbanks, strongly supported Mr. Umphenour's
appointment to the Board of Fisheries, because he has a good
knowledge of the fisheries and the resources of the Interior -
commercial, sports and subsistence. He is a strong protector of
the resources.
MR. HALEY also supported the confirmation of Robert Hinman to the
Big Game and Commercial Services Board.
TAPE 92-8, SIDE A
Number 001
GARY MOORE, Director, Planning and Development, Tanana Chiefs'
Conference, said the Interior of Alaska has not been adequately
represented on the Board of Fisheries for some time before Mr.
Umphenour's appointment. He has a good understanding of personal
use, subsistence, commercial use, and processing.
BILL HENRY said he was an Interior fisherman and fish are groceries
to the Interior fisherman. He thought Mr. Umphenour was well
qualified to serve on a balanced Board. MR. TAYLOR responded that
fish were groceries on the coast, the same as in the Interior and
that he thought Mr. Umphenour was a fine individual, also.
JAMIE ROSS, Homer fisherman representing Area M Fishermen,
commented he thought it was really outrageous that there was a
vacuum of representation from Sand Point east to Ketchikan. This
is probably 80% of the socioeconomic and population of the State's
entire commercial fisheries. He said he was present at several
Board meetings where Mr. Umphenour made highly inflammatory,
extremely emotional, and quite rude statements toward the Area M
Fishermen. He encouraged them to read the public record where he
does state Area M Fishermen bought off the government so their boys
didn't have to go to Vietnam. He felt it was impossible for a
person like this to make unbiased, scientifically based, decisions.
He thought Mr. Umphenour's appointment was in a direction away from
marine commercial fisheries which have been the backbone of the
State of Alaska since commercial fisheries have been founded.
ROGER HUNTINGTON, Galena, supported Virgil Umphenour. He has known
him a long time and he is fair and open minded. He said the
coastal fishermen have been favored since statehood and now it's
time to recognize the importance of Interior fishermen.
GILBERT HUNTINGTON, Galena commercial fishermen, said he had worked
with Virgil on many issues and his number one priority was the
consideration of the resource.
Number 195
SIDNEY HUNTINGTON said he had served on the Board of Fisheries for
20 years and he supported Mr. Umphenour's appointment, because he
was a fair and open minded person who believes in preserving the
resource. He said the Interior rivers needed representation, but
he thought Mr. Umphenour would represent everyone in Alaska.
DICK BISHOP, Alaska Outdoor Council, supported Virgil Umphenour's
appointment to the Board of Fisheries. His most important
qualification is his genuine concern for the fish and wildlife of
Alaska. His second most important qualification is his respect for
the values of other resource users. He is a hard worker who likes
to get things done.
Number 279
ART IVANOFF, Kotzebue, said the main purpose of the Board of
Fisheries is to ensure and maintain a sustainable population of all
fisheries is the State. He supported Mr. Umphenour's appointment
to the Board of Fisheries.
DEAN PADDOCK, testifying for himself, said that he had observed the
Board of Fisheries process since 1956. He said it isn't a perfect
process, and it is only as good as the people you put on it. He
has known Mr. Umphenour through his participation in the Board
process and is aware of his work in the U.S./Canada Treaty process
on the Yukon River where he made a very significant contribution.
He fits in very well with the Board process. MR. PADDOCK said that
Mr. Umphenour is well informed and intelligent and predicted he
would serve with distinction and be a credit to the Board process
and the State of Alaska.
MR. PADDOCK also supported Bob Hinman for the Big Game and
Commercial Services Board saying he was a true professional.
SENATOR LEMAN asked him to comment on the statement that the
coastal people had been in power since before statehood. MR.
PADDOCK responded that in the early years of statehood the people
of Western Alaska, both subsistence and commercial, were not well
represented on the Board. Unfortunately during the many years
subsequent to that time, the folks in the Interior and the West
Coast have not been as well represented as they would like to be.
That seems to be inherent in a Board with seven people who attempt
to represent all the interests in the state.
SENATOR TAYLOR asked why he was speaking as an individual rather
than as a representative of the associations he normally
represents. MR. PADDOCK replied that it didn't have to do with the
position of the association he represented, but it was because he
is a 39-year resident of the state working and participating in
many fish and wildlife jobs and recreations and he has always
thought of himself as his own man.
Number 378
SENATOR LEMAN asked Mr. Bob King to comment on a statement printed
in the newspaper, attributed to King, about a "deal" being made
over the Umphenour appointment.
BOB KING, the Governor's Press Secretary, explained that using the
word "deal" is unfortunate. He said he was not prepared to make a
statement for the Administration on this issue. He said the
appointment of this particular seat has been the subject of much
intense pressure from many sides.
Number 408
MR. UMPHENOUR, in closing, said it is obvious why some people do
not want him on the Board. The salmon fisheries have to be managed
throughout the entire migration route of the salmon. Some people
do not want this, like the Area M people who caught an excess of 20
million fish last year while the entire Yukon River and Norton
Sound was totally closed. He explained that in Nome they haven't
even fished subsistence for five years. There are many places that
haven't been able to even fish subsistence for many years.
Number 431
SENATOR PEARCE commented that whether people agree or disagree with
him, he certainly doesn't sound ignorant. Mr. Umphenour thanked
her.
SENATOR LEMAN thanked everyone for joining the Committee and
adjourned the meeting at 5:45 p.m.
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