UFA likes Sullivan

United Fishermen of Alaska is endorsing U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan's reelection bid.

West Coast support for Ballot Measure 1

The Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's Associations is endorsing Alaska's Ballot Measure 1.

UFA likes Murkowski for another term

United Fishermen of Alaska, the state's top commercial fishing association, is endorsing U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski for re-election.

SEAS likes Begich, Parnell

The Southeast Alaska Seiners Association is supporting the re-election bids of U.S. Sen. Mark Begich, D-Alaska, and Gov. Sean Parnell, a Republican.

SEAS Begich endorsement
SEAS Parnell endorsement

Another endorsement for Begich

The Purse Seine Vessel Owners Association likes U.S. Sen. Mark Begich, D-Alaska, for another term. Read the endorsement here.

More backing for Begich

Another commercial fishing group, Alaska Bering Sea Crabbers, is supporting the re-election bid of U.S. Sen. Mark Begich, D-Alaska.

Read the endorsement here.

Long endorsement

United Fishermen of Alaska, the state's top commercial fishing group, is supporting David Long for a seat on the North Pacific Fishery Management Council.

Here's the UFA endorsement letter.

PVOA endorses Rep. Thomas for another term, but chides him for salmon fishery 'conflict of interest'

The Petersburg Vessel Owners Association, a top Southeast Alaska commercial fishing group, has endorsed a slate of candidates for the upcoming election.

Among these is state Rep. Bill Thomas, R-Haines, a commercial salmon drift gillnetter and one of the Legislature's most powerful members as co-chair of the House Finance Committee.

PVOA's endorsement of Thomas comes with an admonishment. Some members of the organization believe the lawmaker has displayed a "conflict of interest" in apparently trying to influence state salmon fishery managers.

So indicates a recent email to PVOA members from the group's executive director, Julianne Curry. Here it is:

From: Julianne Curry -PVOA-
Date: October 1, 2012 11:37:21 AM PDT
To: Petersburg Vessel Owners
Subject: General Election November 6th, 2012

PVOA members,

Please check your email filters, we have had several problems lately in getting emails to our membership.

At a recent PVOA meeting the membership endorsed candidates for the upcoming general election to be held on November 6th, 2012. Based on experience with the fishing industry, leadership positions, and years of dedicated service to the region, PVOA supported the full slate of incumbent candidates for Southeast and for the U.S. House. Since the last census, Southeast lost more residents than any other region in the State. Due to census-based redistricting, Southeast is losing a Senator and a Representative from the Alaska State Legislature. In order for Southeast to continue to have a voice in the State legislature, be sure to vote on November 6th, 2012 and encourage others to do the same.

Senate District Q: Bert Stedman
House District 31: Cathy Munoz
House District 32: Beth Kerttula
House District 33: Peggy Wilson
House District 34: Bill Thomas
U.S. House of Representatives: Don Young

In response to concerns from PVOA members the following letter was sent to Representative Thomas:

Representative Thomas,

Attached you will find a letter of endorsement from PVOA for the upcoming general election. As the Co-Chair of the House Finance Committee, your work to fund the ADF&G budget has had a major impact on projects in Southeast that are important to our membership. In the 2012 session alone, you established annual funding items including: Southeast Alaska sockeye and Chinook salmon stock assessment at $550,000 a year, a Southeast Alaska pot shrimp fishery in-season management project at $70,000 a year, and a Hugh Smith Lake sockeye and coho adult enumeration project at $120,000 a year. You also helped attain a demersal shelf rockfish and lingcod stock assessment at $340,000 a year and you were instrumental in attaining four years of funding for genetic stock work to determine sockeye stock of origin in the Chatham and Icy Straight corridor for $300,000. It is imperative that the fishing industry has someone to fund important ADF&G projects as well as our ports and harbors and hatcheries. As the only remaining commercial fisherman in the State Legislature, you provide a strong voice for our region.

As a multi-gear multi-species fishing organization, PVOA currently represents over 100 vessels and businesses operating primarily in Southeast Alaska. Of our 85 vessels, 42 of them are Southeast seiners who depend on sustainable management of our salmon resource to ensure a healthy future. Some of our members have expressed concern regarding your interaction with ADF&G’s in-season salmon management. PVOA’s endorsement was made possible by your long list contributions to Southeast and the fishing industry, but also by your willingness to reconsider your approach to how you participate in the management and allocation process of the Northern salmon districts. While we respect any individual’s right to offer potential knowledge and opinion to ADF&G personnel, we feel your service in the Legislature makes in-season interaction with ADF&G a conflict of interest. Salmon management and allocation issues should be addressed in the appropriate forums and through the proper channels, allowing due process to take its course. In the future, we would like to sit down with you and other regional fishing associations to discuss concerns we share regarding Northern salmon management and allocation.

We thank you for your years of service in the Legislature. We look forward to continuing to work with you on common goals and issues that are important to the fishing industry and Alaska. Please feel free to contact myself of any member of the PVOA Board of Directors with any questions or comments you may have. Each of the Board members have been CC’d on this email for your convenience and I would be happy to provide you with their phone numbers if you wish to speak with them in person.

