LET ETHAN BERKOWITZ LEAD TONY KNOWLES ALASKA FISH SQUAD:

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June 22, 2006  

Ethan Berkowitz's Fisheries Advisor, Michael Ebell, forwarded this letter about their team and fisheries. "Keeping Alaska's Promise" is a Berkowitz motto that we'll adopt as a measure of Knowles, too. We're sure fishery stances will advance as this whale of an election approaches, for all candidates, but here's the first sighting.

ETHAN BERKOWITZ:
MESSAGE TO THE ALASKA FISHING COMMUNITY

When Tony Knowles entered the race for governor, I made the difficult decision to shift my campaign from governor to lieutenant governor. A large part of that difficulty came from wanting to be able to honor the commitments I had made to commercial fishermen while a candidate for governor. Those commitments were not lightly made; they came from the head and the heart, and I intend to keep them.

I want to tell you why. It has to do with keeping promises to fishermen and fishing families trying to protect their way of life and their ability to make a living. It has to do with the anger and frustration and worry that I heard in people's voices and saw in their eyes as they told me how political and market forces had broken loose from their moorings and lined up against individuals and behind big corporations. And most of all, it has to do with just doing the right thing.

When Tony and I met to discuss our campaigns, we discussed these issues, just as I have with many of you. We talked about the relations I have forged with commercial fishermen and the positions I consider important. Here's what I believe needs to be done:

Make appointments to the Board of Fisheries and the North Pacific Fishery Management Council who have the respect of the fishermen and who understand the importance of the seafood industry to Alaska's coastal communities.

Instruct the state's attorney general to investigate fisheries rationalization programs for potential anti-trust law violations.

Enforce the recommendations of the crab rationalization review and make sure that changes are made to the program in response to evidence demonstrating that crab rationalization inflicted unforeseeable and reversible damage on fishing families and communities.

Stop, or at least freeze, Gulf groundfish rationalization and processor quota efforts. We can't stop the forces of globalization and technology, but we can make sure that we manage the transition in a way that maximizes the ability of fishermen and fishing communities to adapt to new market conditions and costs and which allows them to compete for market share.

Invest in the science and economics needed to make sure that the state's fisheries decisions can be more balanced and fully informed. Make further investments in the training, education and marketing necessary for Alaskans to transform the Alaska seafood industry into the most competitive producer of high value seafood in the world.

Develop low-cost energy sources to reduce the cost of catching and processing fish. Developing local, alternative sources of energy will also make a big difference to rural families and communities burdened with high energy bills.

Since I made the decision to run for lieutenant governor with Tony Knowles, I've spoken to many fishermen. I have told them and I am telling you: I will do my best to make sure the next administration is open and supportive of commercial fishermen. Changes in world seafood markets pose threats to Alaska fishermen, fishing families and fishing communities. Let's harness those changes in ways that create opportunities for Alaskans today and allow future generations to set out to sea in their own boats, in control of their own way of life.

Thank you for the trust you've placed in me in the past. I look forward to justifying it today and in the future. I hope that you will help me be a fish-smart and fisherman-friendly lieutenant governor. Best wishes for a safe and prosperous summer,

Regards,
Ethan Berkowitz
Keeping Alaska's Promise

Stephen Taufen's reply:

Michael & Ethan - a public thank you for the responsive and encouraging letter to the fleets. We've heard so many good comments about Ethan over the past few months. And we trust that if the new Democrat team were elected, he will highly influence resource policy, and help make a 180 degree turnaround from Frank Murkowski's mistaken policies and misguided notions of how to enhance development of resources and deal with the conduct of trade in this global economy.

A quick review of the history of the Banana Republics puts Alaskan fisheries in proper perspective: a resource dependent state at the mercy of the world's transnational corporations, who have and would continue to corrupt it to the core. This must end. And we will expect sober decision making in the future.

First, Knowles has to do a lot better: he was governor when rationalization of pollock went through. It has left a very sour reputation behind, but one that is correctible given learning from the experience of watching foreign globalists rape Alaska of hundreds of millions of dollars each year since. While a governor could only do so much (or little) against Ted's machinations and the lobbyist corruption, there was one thing that could have been done -- and we will expect it of the next governor: formation of a Resource Accountability and Transparency Board, specifically to deal with Abusive Transfer Pricing in Alaska's export resources. Alaska now has to correct decades of encroaching corruption in fisheries that leaves us now with a devastated industry in terms of sharing the wealth and taking care of the State and the Nation - not oligarchs. Yes, ASMI is up for major redirection, as well.

It is insufficient to talk of high valued seafood without considering where the revenues accrue, and disingenuine for the State to allow its funds and especially federal funds to subsidize such economy-draining activity while lauding the wonders of Alaska seafood itself. The State must be more proactive and strongly battle the federal powers that would harm Alaskan fishing communities, as well. SB113 is still laying in a drawer awaiting its resurrection under a different name, with the new excuse that such 'coordinated rationalization' must occur once the Magnuson-Stevens Act handles the federal side under new Limited Access Privilege programs. We will expect a governor and his fishery team to end the improper privatization of public resources.

