Call to service

Posted by The Highliner

Posted: November 18, 2008 - 5:12 pm

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Gov. Sarah Palin just announced a slew of fishy board appointments and nominations.

Here’s the press release:

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Office of the Governor

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Nov. 18, 2008

Governor Palin Announces Board Appointments

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – Governor Sarah Palin today announced appointments to the Alaska Board of Forestry and Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission, as well as her nominations to the Bering Sea Fishery Advisory Board and the North Pacific Anadromous Fish Commission’s advisory panel.

Alaska Board of Forestry

Governor Palin appointed Mark Vinsel to the Alaska Board of Forestry.

The nine-member board’s mission includes advising the governor on state logging and forestry regulations, promoting cooperative resolution of industry-related issues, recommending areas of forestry research, and suggesting improvements to state forestry laws and regulations.

Vinsel, of Juneau, has been executive director of United Fishermen of Alaska since 2004, after serving as the industry advocacy group’s office manager from 2000-04. His community service includes serving as chairman of the Alaska Commemorative Coin Commission from 2005-08, and chairman of the Alaska Fishing Industry Relief Mission from 2005-07. Vinsel earned a bachelor’s degree in design and industry from San Francisco State University in 1995. He was appointed to a seat representing the commercial fishing industry.

Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission

Governor Palin appointed Eric A. Olson to the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission.

The 15-member commission promotes and supports policies and actions to conserve, develop, and manage fishery resources in Alaska, California, Oregon, Washington and Idaho, with an emphasis on cooperative research and data gathering.

Olson, of Anchorage, is a lifelong Bristol Bay commercial fisherman who works as regional fisheries financial manager for Kwik’Pak Fisheries. He had previously been fisheries quota manager for the Bristol Bay Economic Development Corporation from 1996-2000, and vice chairman of two companies operating Bering Sea longliners from 1998-2006. After serving as chairman of the North Pacific Fisheries Management Council’s Advisory Panel from 2002-05, he was appointed to the full council in 2005, and elected chair in 2007.

Olson has served as a director of economic development, marine conservation, and information technology concerns in Bristol Bay. He earned bachelor’s degrees in business administration and accounting from the University of Alaska Anchorage in 1996. He fills a seat reserved for a public member with interest in and knowledge of fisheries.

Bering Sea Fishery Advisory Board

Governor Palin nominated Dave Benton and Simon Kinneen for appointment to the Bering Sea Fishery Advisory Board.

The 12-member board advises the International Consultative Committee in its negotiations with the Russian Federation on Bering Sea fisheries issues, primarily regarding pollock fishing in international waters. It includes both public members with experience in and knowledge of fishery issues, and state fishing officials from the states of Alaska and Washington. The governor’s nominees are subject to final appointment by the U.S. Secretary of State.

Benton, of Juneau, is executive director of the Marine Conservation Alliance and a member of the North Pacific Research Board. He is a former Alaska Commissioner to the Pacific Salmon Commission and former chair of the North Pacific Fishery Management Council.

Kinneen, of Nome, is a community development quota manager for Norton Sound Economic Development Corporation, and serves on the North Pacific Marine Science Foundation board of directors and the North Pacific Fishery Management Council Advisory Panel. He is a former member of the North Pacific Research Board Advisory Panel and the Alaska Fisheries Development Foundation board of directors.

North Pacific Anadromous Fish Commission Advisory Panel

Governor Palin nominated David Beebe, Mike Heimbuch, and Charles “Chip” Treinen, and re-nominated Karen L. Gillis, Jim Kallander and Jay Stinson to the Advisory Panel for the North Pacific Anadromous Fish Commission. The governor also named Al Burch, Kathy Hansen, Robert Heyano, Dale Kelley, Mark Vinsel and Christian Zimmerman as alternate nominees.

The commission represents the United States in an international commission created by a 1992 treaty among Japan, Canada, South Korea and the Russian Federation. The commission is a forum for promoting conservation of North Pacific/Bering Sea salmon, marine mammals, seabirds and fish, for collection and distribution of fisheries data, and for coordination of fishery enforcement. The advisory panel provides technical and scientific assistance and information to the commissioners. While the governor nominates candidates, the U.S. Secretary of State makes the final appointments, in consultation with the U.S. Secretary of Commerce.

Beebe, of Petersburg, is a Southeast Alaska crab, halibut, and herring fisherman who serves on the board of the Alaska Marine Conservation Council. He fills a seat reserved for a representative of a conservation organization.

Heimbuch, of Homer, has been a commercial fisherman for a variety of species for more than 40 years. He has served on the local fish and game advisory committee and the board of Prince William Sound Aquaculture Association. Heimbuch is currently a member of the Homer City Council.

Treinen, of Anchorage, fishes commercially for salmon in the Southeast, Kodiak, and Bristol Bay regions. He is a vice president of United Fishermen of Alaska.

Gillis, of Anchorage, is executive director of Bering Sea Fishermen’s Association. She serves on a variety of fisheries bodies, including the Arctic-Yukon-Kuskokwim Sustainable Salmon Initiative, the Yukon River Panel’s Joint Technical Committee, and the Western Alaska Salmon Stock Identification Program Advisory Committee.

Kallander, of Cordova, is a salmon, halibut, and black cod fisherman, who serves on the boards of Prince William Sound Aquaculture Association and Cordova District Fishermen United, and on the Cordova City Council.

Stinson, of Kodiak, has more than 30 years of experience in the fishing and processing industries. He is a former member and chair of the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute board of directors and currently serves as president of the Alaska Whitefish Trawlers Association.

Burch, of Kodiak, is a longtime commercial fisherman who serves as executive director of the Alaska Whitefish Trawlers Association. He is a former member of the North Pacific Fishery Management Council’s Advisory Panel and serves as a member of the Bering Sea Fisheries Advisory Body.

Hansen, of Juneau, fishes commercially for salmon and halibut and serves as executive director of Southeast Alaska Fishermen’s Alliance. She is the statewide issues chair for United Fishermen of Alaska and a member of the North Pacific Fishery Management Council’s halibut charter stakeholder committee.

Heyano, of Dillingham, is a Bristol Bay salmon fisherman who previously served on the Alaska Board of Fisheries and is currently president of the Bristol Bay Regional Seafood Development Association.

Kelley, of Juneau, has served as executive director of the Alaska Trollers Association since 1989. She has also served on the board of United Fishermen of Alaska and as a commissioner to the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission.

Vinsel, of Juneau, is executive director of United Fishermen of Alaska, the state’s largest commercial fishing organization. He is also the past president of Raincountry Flyfishers, a sportfishing group, and served as chair of the Alaska Commemorative Coin Commission.

Zimmerman, of Anchorage, is a research fishery biologist. He is an affiliate professor at University of Alaska Fairbanks, Oregon State University, and University of Montana, and is the chair for the Scientific and Technical Committee of the Arctic-Yukon-Kuskokwim Sustainable Salmon Initiative.

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