Gov. Bill Walker has appointed Sam Cotten as acting commissioner of the Department of Fish and Game.
Here's the official announcement.
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Alaska commercial fishing news and notes
About me
- Deckboss
- I'm a journalist covering Alaska's commercial fishing industry. My real name is Wesley Loy. Reach me at wloy61@gmail.com.
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2014
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December
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- Allow retention of smaller halibut, FVOA says
- Vast Aleutian marine sanctuary proposed
- Oceana, Greenpeace sue over sea lions
- Bering Sea pollock edges up; Gulf cod surges
- Obama extends Bristol Bay oil and gas leasing ban
- BBRSDA confirms director departure
- F/V Trailblazer crewman needs medevac
- Council to consider catch limits and much more
- Disappointing Chinook forecast for Stikine, Taku
- Cotten named acting fish and game commissioner
- Catastrophe reported in western Bering Sea
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December
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29 comments:
Congratulations. Quite the pedigree and Cook Inlet commercial nonetheless.
Sam is a good man. He will be able to relate to the legislature, has an engaging personality, will likely be respected by his staff, has the experience from being a commercial fisherman and serving on the council before becoming commissioner. We lacked having a commissioner with most of these traits for the past four years. I wish former Commissioner Campbell all the best in her future. Regrettably she just did not have the respect of many of her senior staff or the people skills for the job. She was charming one on one with her close allies but was unable to relate to the public. Now she can spend some needed time with her family. That job can be a family killer.
Excellent choice.
I'll be darned. Interesting choice.
'The Ancient Mariner would not have taken so well if it had been called The Old Sailor.'
Samuel Butler
Sam Cotten is an excellent choice for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game!
Like the Governor and Lt. Governor, Sam Cotten was born and raised in Alaska, where he has hunted and fished his entire life. His credentials as a legislative leader, Commercial Fishermen, Sports Fishermen and experience on the Federal North Pacific Fishery management council will all assist him in managing this State Department. But more than all these qualifications, he has a deep and passionate desire to manage our fish and game resources to meet the maximum sustainable yield principals our constitution. As a legislator he always put the people of Alaska first, while still understanding the principles of maintaining our unique subsistence needs and principles of Alaska.
I just hope he stays on to lead this Department for the next eight years.
Cora was the best commissioner we have ever had. her staff was on point with issues. She was fair and very hard working. I am sure Sam will get the job done but if his performance on the Council is any indication of his work ethic and willingness to be fair...some will be in deep trouble. only time will tell
^^^LOL
Anonymous @ 6:23. Actually, the constitution dictates that "replenishable resources" are managed on a "sustained yield principle". Big difference from maximum sustained yield as maximum yield is not always sustainable.
Article 8 § 4. Sustained Yield
Fish, forests, wildlife, grasslands, and all other replenishable resources belonging to the State shall be utilized, developed, and maintained on the sustained yield principle, subject to preferences among beneficial uses.
The confusion may be traced to the second provision which states...
§ 2. General Authority
"The legislature shall provide for the utilization, development, and conservation of all natural resources belonging to the State, including land and waters, for the maximum benefit of its people."
This is more about use and priorities than it is about actual numbers.
Section 2 State directive is to manage the resources BELONGING to the State for the maximum benefit of ITS people. By its terms, it only applies to the resources in the state of Alaska. It is not a license, permission or request for the State of Alaska representatives to reach out and grab federal resources, in the federal waters. Alaskans are a lawful people, a proud people and decidedly not a greedy people. Alaskans should take pride in not only understanding, but also enforcing this distinction in the law.
Congratulations Sam! Sam is a fair and honest man with great knowledge about the fisheries. There will always be challenges in this position but Sam is capable and competent to lead this department.
The UCI commercial extremists are complaining that Cotten is just a political appointment and not qualified. That in spite of the fact that Cotten is a commercially oriented past fisherman, has family members that fish the Cook Inlet and is Clem Tillion's son in law. That group can never be satisfied. Unbelievable! Hopefully the Governor and Cotten will understand as do the rest of us that some of the UCIDA and KPFA crowd ( not all of them) are giving commercial fishermen all over the state a bad name. Why they remain members of our umbrella organization UFA is a mystery to many.
I hope a clean sweep in the Fish Game is done. Nothing will change with the Old Guard still in charge.
See where the Joint boards of fish and game are looking outside the state for the Commissioner's position. Wonder if that means they do not think Sam Cotten is qualified. Rumor is that both boards think highly of him. If he's qualified and the Governor has appointed him, why go to all the effort to solicit others? Seems like a waste of time.
