JUNEAU — Gov. Bill Walker's nominee to the state Board of Fisheries says he can be impartial despite his past work on behalf of commercial fishermen, even as several lawmakers here said he'll face a difficult confirmation battle.

Walker appointed Roland Maw, the former director of a Cook Inlet commercial fishing group, to the fish board in late January after the resignation of the board's chair, Karl Johnstone. Johnstone quit when Walker told him he wouldn't be reappointed at the expiration of his term in June.

Maw's appointment sent ripples through fish circles in Juneau and elsewhere, as Maw, a Walker campaign booster, is widely viewed as a strong or even radical advocate for commercial fishing interests. With Johnstone, the board, which divides fisheries among competing users, was evenly split between commercial and sportfishing advocates.

Maw, in a phone interview this week, said that he left his job with the commercial fishing group, the United Cook Inlet Drift Association, "months ago." And he said he could serve without bias.

"This labeling, this branding of board members -- I just reject that on its face. I don't think that's fair to anybody," he said. "I've worked with members on the board for a long time. I've seen the so-called commercial guys vote against commercial fishermen."

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