Alaska Journal of Commerce January 21, 2015

Board of Fish chair Johnstone resigns, replaced by Maw

Editor’s note: This is a breaking news story that will be updated periodically with new information. 

Alaska Board of Fisheries Chairman Karl Johnstone has resigned. He could be replaced by United Cook Inlet Drift Association Executive Director Roland Maw according to documents filed on Tuesday to the Alaska Legislature.

Maw’s appointment will have to be confirmed by the Legislature. If he is confirmed, his term will end in 2018.

Gov. Walker asked for Johnstone’s resignation after a recent joint Board of Fisheries and Board of Game meeting during which the Board of Fisheries voted unanimously to quash Maw’s application to be the commissioner of Fish and Game.

“I expect the Board of Fisheries to hold a fair, transparent, and public process when selecting candidates … It is apparent to me that it is time for a change on the Board of Fisheries,” wrote Walker in an message to House Speaker Mike Chenault.

The chairman, whose term was set to be up in June of 2015, confirmed in an email Tuesday that he had resigned his position after being told by Gov. Walker that his name would not be submitted to the Legislature for reappointment.

“I offered to step down if it would assist him in getting someone else in place and up to speed,” Johnstone wrote.

The Board of Fisheries is a 7-member panel that sets the rules for all of the fisheries in the state.

Gov. Walker’s press secretary, Grace Jang, said Walker decided to replace Johnstone after a recent joint Board of Fisheries and Board of Game meeting which was convened to forward candidates to the Governor for the next commissioner of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.

“The Governor basically wants new ideas on the board,” she said.

Of the four candidates for the position, just one, Sam Cotten, was selected for an interview and another,  Maw was blocked from being interviewed by a unanimous Board of Fisheries vote. Board of Game members had voted unanimously to interview Maw — but a majority from both boards had to support the candidate to further the Kenai Peninsula resident’s application.

After the meeting, Chenault, R-Nikiski, wrote to the governor questioning the Board of Fisheries role in the nomination process and asked the administration to review the board’s action.

“(Gov. Walker) shares Speaker Chenault’s concerns that the process wasn’t played out,” Jang said. “Including the fact that more names weren’t forwarded and there were people who had submitted applications and they weren’t even interviewed.”

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