House Fisheries Committee forwards two gubernatorial appointees to joint session

The House Special Committee on Fisheries on Feb. 25 recommended that two of Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s appointees — Mary Swain and Rick Green — be forwarded to a joint session for confirmation.

Mary Swain, appearing by phone, described her qualifications as CEO of a community health center in Bristol Bay (identified in testimony as NAPNEC) and told the committee she has led expansions in health care services while emphasizing fiscal responsibility and community engagement. The committee heard brief praise for Swain’s work in Bristol Bay during the COVID-19 pandemic from Representative Chuck Kopp, who said Swain helped keep the fishery operating by organizing testing and movement of cannery workers and fishermen.

Rick Green, present in the room, described his background in fisheries and state service, including recent work at the Department of Fish and Game and experience with fisheries projects in Naknek and Bristol Bay. Green told the committee he has been serving as a commissioner since July and said the commission’s mission is “the conservation of our natural resources on the sustained yield principle.” He discussed CFEC technical work such as optimization studies (citing Kodiak herring as an example) and said he and Commissioner Glenn Haight sometimes split on decisions — citing a split vote on Prince William Sound shrimp where Green voted against limiting access because he did not see a conservation or economic necessity at the time.

Committee members asked about CFEC priorities and outreach. Green said the commission responds to proposals for optimization studies from the public or other bodies and identified Reid Johnson as CFEC’s lead researcher who prepares those analyses. Several representatives, including Speaker Bryce Edgmon and Representative Edgmon, urged greater CFEC presence in smaller communities to address permit out-migration and preserve local participation in fisheries; Green said he and the commission are working to increase outreach while noting legal hurdles.

With no public testimony offered in the room or online, Speaker Edgmon moved that the committee "recommend that the following names be forwarded to a joint session for confirmation: Mary Swain to the Fisherman's Fund Advisory and Appeals Council, and Rick Green, Commissioner Alaska Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission." The committee report was signed and the names were forwarded to the joint session. The chair reminded members that signing the report does not indicate how any member will vote in the joint session.

The committee also announced it will not meet on Feb. 27 and scheduled a meeting for Saturday, March 1 to introduce two committee bills: a set-net bill and a commercial fishing insurance bill.