Clearing up some strong statements

I am making a correction to my column from last week. In there, I compared the $733 million value of recreational fishing in the Cook Inlet area with the $539 million value of the commercial salmon fishery in Cook Inlet to illustrate that both are large industries with significant impact on the economic wellbeing of Cook Inlet and the state. The recreational value came from a study contracted by the State of Alaska in 2007. The commercial number came from multiplying the wholesale value of the fish ($77 million in 2007) by the number seven, considered a standard method of converting a wholesale product value into a general economic impact value.

In an opinion piece titled, “Anti-setnet initiative based on greed, not conservation of Kenai salmon,” published in the Dec. 22, 2014, edition of the Alaska Dispatch News, Andy Hall, a commercial fisherman and president of the Kenai Peninsula Fisherman’s Association, states that “…a conservative multiplier of 4 to 4.5 must be applied to that ex-vessel value to realize its true impact.”

I stand corrected!

I had not read Mr. Hall’s commentary before submitting my column. The economic impact value I reported for the Cook Inlet commercial catch for 2007 should have read $346.5 million (using the 4.5 multiplier), or a little less than half the value of the recreational fishery around Cook Inlet.

You may have noticed that I comment from time to time on articles published in other newspapers around the state.

Here’s another one!

The Peninsula Clarion published an article on Dec. 24 by Rashah McChesney, which was updated on Dec. 26, 2014, about a long-time Alaska Department of Fish and Game employee, Kelly Hepler, and the position title he used when applying for the top job with the South Dakota Fish, Game, and Parks Department. The article also addressed the issue of undisclosed “gifts” associated with his alleged position title and that these concerns had been investigated by Alaska Public Offices Commission.

The bottom line: Hepler got the South Dakota position and APOC dismissed all the allegations against Hepler related to his job title and unreported gifts.

Why do I mention this?

I have known Kelly for more than 20 years. He was one of my supervisors in Fish and Game. He gave me a lot of freedom in doing my job — no micromanaging there! To make a long story short, Kelly retired after ultimately serving as director of the Sport Fish Division. He came back to work for the department under a part-time contract to help in the commissioner’s office. When I asked him one time what his job title was, he said he was a special projects coordinator for all things fisheries and even some which weren’t.

If you need an example of what that means, Google the Mat-Su Salmon Habitat Partnership and look under the post for the 2014 salmon symposium. You will see a photo of Kelly Hepler, National Fish Habitat Board Chairman, presenting the Mat-Su Borough a national award recognizing their efforts in improving fish passage through culverts.

Kelly was involved in that kind of stuff, things the department needed to be involved with and represented Alaska in dealings with these many and varied organizations. Kelly travelled a fair amount and was the face of Alaska Fish and Game to these groups. I can fully understand his assertion that a “snappier” job title would serve better in those circumstances.

Keep in mind, APOC investigated the breach of ethics charges filed against Hepler and dismissed them all. I say congratulations, Kelly, on your new position and good luck in South Dakota. If I make a trip south someday, I’ll expect a few tips on good pheasant hunting locales (and I won’t disclose them to APOC either)!

This article on Hepler was troubling to me because, first, Kelly is a good guy; and second, it fits in with all the hate and venom we’ve been seeing come from the Kenai Peninsula since the last Board of Fisheries meeting. The article by Mr. Hall is full of loathing and distrust of the sportsfishing guides on the Kenai River. The article about Hepler was updated to “soften” the original headline, which called Hepler a liar in his testimony before APOC. And we have seen misinformation and accusations of lying to the BOF by the borough’s fish and game commission coming from representatives of Kenai’s commercial fish processors published in this very newspaper.

When are the Kenai folks going to start acting like adults?

Howard Delo is a retired fisheries biologist with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, and a longtime columnist for the Frontiersman. You can leave a message for him by emailing sports@frontiersman.com.