Upcoming

Here are a couple of significant Outside events to watch.

• On June 4 in Washington, D.C., the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries will hold a hearing on "Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness." More details here.

• The North Pacific Fishery Management Council will meet June 5-10 in Newport, Oregon. The council, based in Anchorage, manages fisheries off Alaska and includes voting members from Alaska, Washington and Oregon.

A change in Oregon's council seat

Steve Williams will now represent Oregon on the North Pacific Fishery Management Council, replacing Steve Marx.

The council, based in Anchorage, helps regulate federal fisheries off Alaska. It has 11 voting members from Alaska, Washington and Oregon, with Oregon holding only one seat.

Oregon's new man on the council

Back in June, we told you Roy Hyder, Oregon's longtime representative on the North Pacific Fishery Management Council, was retiring.

Now we have word that Steve Marx is Hyder's replacement.

The council, based in Anchorage, helps regulate federal fisheries off Alaska. It has 11 voting members from Alaska, Washington and Oregon, with Oregon holding only one seat.

Oregon's Hyder to leave council

Roy Hyder, Oregon's longtime representative on the North Pacific Fishery Management Council, is retiring after the council's June 5-14 meeting in Juneau.

That's the word from Michelle Dennehy, spokeswoman for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.

The council, based in Anchorage, helps regulate federal fisheries off Alaska. It has 11 voting members from Alaska, Washington and Oregon, with Oregon holding only one seat.

"We don't have a replacement yet, but we're talking about it," Dennehy said.

Hyder occupies Oregon's council seat as an alternate for the state's fish and wildlife director.

Alaska's 'escalating campaign'

Back in September, we heard from interests who believe Alaska is using its majority on the North Pacific Fishery Management Council to the detriment of Washington and Oregon industry players.

Now comes another voice urging greater Washington and Oregon representation on the council to balance out Alaska's advantage.

In this memo to Washington's congressional delegation, Bob Alverson of the Seattle-based Fishing Vessel Owners' Association says ... well, you really should read it.

Sure to draw an "Amen!" from Washington and Oregon folks, and raise the hackles of Alaskans.

CDQ organizations talk back

On Sept. 14, Deckboss posted a 15-page appeal for reform of the North Pacific Fishery Management Council.

The appeal's authors contend Alaska, which holds six of the 11 voting seats on the council, has used its majority to the detriment of Oregon and Washington. And they focus on Alaska's growing Community Development Quota program to make their argument.

Well, now the CDQ players are talking back.

Here's a statement received today from their umbrella organization, the Western Alaska Community Development Association.

Something big is happening

As this day has worn on, it has become clear to Deckboss that a major move is afoot to overhaul the North Pacific Fishery Management Council.

And it's not just Oregon's idea.

Some in Washington state also believe the council is stacked too heavily in favor of Alaska. So much so that traditional North Pacific fishing industry strongholds in Washington and Oregon are now in jeopardy.

It's all laid out in this fascinating 15-page appeal to Washington and Oregon political leaders.

As you'll see at the end, the authors include some very familiar names.

The word is that people are making the rounds in Washington, D.C., right now, urging lawmakers to add more Oregon and Washington seats on the council to counter the powerful Alaska majority.

Hmmm. Are we about to see an interstate war break out?

Roy Hyder's view

Roy Hyder is Oregon's lone voting member on the North Pacific Fishery Management Council.

His view, judging from this e-mail exchange with Newport, Ore., crab boat owner Gary Painter, is that the council is out of kilter.

"There seems to be an attitude that fish and fishing activity in the North Pacific Region EEZ belong to Alaskans," Hyder wrote.

Deckboss obtained this correspondence from the city of Newport. It was among materials the Newport City Council considered in passing a resolution supporting greater Oregon representation on the council.

Oregon vs. Alaska?

Evidently some commercial fishermen in Oregon, specifically crabbers who fish the Bering Sea, are feeling threatened.

Here's a resolution signed yesterday by the mayor of Newport, Ore., supporting the addition of two more Oregon seats on the North Pacific Fishery Management Council, which regulates federal fisheries off Alaska.

As it stands, Oregon has only one seat on the 11-member council, while Alaska has six seats and Washington three.

The Newport resolution raises fears that Oregon crabbers might soon lose some of their annual crab income due to the "unfair partisan conduct" of the council's Alaska majority.

Deckboss isn't quite sure what to make of this, but of course he'll endeavor to find out more.

The Oregon connection

The National Marine Fisheries Service this summer is interviewing Oregon commercial fishermen who began their fishing careers in Alaska.

"Recent field work from Oregon State University in Oregon fishing communities revealed that many current Oregon commercial fishermen got their start fishing in Alaska during the boom days of the 1980s," a project summary says. "These fishermen in many cases were able to purchase their fishing vessels using the money earned fishing in Alaska. Many of these Oregon fishermen are now nearing retirement age and have spent the bulk of their fishing careers fishing locally in Oregon, but some are still involved seasonally in Alaska fishing."

More information here.