From “Fish Board Politics” (Peninsula Clarion, April 14), this column seems more a defense of a political process than a validation of a public process. I was at the board meeting in Anchorage, for two weeks. The board will not meet in Soldotna. The board has not deliberated here since 1999. On the last day in the last two hours of the 2014 meeting the board of fish voted for two Kluberton board generated re-allocation proposals exclusive of the public process and customary comment period. I did not see Les Palmer at the meeting. As to the composition of the board, well as I recall, king salmon were plentiful in 1990. John Jensen and Karl Johnstone have been regulators during this decade of decline for king salmon. Both of these board members have attended the Kenai Classic. The current fish board is very homogeneous with their 7-0 votes, however not all that wholesome.
It will take more than one regulatory cycle for the king salmon to rebound. It could take many, many king salmon life cycles. A hook and release fishery where kings salmon spawn will not hasten the return of the shrinking Kenai king salmon.
