Saving Seafood

Diving deep into Alaska fisheries with gubernatorial candidate Mark Begich

October 31, 2018 — “With fisheries, it’s almost the forgotten resource of our state as an economic driver. It’s almost like they are an afterthought. We have to realign that,” said Mark Begich, Democratic candidate for Alaska governor, in an interview during his trip to Kodiak last week.

Begich came to Kodiak despite the cancellation of the Oct. 22 fisheries debate caused by a no-show by his Republican opponent, Mike Dunleavy, who has not responded to requests to share his ideas and vision for one of Alaska’s oldest industries.

Begich spoke easily and at length on a wide range of fishing industry topics.

He called state funding for fisheries research and stock assessments a top priority.

“We are never going to be able to manage our fisheries resource the proper way without it. And I think there are opportunities through federal, state as well as foundation money that I believe is out there to help us do this,” he said.

Begich said he is a strong supporter of Alaska’s hatchery program.

“I know there is some conversation going on about hatchery fish impacts in the ocean … but there is no real science around that and the hatcheries have been very successful for us as a state,” he said.

In terms of selecting an Alaska Department of Fish and Game commissioner, Begich said good management skills and the ability to bring people together are critical.

“People are frustrated. They feel like their voice isn’t heard. We need commissioners who are willing to step up to the plate and recognize that it’s their job to bring people together, solve problems and move forward,” Begich said. “Obviously, I would want him or her to be knowledgeable about fisheries. We need someone who understands the controversies that are out there, the uniqueness of our resource, and how to balance it with making sure we do things for the long term and not for the moment.”

Read the full story at the Anchorage Daily News

 

ALASKA: Mike Dunleavy skips Kodiak fishing forum

October 26th, 2018 — Rack up another empty seat on the Alaska debate stage for Mike Dunleavy.

The Republican candidate for Alaska governor bailed out of Kodiak’s traditional fisheries debate — after saying he’d show up.

“We plan on being there,” Dunleavy said on public radio’s statewide Talk of Alaska call-in show on Aug.31. But from then on, there was silence from the Dunleavy campaign as Kodiak organizers struggled to plan the Oct. 22 event that is broadcast live statewide on radio and television.

Days before the event, after weeks of unreturned phone calls and emails, organizers finally learned that Dunleavy would not be attending.

“Mike is unfortunately not going to be able to attend the debate as he will be visiting with Alaskans in Barrow. We wish you the best with you (sic) event,” wrote Gina Ritacco, deputy director of scheduling and events, in an Oct. 16 email to the Kodiak Chamber of Commerce.

The conflicting trip to Barrow was posted on the Dunleavy event calendar that same day.

“Certainly, it makes us in Kodiak feel like even though the fishing industry is so important to Alaska, it may not be that important to him,” said Frank Schiro, executive director of the Kodiak Chamber of Commerce which has hosted the debate since 1991.

Shiro added that he was not surprised.

“People had predicted from the beginning that it might not be to his advantage to come here. I think he believes he doesn’t need to pay attention to people down here and will walk into office anyway,” he said,

“We gave him two months to schedule it,” Schiro added. “The other two candidates for governor responded immediately and Dunleavy’s lag time made our planning extremely difficult.”

Since late March Dunleavy’s calendar shows that he has participated in a debate on rural issues in Naknek in early June and visited Juneau and Ketchikan. Besides that to date he had not visited any coastal communities beyond the Kenai Peninsula. Dunleavy also has not responded to requests for interviews by any media in coastal towns.

The seafood industry is Alaska’s largest private employer and second only to oil in the tax revenues it puts into state coffers. Seafood also is Alaska’s top export by far. Dunleavy has missed an opportunity to share his views and vision for Alaska’s oldest industry to a statewide audience.

Read the full story at Alaska Journal of Commerce

Alaska Governor Bill Walker withdraws from race, former opponent Mike Dunleavy opposes salmon protections

October 24, 2018 — With U.S. election day on 6 November just around the corner, Alaska Governor Bill Walker  shocked the state on 19 October by dropping out of his race for reelection.

Walker, an independent, said he realized he would not be able to win a three-way race, and has endorsed the Democratic candidate – former U.S. Senator Mark Begich – who faces former Republican State Senator Mike Dunleavy. Though Walker’s name will still be on the ballot, he urged supporters to vote for Begich.

“Alaskans deserve a choice other than Mike Dunleavy,” Walker said.

Walker was set to debate Begich in a debate over commercial fishing on Monday, but with Walker pulling out of the race, the debate organized by the Kodiak Chamber of Commerce was canceled.

Dunleavy would not have appeared at the event anyway, which would have made him the first gubernatorial candidate in 27 years not to attend the historic debate. Instead, Dunleavy said he was “visiting with Alaskans in Barrow.”

Read the full story at Seafood Source

 

Alaska gubernatorial fishing debate called off after incumbent’s surprise exit

October 23, 2018 — Mark Begich, the Democratic candidate for Alaska governor, will not appear on a stage in Kodiak Monday evening to discuss his positions related to the state’s commercial fisheries.

Following Friday’s surprise announcement by incumbent Bill Walker that he was pulling out of the 2018 race, the planned debate has been cancelled, confirms Frank Schiro, executive director of the Kodiak Chamber of Commerce.

Walker, an independent, used the Alaska Federation of Natives Convention, in Anchorage, on Friday, to announce that he would be leaving the four-way contest. He explained that his decision was based on the promise he made in his campaign to keep “Alaska first” and give Begich a better chance at beating Republican challenger Mike Dunleavy.

With the Nov. 6 election day looming, Walker, based on the latest polls taken two weeks ago, had just 27.0% of the Alaska vote while Democrat Mark Begich had 22.6% and Republican challenger Mike Dunleavy had 46.5%. Walker also has a Libertarian challenger, William S. “Billy” Toien, though he was not featured in the poll.

Only 3.9% of respondents were undecided, and the poll had a 4.4% margin of error.

On Friday, Walker, a former Republican, said he didn’t believe 18 days were enough for him to turn things around.

Read the full story at Undercurrent News

Republican leading Alaska gubernatorial race a mystery on commercial fishing issues

October 19, 2018 — Every major candidate in every Alaska gubernatorial, US Senate or House election since 1991 — and in quite a few state legislative races, too — has met on the stage in Kodiak to debate issues related to the state’s commercial fishing industry.

They never miss it, such is the importance of fishing to the state of Alaska.

But Mike Dunleavy won’t be at the Gerald C. Wilson Auditorium this Monday to square off against his two main political combatants in the latest race for governor, independent incumbent Bill Walker and Democratic candidate Mark Begich.

Instead, the 57-year-old Republican, former state senator and educational consultant — who has been leading the 2018 race for governor of the state by a wide margin in all recent polls — will be “visiting with Alaskans in Barrow,” a town more than 1,200 miles away in the northern part of the state, his staff reportedly informed the debate organizers this week.

The decision serves to further confound the fishing captains, seafood processors and many laborers in Alaska’s massive commercial fishing industry just three weeks before they’ll join other Alaskans in voting booths. They’re struggling to learn more about what their next likely governor might do on such issues of consequence as the proposed Pebble Mine and trade with China.

Read the full story at Undercurrent News