Fish commish visit brings reason for hope

The public meeting is a hallmark of our democracy. Yet public interest in them is not always a given. The reasons for this are as diverse as the individuals who comprise the public, and much air time and newsprint have been devoted to dissecting them.

If the magnitude of an issue is related to the intensity of the public interest, then Valley residents served notice Wednesday night that when it comes to hunting and fishing, they are very interested.

State Department of Fish and Game Commissioner McKie Campbell paid a visit to the Mat-Su on Wednesday to hear the concerns of area residents. Accustomed to the occasional visit of lower-ranking Fish and Game officials, with little apparent notice paid to ongoing issues, Valley hunters and fishermen had reason to be optimistic, at least on the surface, about the commissioner coming to town.

Those hoping for ready solutions to concerns about fewer moose, predator control and dwindling salmon returns likely went home disappointed. As nice as that would have been, this was not the meeting's purpose.

What did get accomplished was a lot of airing of a lot of concerns. The fact that people who want more moose and salmon in their freezers were probably not attending the meeting to compliment Fish and Game for a job well done did not deter Commissioner Campbell from scheduling the meeting.

For this alone, he deserves credit. As does Matanuska Valley Fish and Game Advisory Committee Chairman Wayne Kubat, who kept the lengthy meeting running smoothly and in an orderly and generally civilized manner.

But the real test is what comes next. Was Wednesday's meeting just more lip service and political posturing? Or is the department genuinely concerned about working to solve some longstanding and growing problems?

One particularly disappointing element of Wednesday's powwow was the ease with which current problems were dumped on past administrations. A quick reality check: The current Board of Fisheries has a commercial fishing majority, while under the last governor, sport-fishing interests dominated the board. The Board of Game, on the other hand, has been monopolized by hunters and hunting interests since before the last governor, despite the board's statutory obligation to manage the state's game resources for the benefit of all Alaskans.

None of this is to say that politics has not played a part in creating a problem or two. But one thing ought to be very clear - political answers are not sufficient for questions of biology and ecology.

We continue to be completely supportive of the rights of Alaskans to hunt and fish. But respect for the resource and the natural order must always be the highest priority, so the resource is sustained for future generations of Alaskans.

Wednesday's meeting provided much to be encouraged about. It opened up a long-overdue dialogue and showcased the concerns of Valley residents regarding fish and game issues. This can never be a bad thing.

As always, though, actions speak louder than words. We will be truly impressed when workable solutions are on the table.