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one state vote as a group to further the interests of their 

 state. Because no more than a simple majority is needed to take 

 an action, it often happens that two states will form an alliance 

 against a third, resulting in a disproportionate distribution of 

 benefits. In the unique case of the North Pacific Council, the 

 Act mandates a majority of the seats for Alaskan residents so 

 they have the statutory ability to outvote the other two states 

 represented. This situation exacerbates the concern about 

 conflicts of interest. We think a reasonable solution is to 

 require a two-thirds majority for actions that result in signifi- 

 cant allocations between sectors of the fishery. There would 

 then be more compromises and less likelihood for extreme or 

 controversial decisions. 



Council Composition 



We have heard it suggested that councils should have fewer 

 active participants in the fishing industry because their vested 

 interest makes it difficult for them to choose the long-term 

 health of the resource over short-term personal gain; there 

 should instead be people who are knowledgeable about fisheries 

 but have no financial interest at stake - scientists and environ- 

 mentalists are proposed as examples. It is our view that finan- 

 cial interests come in many forms, not all of which are immedi- 

 ately apparent. For instance, fishery scientists frequently work 

 for entities, such as universities, that depend on funding from 

 the industry to carry out research programs. Environmental 

 groups have based their fundraising campaigns on fisheries 

 issues. Even state government representatives can be said to 

 have a financial interest if an action will affect the revenue 

 their states receive, either from taxes or from jobs and personal 

 income for residents. The Magnuson Act wisely recognizes that 

 our nation's fisheries deserve to be managed by the most know- 

 ledgeable people available, without regard to their source of 

 income, and we think this standard should continue. 



Appointees to the councils carry a very important responsi- 

 bility, and should be of the highest caliber. The Secretary has 



A 



