Two nominations made by Alaska Governor Bill Walker to the North Pacific Fishery Management Council have irked the mayor of Unalaska, whose city operates one of the largest commercial fishing ports in the country.
Last month, in a letter to Assistant Administrator for National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries Chris Oliver, Walker named Andrew Mezirow and John Jensen as his preferred appointments for the seats representing Alaska whose terms expire in August.
Mezirow, who has served on the NPFMC since 2015, owns a sportfishing business, and has experience in the commercial fishing industry, according to Walker. Jensen would bring more 50 years of commercial fishing experience to the panel.
“I have nominated individuals who are knowledgeable and experienced in the harvest, conservation, and management of fishery resources,” Walker wrote.
In going with Mezirow and Jensen, Walker eschewed a recommendation made by Unalaska Mayor Frank Kelty. Kelty, a seafood industry veteran himself, and the Unalaska City Council urged the governor to nominate Nichole Kimball, vice president of the Pacific Seafood Processors Association.
The mayor said, according to the Arctic Sounder, that seafood processors have not held a seat on the NPFMC for a dozen years.
"I was disappointed and I told that to the governor," Kelty said. "I don't think there was a better candidate."
Located in the Aleutian Islands about 800 miles southwest of Anchorage, Unalaska is home to the International Port of Dutch Harbor. According to NOAA statistics, the port received 770 million pounds (350 million kilograms) of seafood in 2016, making it the largest American seafood port by weight. The value of that seafood, USD 198 million (EUR 160.1 million) ranked second to only the Port of New Bedford.
However, Kelty said he believes Unalaska’s interests may not be carrying much weight with state officials because of the region’s sparse population and the relationships it has with companies based in Seattle.
Kimball wasn’t even named as an alternate candidate for either spot. Instead, Walker opted to name Paul Gronholdt, a commercial fisherman, and Greg Indreland, manager of Yakutat Seafoods, as alternates for Mezirow’s spot. Dan Falvey, program manager for the Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association, and Tom Panamaroff, a legislative affairs officer for Koniag Inc., are the alternates for Jensen.
Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross will make the final decision on the appointments.