Good choice for Commish. Would be even better if he can get his father in law committed to somewhere where he can do no more damage.
Very good point. Heard rumor that BOF chairman wanted to just have Jt Board interview Cotten and if qualified forward name to Gov. But after Wildlife director was fired BOG chair wanted to look elsewhere and did not want the Gov's choice. Just third and fourth hand rumor. But that is what this site is for, right? Hope that all those who apply realize that they have no chance to get the job.
His father in law has done more to advance Alaska fisheries than any one else. Both the Commish and he are interested in community based fisheries that benefit Alaskans and not the outside industry interests. Finally we will have a leader in the Dept that will not lie down to the huge trawl fleet at the expense of developing state managed fisheries. History is about to be made. It's about time that we divorced ourselves from the NPFMC and did what's right for Alaska. No more rationalization or catch share fisheries that leave local communities and local fishermen outside looking in while the friend of the Council trawl trawl and take our resources with huge halibut by catch.
It takes four votes from each Board to submit a name to the Governor. So if the BOF has seven saying that the acting commish is qualified but only three from the BOG then his name does not get submitted even though ten of fourteen members thought he was qualified. Very strange way to select such an important position. How is it that these lay board members all of a sudden have employment skills. What objective standards do they use to make their decisions. Sounds so arbitrary.
About time someone comes along who doesn't bend over for the trawlers and further ratz
Currently the pot cod fleet is fishing with both hands tied behind their backs
Catch rate is about a million pounds a day in state waters fisheries
But they only get 18-25 days a year
State small boat fleet could catch 20% of the bsai cod and 100% of goa cod with zero bycatch
Millions of pounds of halibut would be saved for other small boat guys and communities
This is Sam cottons opportunity
And walkers
Was this process followed when Cora was appoionnted? Don't recall all this politicking going on, she just appeared one day. Can't believe going Outside would be considered! No one in ADFG would respect an Outsider, that leader would be on their own.
It's high time a big man with credentials comes in for the small boat Alaskan fleet.
Stop the killing of millions of pounds of halibut
Catch cod with pots
Right, and look what we got when Parnell picked a school teacher from Petersburg to run the Dept. Do you think the Dept staff had confidence in that selection. The Jt Board just folded like a cheap suit in passing her name up. The Dept staff will respect anyone who truly is qualified no matter where they come from. This is a dept with a budget over 200 million running a business that has billions of economic impact. It would be unwise to limit the search to just Alaska applicants. And even if Cotten is ultimately appointed, the state would have a list of qualified applicants that might prove useful later on. It looks to me that this approach is trying to avoid politics and simply get the best names to the Governor.
Really should look toward outsiders to run as governor, us senator, et. Al.
Avoid politics and simply get the best..... From OHIO
Billions of economic impact? This new crew will whittle that down to millions in no time, by privatizing the halibut and handing it to their friends who will turn around and sell it and move to Florida to live as millionaires, just like they did with sablefish. And His father in law has done more to wipe out business in Alaska and give the scraps to his cronies, than anyone else.
"Billions of economic impact? This new crew will whittle that down to millions in no time, by privatizing the halibut and handing it to their friends who will turn around and sell it and move to Florida to live as millionaires, just like they did with sablefish. And His father in law has done more to wipe out business in Alaska and give the scraps to his cronies, than anyone else."
Butt hurt?
Mark Ervice
Homer, AK
If Walker wants Cotten as his ADF&G commissioner, then that's who he will get. Working the phone with the Boards of F & G will see to that. There's no way Walker brings in someone from outside Alaska to run ADF&G.
btw Wesley, nice upgrade for the robot tester!
Agree with 12:08. Maybe BOF said to recruit outside to put pressure on Cotten to keep ADFG directors and assistant commissioners, etc.
I hope that the new acting Commissioner realizes that he is the chief of a very dedicated and talented staff that deserves respect, encouragement and leadership. Morale is very low after the prior leadership. There is much more to this job than just the BOF, BOG and the Council.....unless you want to be a lobbyist when you finish or get fired.
Please note that Cotten and the other Alaskan members on the Council voted to reduce the halibut by catch limits while the non resident members voted to leave it as is. Tie vote because member Dersham was not present to vote ended up not changing the cap. Point is that Cotten voted the correct way. Former commissioner Cora C. would have voted like the non resident members did. She was an industry voter almost every time and did not put Alaskans first. Cotten did! We are very fortunate to have him willing to take a job that will not always endear him with the public.
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