Public service announcement

Alaska Gov. Sean Parnell has announced the following appointments:

Fishermen's Fund Advisory and Appeals Council

Parnell appointed Donald Stiles to the Fishermen's Fund Advisory and Appeals Council. The council consults with the commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development regarding appeals filed in relation to care of sick and disabled fishermen, and advises the department on administration of the fund.

Stiles, of Nome, is a commercial fisherman and high school basketball coach. Active in the community, Stiles is a Norton Sound Economic Development Corp. board member, former chair of Siu Alaska Corp., and a former fisheries specialist with Kawarek Inc.'s fisheries department. Stiles also served in the U.S. Marine Corps. He is named to a seat reserved for a resident of Northwest Alaska.

Pacific Salmon Commission — Transboundary Panel

Parnell nominated James Becker, Rod Brown, Arnold Enge, Gary Gray and Dale Kelley to the Transboundary Panel of the Pacific Salmon Commission.

The panel supports the Pacific Salmon Treaty, signed by the United States and Canada in 1985. The panel makes recommendations to the commission on management of in-river and terminal fisheries for salmon originating in the Alsek, Taku and Stikine river systems in Southeast Alaska and northern British Columbia.

The governor's nominations are subject to final appointment by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce.

Becker, of Douglas, has been a commercial fisherman for more than 35 years and is a lifetime resident of the Juneau area. He is a board member of United Southeast Alaska Gillnetters Association and chairs the City and Borough of Juneau Fisheries Development Committee. Becker was first appointed to the panel in 2000.

Brown, of Wrangell, is a retired biology, marine biology, math and photography teacher. He fished commercially during the summers and is an avid sportfisherman who has lived in Wrangell since 1969. He was first appointed to the panel in 2005.

Enge is a longtime Petersburg resident who fishes commercially for salmon, herring and halibut. He serves as vice chair of the Petersburg Fish and Game Advisory Committee. Enge was first appointed to the panel in 2000.

Gray, of Yakutat, owns and operates Alsek River Lodge and provides guide services for hunters and fishermen in the Yakutat area. He fished as a commercial setnetter for 15 years and serves as a member of the Yakutat Fish and Game Advisory Committee. Gray was first appointed to the panel in 2006.

Kelley, of Juneau, has served as executive director of the Alaska Trollers Association since 1989. She also has served on the board of United Fishermen of Alaska, and as a commissioner of the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission. Additionally, she was an alternate member of the Pacific Salmon Commission's Northern Panel for three years.

New laws aid injured fishermen, salmon industry

Gov. Sean Parnell was in Petersburg today and signed into law two pieces of legislation important to fish folk:

Senate Bill 163 revises the Fishermen's Fund, a kind of state insurance program for commercial fishermen who are injured or fall ill on the job. The new law increases the claim allowance from $2,500 to $10,000. The Fishermen's Fund is what's known as a "payer of last resort." That means, for example, that the fund can pay for care in the case of an injured fisherman who is underinsured. The prime sponsor of SB 163 was Sen. Joe Paskvan, D-Fairbanks.

House Bill 344 extends the salmon product development tax credit by four years, through 2015. This tax break has been around since 2003. It was among steps the state took to help the depressed salmon industry better compete with fish farmers. The goal is to encourage processors to add value to the salmon. Equipment for filleting fish, removing pinbones and packing salmon in convenient pop-top cans are examples of investments eligible for the tax credit. The new law adds ice machines to the list of qualified investments. Processors already have earned several million dollars in credits, the Department of Revenue says. The prime sponsor of HB 344 was Haines Republican Rep. Bill Thomas, himself a commercial fisherman.

Of note

Gov. Sarah Palin yesterday made a slew of appointments to various state boards, and this was part of the press release:

Fishermen’s Fund Advisory and Appeals Council

Governor Palin reappointed Larry Bartman to the Fishermen’s Fund Advisory and Appeals Council.

The six-member council consults with the commissioner of the Department of Labor and Workforce Development regarding appeals filed concerning the care of Alaska licensed commercial fishermen who have been injured while fishing in Alaska. The council also oversees the administration of the Fishermen’s Fund, which uses a portion of commercial fishing licenses and permit fees to fund medical care and benefits for injured commercial fishermen.

Bartman, of Manokotak, is a technology liaison with the Southwest Region School District in Dillingham and since 1978 has been a commercial driftnet and setnet fisherman in Bristol Bay. He holds a bachelor’s degree in education and worked as a middle school math and science teacher in New Stuyahok, Mentasta Lake and Point Hope.

He was reappointed to a seat representing District 4, covering the waters west of the Alaska Peninsula to Cape Newenham, including Bristol Bay.