In an uncommon move, the U.S. Secretary of Commerce selected the second-choice nominees submitted by the governors of Alaska and Washington for two open seats on the North Pacific Fishery Management Council, bypassing both governors' preferred candidates.
The appointments, announced June 26 as part of 22 selections across the nation's eight regional fishery management councils, name Forrest Bowers of Alaska and Chad See of Washington to three-year terms beginning in August.
For Alaska's open seat, Gov. Mike Dunleavy had nominated Märit Carlson-Van Dort, chair of the Alaska Board of Fisheries, as his first choice. Bowers, who currently serves as acting director of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game's (ADF&G) Commercial Fisheries Division, was listed as the governor's second choice.
Bowers brings more than 30 years with ADF&G, beginning as a seasonal technician in Kodiak before serving nearly a decade as deputy director of the Commercial Fisheries Division. He succeeds Rudy Tsukada, chief operating officer of Coastal Villages Region Fund, who is completing his first three-year term on the council.
According to the release announcing the appointments, Carlson-Van Dort's nomination was likely affected by conflict-of-interest allegations outlined in a formal complaint filed with the Alaska Attorney General's Office in March.
In Washington, Gov. Bob Ferguson's first-choice nominee, Jamie Goen, executive director of Alaska Bering Sea Crabbers, was not reappointed. Instead, Commerce selected Chad See, Ferguson's second-choice nominee and executive director of the Freezer Longline Coalition.
The coalition represents 10 Alaska- and Washington-based entities operating freezer longline vessels, including five of Alaska's six Community Development Quota organizations.
The appointments prompted criticism from the Alaska Marine Community Coalition (AMCC), which said the selections reduce independent stakeholder representation on the council.
"Mr. Bowers is a highly qualified and respected professional," AMCC Executive Director Michelle Stratton said in a June 29 statement. "Our concern is not with his qualifications. Our concern is that this seat exists to broaden stakeholder representation, not duplicate expertise the State of Alaska already brings to the Council."
AMCC noted that the ADF&G commissioner, or the commissioner's designee, already serves as a voting member of the council under federal law. The organization argued that the additional appointed seats are intended to broaden perspectives beyond state government.
"There are not enough seats on the Council to represent every stakeholder group," Stratton said. "So it's critical that, with the few we do have, we take every opportunity to appoint voices that diversify the Council's views. Instead, an Alaska appointment that could have strengthened stakeholder representation has added a second state-agency voice."
The coalition also expressed disappointment that Goen was not reappointed, noting she had received support from members of both the Alaska and Washington congressional delegations and more than 60 letters of support from across the fishing industry.
"Although the Secretary of Commerce is not required to appoint a governor's first-choice nominee, it's notable when a nominee with this level of regional and bipartisan support is not selected," Stratton said. "Our concern extends beyond any one appointment. It reflects the continued loss of independent stakeholder perspectives on the Council at a time when Alaska's fisheries face significant challenges."
The North Pacific Fishery Management Council develops management plans for federal fisheries off Alaska and oversees some of the nation's largest commercial fisheries, including Bering Sea crab and groundfish. Council members help shape decisions on allocations, bycatch, habitat protections, conservation measures and fisheries rebuilding efforts.
The council has 11 voting members, including six from Alaska, three from Washington, one from Oregon and one federal representative from NOAA Fisheries. Commerce appoints roughly one-third of the nation's regional fishery management council members each year from nominees submitted by governors, territories and tribal governments. Appointed members serve three-year terms and may be reappointed for up to three consecutive terms.
