Vincent-Lang named fish and game commissioner

Here's the press release.

Cotten named acting fish and game commissioner

Gov. Bill Walker has appointed Sam Cotten as acting commissioner of the Department of Fish and Game.

Here's the official announcement.

Legislature OKs Campbell

The Alaska Legislature today unanimously confirmed, without debate, Cora Campbell as Gov. Sean Parnell's fish and game commissioner, the Associated Press reports.

Cora Campbell picks up support for confirmation

Cora Campbell appears to be gaining momentum in her bid to secure confirmation as commissioner of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.

Here's a sampler of letters sent recently to state legislators. Campbell is finding support from commercial and recreational fishing groups, the state's largest Native organization, a respected marine conservation group, and Community Development Quota players.

Some, however, say she lacks the proper background for the position.

United Fishermen of Alaska — supports

Chitina Dipnetters Association — supports

Alaska Federation of Natives — supports

Alaska Marine Conservation Council — supports

Western Alaska Community Development Association — supports

Sara Jackinsky — opposes

Parnell's pick for commissioner draws more heat

Another group is opposing Gov. Sean Parnell's choice of Cora Campbell as commissioner of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.

Here's a letter the Ketchikan Herring Action Group sent to state legislators urging them to vote against Campbell's confirmation.

'Acting' dropped from Cora Campbell's title

No surprise here: Gov. Sean Parnell has chosen Cora Campbell from a very short list to be his fish and game commissioner.

Here's the press release:

Dec. 22, 2010

Gov. Parnell names Cora Campbell fish and game commissioner

JUNEAU — Gov. Sean Parnell today appointed Cora Campbell as commissioner of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. Campbell's name was one of two submitted for the position by the Joint Board of Fisheries and Game. Campbell has been serving as acting commissioner since Dec. 1.

"I commend the joint board for sending me two well-qualified candidates, both whom I know and respect," Gov. Parnell said. "Cora Campbell's fisheries experience and broad understanding of wildlife management make her a great fit for the agency."

As acting commissioner, Campbell represented the State of Alaska on numerous bodies, including the North Pacific Fishery Management Council, which oversees commercial and sport fisheries in federal waters off Alaska. Prior to this appointment, she served as a policy advisor for wildlife, environmental conservation, natural resources, Arctic issues, climate change and fisheries in her role as special assistant to Gov. Parnell.

"I'm honored to serve in this capacity, and look forward to working with agency staff and the public to sustain Alaska's world-class fishing, hunting and wildlife viewing opportunities," Campbell said.

Campbell has served two governors, and was first appointed in May 2007 as Gov. Palin's fisheries policy advisor. Her responsibilities included oversight of state fisheries policies, chairing the fisheries and oceans subcabinets, serving on the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute board of directors, and coordinating activities of the agencies involved in regulation and development of the state's subsistence, personal use, sport and commercial fisheries. Campbell's responsibilities later expanded to include wildlife and other natural resource and environmental issues.

Prior to her service in the governor's office, Campbell worked in state and federal fishery and regulatory forums, served as executive director of a regional fishing association with an emphasis on economic development and cooperative research, supervised a public outreach program focusing on the federal subsistence process, and served on numerous boards and committees, including the advisory panels to the North Pacific Fishery Management Council and the North Pacific Research Board. She has also fished commercially for salmon, herring and crab, and managed shore operations for a diversified fishing business.

A lifelong Alaskan originally from Petersburg, Campbell graduated from Pacific Lutheran University. She will be based in Juneau.

Update on commissioner nominations

The Joint Board of Fisheries and Game voted unanimously this afternoon to send two names to Gov. Sean Parnell to consider for fish and game commissioner: Cora Campbell and Ron Somerville.

They were the only applicants for the job.

Parnell already has strongly signaled his likely choice, and that's Campbell, who currently is serving as acting commissioner.

Boards to consider commissioner nominees

Alaska's fisheries and game boards will meet in joint session at 1 p.m. today to consider nominations for state commissioner of fish and game.

Click here for the agenda plus details on how to listen to the meeting via teleconference.

Not exactly a stampede for commissioner's job

Only two people submitted applications by yesterday's deadline for the job of state fish and game commissioner: Cora Campbell and Ron Somerville.

Campbell, of course, is currently serving as acting commissioner.

Somerville is a former chairman of the Alaska Board of Game.

Under state law, it's now up to the fisheries and game boards, acting jointly, to send the governor a list of qualified persons to pick from.

For updates on that process, check here.

Gov. Sean Parnell already has said he wants Campbell as his commissioner.

It's Cora Campbell's job for now

Gov. Sean Parnell this morning named some new cabinet members and retained some others.

Most significantly for fishing folk, he named Cora Campbell his acting commissioner of fish and game.

Here's the press statement from the governor's office:

Cora Campbell has been named acting Fish and Game commissioner. She currently serves as fisheries policy advisor and special assistant to Governor Sean Parnell with responsibilities for fisheries, game, environmental conservation, natural resources, and Arctic policy issues. She has served as the governor's representative to various boards and committees, including the North Pacific Fishery Management Council and the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute Board of Directors. Campbell has served as executive director of the Petersburg Vessel Owners Association and was an advisory panel member of the North Pacific Fishery Management Council and the North Pacific Research Board.

Campbell received a bachelor's degree in education from Pacific Lutheran University. A lifelong Alaskan, Campbell grew up in Petersburg, where she spent her early years working in the seafood industry.

Who wants to be commissioner?

Newly re-elected Gov. Sean Parnell, you might have heard, is replacing a number of his cabinet members, including his fish and game commissioner.

The governor can't simply hire a new commissioner directly.

Rather, the laws says he "shall appoint the commissioner of fish and game from a list of qualified persons nominated by the Board of Fisheries and the Board of Game meeting in joint session, subject to the right of the governor to request additional nominations."

The commissioner's job is being advertised in large Alaska newspapers, and the deadline to apply is Dec. 8. This website has more details.

I checked late last week with Jim Marcotte in the Boards Support office on whether anybody had applied.

Nope, not yet, he told me.

The joint board meeting will happen in December or early January, Marcotte said.

The speculation probably will get pretty thick in the coming days.

Never one to miss out on the fun, Deckboss can report he's heard three potential candidates: John Garner, an executive with Trident Seafoods Corp.; McKie Campbell, a former fish and game commissioner and now congressional energy staffer under Sen. Lisa Murkowski; and Cora Campbell, fisheries policy adviser to Parnell.

My apologies to all three for dropping their names!