Kenai River fish wars have claimed another Fish Board nominee, this time Roland Maw, named to the board by Gov. Bill Walker. Maw withdrew his name from consideration Friday after facing opposition. He is former executive director of a commercial fishing group, the United Cook Inlet Drift Association, and a retired drift gillnet fisherman.
Fish politics can cross party lines, and did so this year with liberal Rep. Les Gara, D-Anchorage, and conservative Sen. Bill Stoltze, R-Chugiak, both questioning Maw’s appointment — and what it would mean to their constituents’ access to fish.
Maw notified Walker on Friday morning of his decision to withdraw, providing a terse, handwritten statement that provided no explanation for his action. He did not return calls later in the day.
At a public hearing Monday, Stoltze grilled Maw about litigation in which he was involved that Stoltze said invited federal officials into Alaska fish politics. And Gara said he had concerns he wanted addressed about allegations that Maw supported reductions in the personal-use fishery.
“My biggest concern, but I also needed to substantiate it before I voted, was what I heard about his work to cut back the number of fish Alaskans could keep in the personal-use fishery on the Kenai,” Gara said.
Stoltze had similar concerns about the personal-use fishery, as well as how forthcoming Maw had been in a Senate hearing in which he had participated. Stoltze said that a suit brought by the group Maw once headed criticized state management of the Cook Inlet fishery, something he said Maw appeared reluctant to acknowledge his involvement in. Maw denied publicly during the hearing that the case invited federal management or “overreach” in Alaska fisheries.
Walker then appointed Maw to the board position held by Johnstone, but that appointment came under fire from sport fishermen who felt Maw was too closely allied with the commercial fishermen.
A Senate confirmation hearing scheduled for Friday was canceled after Maw’s withdrawal.
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image credit Matt Miller KTOO
