August 27, 2020 — Two unconfirmed and controversial Alaska Board of Fisheries members will likely be voting on issues in meetings that begin in October and run through mid-March.
The board oversees management of Alaska’s subsistence, commercial, sport and personal-use fisheries and will be focusing this cycle on Prince William Sound, Southeast and statewide shellfish issues.
Appointments were made by Gov. Mike Dunleavy on April 1 and would normally go through a rigorous vetting process by the Alaska Legislature with public input. But covid-19 sent lawmakers home early from the last session, leaving the confirmation process in limbo.
A public hearing on appointments of Abe Williams of Anchorage and McKenzie Mitchell of Fairbanks is set for Sept. 3 starting at 10 a.m. at the Legislative Information Office in Anchorage. John Jensen of Petersburg also is up for reappointment.