Juneau watch

Legislators on Thursday confirmed the governor's appointments and reappointments:

• Paul Cyr, Blair Hickson and Mike Wood to the Board of Fisheries

• Tracy Welch to the Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission

• Renee Alward to the Fishermen's Fund Advisory and Appeals Council.

The only drama involved Hickson with Sen. Jesse Bjorkman, R-Nikiski, objecting to his confirmation. On the ensuing roll call of legislators, Hickson was confirmed on a vote of 39 yeas 21 nays.

Here is Hickson's resume.

To see how all legislators voted, check this legislative journal report.

Juneau watch

The Alaska Legislature yesterday confirmed the governor's picks for the Alaska Board of Fisheries.

The vote was 40 yeas to 20 nays to confirm Tom Carpenter for a second term on the board.

Legislators voted 50 to 10 to confirm newcomer Olivia Irwin.

Legislators also confirmed Rick Green for continued service on the Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission.

Full details on the confirmations are available here.

Lutnick confirmed as commerce secretary

Here's a news account.

Washington watch

Howard Lutnick, President Trump's pick for commerce secretary, today sat for his confirmation hearing in Congress.

Part of the secretary's job is managing fisheries via the National Marine Fisheries Service, a Commerce Department agency.

Here's an NPR report on the hearing.

And here are press releases from Washington Sen. Maria Cantwell and Alaska Sen. Dan Sullivan.

Governor's appointees clear Legislature, mostly

The Alaska Legislature on Tuesday confirmed Gov. Mike Dunleavy's fishery-related appointments, with one exception.

Märit Carlson-Van Dort, of Anchorage, was confirmed to the Board of Fisheries by a vote of 53 yeas 7 nays. This is a reappointment, as she already has served one term on the board.

Curtis Chamberlain, an Anchorage attorney and newcomer to the Board of Fisheries, was confirmed by a vote of 55 yeas 5 nays.

Megan O'Neil, of Petersburg, was confirmed to the Fishermen's Fund Advisory and Appeals Council by unanimous consent.

Mike Porcaro initially won confirmation to the Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission by a vote of 31 yeas 29 nays. But on a reconsideration vote, his confirmation failed 30-30. Porcaro is an Anchorage advertising executive and radio talk show host with no background in commercial fisheries.

Here's the legislative journal supplement with complete details on confirmation of the governor's appointments.

Abe is out

State legislators yesterday confirmed all of the governor's appointments to the Alaska Board of Fisheries with the exception of Abe Williams, who was rejected by a vote of 18 yeas to 41 nays.

Click here to see how the lawmakers voted.

Vincent-Lang confirmed, Johnstone rejected

State legislators yesterday confirmed Douglas Vincent-Lang as commissioner of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game on a vote of 58 yeas 1 nay.

Marit Carlson-Van Dort, Gerad Godfrey, and Israel Payton were confirmed without objection to the Alaska Board of Fisheries.

Karl Johnstone was rejected for the fish board on a vote of 24 yeas 33 nays.

To see how legislators voted, click here.

Confirmed

The Alaska Legislature today confirmed the governor's appointments to the Board of Fisheries — Al Cain, Israel Payton and Robert Ruffner.

Confirmed

The Alaska Legislature today confirmed all of Gov. Sean Parnell's appointees, including the following:

Board of Fisheries
Sue Jeffrey, Kodiak
John Jensen, Petersburg
Fritz Johnson, Dillingham
Reed Morisky, Fairbanks

Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission
Bruce Twomley, Juneau

Fishermen's Fund Advisory and Appeals Council
Larry Bartman, Manokotak

Commerce nominee easily confirmed

The U.S. Senate on Tuesday voted 97 to 1 to confirm Chicago billionaire businesswoman Penny Pritzker as the new secretary of commerce.

The Commerce Department houses the National Marine Fisheries Service.

Both Alaska senators voted for Pritzker.

Here are statements from Mark Begich and Lisa Murkowski.

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

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.

Confirmation time

The Alaska House and Senate will meet in joint session at 11 a.m. today to consider the governor's appointees.

Three names are up for the state Board of Fisheries: Reed Morisky, Tom Kluberton and Vince Webster.

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.