How they voted

Here's how state legislators voted yesterday on whether to confirm the appointment of Vince Webster to the Alaska Board of Fisheries.

House

YEAS: Austerman, Chenault, Costello, Edgmon, Feige, Foster, Gruenberg, Herron, Josephson, Kerttula, Kreiss-Tomkins, Munoz, Nageak, Olson, Seaton, Tarr, Tuck, P. Wilson

NAYS: Drummond, Gara, Gattis, Hawker, Higgins, Holmes, Hughes, Isaacson, Johnson, Kawasaki, Keller, LeDoux, Lynn, Millett, Neuman, Pruitt, Reinbold, Saddler, Stoltze, Thompson, T. Wilson

Excused: Guttenberg

Senate

YEAS: Bishop, Dyson, Egan, Fairclough, French, Giessel, Hoffman, Micciche, Olson, Stedman, Stevens

NAYS: Coghill, Dunleavy, Ellis, Gardner, Huggins, Kelly, McGuire, Meyer, Wielechowski

TOTALS: 29 yeas, 30 nays with one member excused

And so, lacking the required 31 votes, Webster failed to be confirmed to the Board of Fisheries.

Source: Senate and House Joint Journal Supplement for April 8

The governor reacts

Here's a statement from Gov. Sean Parnell's office on today's legislative confirmation hearing:

The Legislature voted down the reappointment of Vince Webster to the Alaska Board of Fisheries. Governor Parnell phoned Mr. Webster after the vote to personally thank him for volunteering six years of service to the State of Alaska.

"It is disappointing, discouraging and disheartening when bad information or politics prevent a qualified Alaskan from serving our state," Governor Parnell said. "I appreciate Vince's willingness to serve these past six years."

The Legislature's action requires the governor to make a new appointment to the Board of Fisheries, subject to confirmation by the Legislature.

Webster rejected for Board of Fisheries

After considerable debate, Alaska legislators voted 30-29 against Vince Webster for another term on the state Board of Fisheries.

The governor's other two appointees, Reed Morisky and Tom Kluberton, were confirmed by unanimous consent.

Boot Vince Webster!

The Kenai River Sportfishing Association is going after Vince Webster, member of the Alaska Board of Fisheries.

As you'll recall, Gov. Sean Parnell recently reappointed Webster for another term, and he is now awaiting legislative confirmation.

KRSA has issued this call to action for people to contact legislators and urge a "no" vote on Webster.

The organization says Webster "directly participated in precariously and unnecessarily lowering the escapement goal of Kenai River king salmon during a time of record low abundance and uncertain future production."

Webster did this, KRSA says, to benefit commercial salmon setnetters.

Kluberton, Webster to continue on Fish Board

Alaska Gov. Sean Parnell today reappointed Tom Kluberton, of Talkeetna, and Vince Webster, of King Salmon, to the state Board of Fisheries.

Delo out, Kluberton in, Webster stays

Looks like the governor has replaced Howard Delo on the Alaska Board of Fisheries.

Here's the press release:

April 1, 2010

Gov. Parnell Announces Board of Fisheries Appointments

JUNEAU — Gov. Sean Parnell yesterday reappointed Claude "Vince" Webster of King Salmon and appointed Thomas G. Kluberton of Talkeetna to the state Board of Fisheries.

The seven-member board is responsible for conservation and development of the state's fishery resources by setting seasons, bag limits, methods and means for the state's subsistence, commercial, sport, guided sport and personal use fisheries. The board sets fishery management policy and makes allocation decisions the Department of Fish and Game must carry out through its management of fishery resources. Appointees are subject to legislative confirmation.

Webster is finishing his first term on the board, and is the current board chair. He is a set gillnetter in the Kvichak district in Bristol Bay, and a drift gillnet fisherman in the Naknek district. Webster is also an engineering equipment operator for the National Park Service, and previously worked as facilities and maintenance director for the Lake and Peninsula Borough School District.

Kluberton is the innkeeper at Fireweed Station Inn near Talkeetna. He served as a member of the Matanuska-Susitna Borough Assembly from 2006-09, and served on the borough mayor's Blue Ribbon Sportsman's Committee during that time. Kluberton was co-owner of K&K Service & Rental, and director of market research for Netsys Technologies Inc. He also worked as an information systems and management consultant for the state of Alaska.

The remaining vacancy on the Board of Fisheries, created by the resignation of Janet Woods on March 26, will be filled within 30 days as required by statute.