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Since the act was passed in 1975 the North Pacific groundfish fisheries changed 

 from fisheries totally prosecuted by foreign vessels and processors to fisheries totally 

 prosecuted by U.S. companies. What is even more important is that, despite the 

 transition, despite rapid technological improvements in fishing gear and electronics 

 and despite overcapitalization of catching and processing capacity, the fish stocks 

 are still strong. 



The Alaskan fishery industry learned during territorial days when its salmon 

 stocks were overharvested and runs decimated that conservative management is the 

 only way to assure the industry a future. This lesson has carried over to all of Alas- 

 ka's other fisheries. The MFCMA has provided the Alaskan industry the tools that 

 were needed to carry Alaska's conservation ethic into the EEZ under federal man- 

 agement. 



Among the recent regulatory measures implemented by the North Pacific Fishery 

 Management Council as the result of pressure by industry are the industry funded 

 observer program and the reduction of gulf rockfish quotas to allow for rebuilding. 

 (The stocks were heavily overfished by foreign vessels prior to passage of the 

 MFCMA.) 



We are aware, however, that concerns have been raised elsewhere — by those truly 

 concerned that management could be better and by those looking to further there 

 own particular interests. The following section addresses these issues. 



FINANCIAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST 



The State of Alaska's fisheries are managed by an industry Board of Fish. If there 

 is desire to strengthen federal conflict of interest standards we suggest the stand- 

 ards used by the Alaska Board of Fish be incorporated into the Magnuson Act. 



We feel strongly that the industry should be governed by those involved in the 

 industry. Only industry members have the knowledge and experience necessary to 

 address industry problems. And industry members nave a very vested interest in 

 assuring their own future through conservative management. Generally speaking, 

 in Alaska we have found industry members to be more conservative than the sci- 

 entists — and far more conservative than the economists. 



Further, financial conflict of interest is a simple conflict to recognize and regulate. 

 I am far more concerned about the nonfinancial conflicts of interest which we have 

 seen among some (but not all) nonindustry council members who have served on the 

 North Pacific Fishery Management Council: 



1. Scientists may have pet theories they want to test, promotions that may de- 

 pend on going along with a prevalent viewpoint or graduate students for which they 

 wish to find funding and/or thesis projects. I have seen all of the above at one time 

 or another bias scientific advice to the North Pacific Fishery Management Council. 



2. Politicians occasionally get appointed to councils to improve their image in the 

 fishing industry. Their decisions may be guided by politics instead of the good of 

 the resource. 



COUNCIL COMPOSITION 



We feel the Magnuson Act gives the Secretary clear and adequate guidance on the 

 criteria for a council appointee. However, that guidance does not always appear to 

 be followed. Rather than make any changes in the act, we suggest that the Sec- 

 retary adamantly require that all names submitted by a state governor meet the 

 criteria set forth in the MFCMA and, should a governor's nominees fail to meet the 

 MFCMA requirements, refuse to accept the names. 



It could happen that a State, because its governor failed to submit names which 

 met the MFCMA criteria, ends up in August with one of its council seats vacant. 

 I can think of no stronger and clearer message to the States that the Federal Gov- 

 ernment takes seriously the quality of its appointments to the regional councils. 



DESIGNATION OF AN ENVIRONMENTAL SEAT ON EACH REGIONAL COUNCIL 



Since our fishing community includes bird watchers, former biologists, members 

 of environmental groups and environmental activists, I am rather puzzled by what 

 constitutes and "environmentalist." If seats are to be designated for special interest 

 groups, then I suggest seats be designated for every special interest group, including 

 gear groups — not just one particular special interest group. 



IMPROVED CONSERVATION 



Under the general heading of "conservation" a whole medley of issues tend to col- 

 lect: a few true conservation issues and many allocative issues in conservation cos- 

 tumes. Any of us with any creative spark at all can dress the most blatantly 



