No Official Word, Only Rumors Over ADF&G Chief’s Replacement

Jacob Resneck/KMXT

There’s still no word on who will succeed Alaska Department of Fish and Game Commissioner Denby Lloyd or commercial fisheries director John Hilsinger. Both men are scheduled to step down on December 1st. Meanwhile, the joint boards of Fish and Game have announced they are accepting resumes from prospective nominees through December 8th.

But that’s likely to leave at least several weeks between Lloyd’s departure and any new appointment. The governor’s fisheries aide Cora Campbell told KMXT on Tuesday that an announcement on an interim commissioner was in the works but offered no further clues.

Officially the joint state boards of fish and game are still accepting resumes from prospective candidates to draw from for a list of nominees for a permanent commissioner, explains Board of Game executive director Kristy Tibble.

— (commissioner 1 :15 "A select committee … to forward on to the governor.")

She noted Tuesday that no resumes have yet been received. Names of contenders have already surfaced online. Deckboss blogger Wesley Loy wrote Tuesday that Trident Seafoods vice president John Garner is one name being talked about. Another is the governor’s fisheries aide Cora Campbell herself. Neither responded Tuesday to emails and phone calls seeking comment.

A third name published on the Deckboss blog is former Fish and Game Commissioner McKie [mc-keye] Campbell. In 2008, he was appointed by U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski to be the Republican staff director for the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.

All three of these names have been talked about privately for several weeks and nothing has been confirmed.

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