Julianne Curry
Petersburg Vessel Owners Association

UFA: We support Cora Campbell

United Fishermen of Alaska is backing Gov. Sean Parnell's somewhat controversial pick of Cora Campbell to head the Department of Fish and Game.

Here's the UFA press release:

Dec. 6, 2010

UFA endorses Cora Campbell for commissioner

United Fishermen of Alaska, representing 38 Alaska commercial fishing organizations, announced its support of Cora Campbell for Commissioner of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. UFA highlighted Campbell's wide-ranging experience in the state and federal fisheries management processes. UFA members have worked with Campbell during her career as Fisheries Policy Analyst for Governors Parnell and Palin, and the members are keenly aware of the skills she has acquired in the Fish and Game policy and planning process during this period of time.

"Cora has impressed the UFA board with her presentations and public comments. She routinely displays a depth of knowledge of state and federal management processes, the importance of science-based management and the far-reaching effects of fish and game management on Alaska citizens. In addition, although she is well-grounded in commercial fisheries, she has extensive experience and knowledge in the federal subsistence management process," said UFA President Arni Thomson.

"We feel she is uniquely qualified with this broad perspective, and we support Governor Parnell in providing her the opportunity to lead the State's world-class, science-based management of our fish and game resources," Thomson said.

Murkowski bags another fish endorsement

The Yukon Delta Fisheries Development Association endorses the re-election bid of U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska.

Be sure to check the end of the endorsement for some interesting economic data on the Community Development Quota program.

PVOA likes Republican incumbents

The Petersburg Vessel Owners Association favors U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, U.S. Rep. Don Young and Alaska Gov. Sean Parnell in the Nov. 2 election.

Here are the written endorsements: Murkowski, Young, Parnell.

UFA likes Parnell for a full four

Here's a press release from the Parnell campaign:

Oct. 7, 2010

United Fishermen of Alaska backs Parnell

ANCHORAGE — Alaska's gubernatorial contest frontrunner Sean Parnell today announced the endorsement of United Fishermen of Alaska, the largest fishing organization in the United States with 38 member organizations that participate in every commercial fishery in nearly every region of the state. Fisheries include salmon, crab, halibut, pollock, Pacific cod and many other species.

Alaska's commercial fishing industry is the largest private employer in the state generating annual revenue in excess of $3 billion.

Today's endorsement comes a day after Parnell met with UFA members and reaffirmed his strong commitment to defend Alaska's fisheries against unreasonable federal management policies. Parnell also addressed many of the statewide issues impacting fishermen in Alaska in that meeting. Gov. Parnell stood up for Alaska's fisheries several times over the past year, fighting federal Steller sea lion regulation, fighting genetically engineered salmon marketing, and funding more marketing for Alaska's seafood.

"I'm glad for the opportunity to stand with Alaska's fishermen," Parnell said. "Their hard work creates a livelihood for families throughout Alaska. I'm humbled by their support."

UFA still likes Murkowski

United Fishermen of Alaska, the state's top commercial fishing trade group, has again endorsed the re-election bid of Republican U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski.

UFA initially backed Murkowski prior to her primary loss to Joe Miller.

MCA likes Murkowski for six more years

Something here from the Murkowski campaign:

Aug. 20, 2010

Marine Conservation Alliance Endorses Lisa

ANCHORAGE — Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today announced the endorsement of the Marine Conservation Alliance.

"The Marine Conservation Alliance is pleased to endorse Sen. Murkowski's candidacy for the U.S. Senate," said David Benton, executive director of the MCA. "We very much appreciate her leadership to support the Alaska seafood industry in a manner that protects the environment, ensures sustainable harvests, and sustainable coastal communities."

Lisa welcomed and thanked the MCA for its support: "I am very proud to receive the endorsement of the Marine Conservation Alliance and its members. I fight for our state's commercial fishing industry because I understand its critical importance to our coastal communities and our economy. I look forward to continuing to represent our state's fishermen and women in the United States Senate."

The MCA is a coalition of harvesters, processors and communities in the Alaska groundfish and crab fisheries. The alliance represents approximately 70 percent of the harvesters and processors who provide seafood from the federal waters off Alaska. Commercial fishing provides over 60,000 jobs in Alaska, half of the state's exports and contributes over $5 billion in economic output to the state.

UFA likes Murkowski for six more years

United Fishermen of Alaska, the state's top commercial fishing organization, today endorsed the re-election bid of U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski.

Murkowski is facing what appears to be a tough challenge from Joe Miller of Fairbanks.

The two square off in the Aug. 24 Republican primary.

Another Fuglvog endorsement

Here's more love for Arne Fuglvog, a former Petersburg commercial fisherman looking to hook the top job at the National Marine Fisheries Service.

This endorsement letter comes from the Southeast Alaska Seiners Association.