When once addressing timber, Knowles spoke about the concepts of illicit accountings, as well as the related tax and economic harms -- but Tony choked up on using the words abusive Transfer Pricing. With ATP being the largest tax and trade topic for international business in this Century, such falling short of telling the full truth must change. We will expect Ethan to lead those changes for your party, if elected, because he (more than Tony) has our trust at this time. And Tony has got quite a steep set of rapids to leap, when compared with Sarah Palin's steady swimming, strong fins and integrity in action.

Yet we believe either party can make the difference needed. And we will work with either to establish greater accountability and transparency. But Tony, too, is going to have to mouth the words, make the committments, and keep promises, in order for the duo to earn our trust. Let's put it this way: Robin is a great guy, but not much without Batman, teamwork, and the Batmobile and Budget to fight crime. We're certain that Catwoman will follow this letter soon with her own policy outline for fisheries. In case you haven't noticed, she carries a whip to summarily deal with corrupt old boys, and the coastal fleets kind of favor that.

Second, we will expect the State to assist and fully cooperate with federal authorities that we intend to have open new investigations, rather than lead with its own, in general. The reasons are simple and well known. Alaska has failed fishermen and the public in fisheries policy regarding economic allocations for thirty years -- from its failures to finish Assistant AG James Forbes' work, to refusals to share data and witness names with the class of plaintiffs in the Bristol Bay sockeye salmon antitrust case, failing to police fishery associations to ensure they actually represent harvesters and fishery-dependent communities (not corporate welfare recipients) and adhere to good by-laws and hold proper elections etc., to failures in statutes regarding how fish tax credits are directed, to the most egregious recent example of failing to ensure that federal funds handled through the Alaska Fisheries Marketing Board were properly used. How could these 'kickbacks to major processors' (and obvious payoffs to chair Ben Stevens) have happened based on fish ticket poundage - not true performance measures - and for fishing permit holders to have been unaware up front? Why were the majority of these funds not devoted to direct marketing efforts to raise all values for all ships? The comparable uncontrolled price must be known.

One of the worst harms, with blame falling for the most part on Republicans (chair Ben Stevens, of course), was when the Salmon Task Force failed to place ex-vessel prices on the center of its plate of work. As statistician Gunnar Knapp's own presentations show, there was a one billion drop in ex-vessel total value from 1992 to 2002. How is that possible? The answer is summed up in the legal observation that "Fraud vitiates all that follows." Harmful person-less corporate rule over states and Peoples' rights will dominate our future unless we proactively put a stop to it, together. Knapp must also learn to mouth the problem-defining words: Abusive Transfer Pricing, and support full Resource Accountability and Transparency. He's got to stop straddling fences and get on board with what's best for the State -- not his own pocket (after all, the state helps finance his academic position, does it not?).

Couple that large economic gap on the community spending level with State failures to police the North Pacific Fishery Management Council regarding conflicts-of-interest, and one must say our trust is deservedly absent regarding Tony and the State to-date on fisheries. Thank you for addressing the Board of Fish matter -- but we will judge the future on action, not easy talk. Please get these board members out of the back pockets of corporations and back onto best science. Major changes must occur, and with most of the fishery value being from federal fisheries, the State must learn a new protector role. An economic war cannot be long ignored.

We can assist whomever becomes governor with that and more. One might say the real problem is access, and fishery-dependent communities and citizen-taxpayers are simply waiting to be heard with equal weight (or full weight when it is obvious that decent principles and ethics and keen economics point to decisions that have long been absent). We want our fishery advisory boards to operate as the law has outlined, not be asked after the fact about endorsing corporatism's plan.

Third, change is going to have to happen rapidly, and drastically. We don't need a lot of studies and improved economics to influence decisions that we all know must be made yesterday, in order to restore nearly two billion dollars annually to Alaskan fisheries Public Weal. We will expect aggressive, immediate action in the first few months of any new administration.

That said, Groundswell has not endorsed any particular candidate, but the Tundra Telegraph is tapping out Sarah's name loud and clear. You've got a race coming, so please invest in some durable, salmon skin trail runner shoes (and a whip) today.

Thanks to you and Ethan for staying in contact and obviously considering our input during the past year. Government for the People must start of the People, and we've long stepped up the latter. For your part, you've been gracious with your listening: a pattern that is rebuilding trust. But Tony's going to have to give Ethan the reins on fisheries in order for fishers to hop on this tender vessel -- as we want to make sure the fish ticket is written for the correct value, and delivery goes to the American and European consumers, as well, while net national benefits are raised, and fairly and equitably shared.

It's all possible, and we will be watching closely. Thanks again. And may the best candidate win.

Stephen Taufen - Groundswell Fisheries Movement