New leadership for a CDQ organization

The Central Bering Sea Fishermen's Association, one of Alaska's six community development quota organizations, today announced Ray Melovidov as its new president.

He takes over for CBSFA's longtime president, Phillip Lestenkof, who is retiring.

CBSFA represents St. Paul Island under the CDQ program.

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Last week came word that Jeff Kauffman, of Wasilla, had resigned from the International Pacific Halibut Commission and that the Obama administration had appointed Linda Behnken, of Sitka, to replace him.

So why would Kauffman resign?

Well, it seems he was involved in a halibut fishing violation.

The boat named in the case, the F/V Saint Peter, belongs to the Central Bering Sea Fishermen's Association, one of Alaska's community development quota companies.

In its most recent annual report, CBSFA lists Kauffman as a company executive with a salary of $126,951.

Federal enforcement officials initially assessed a civil penalty of $61,781 in the Saint Peter case, which settled for $49,000.