Game Board Appointee!

Jeremy Hsieh / The Associated Press / Anchorage Daily News / April 9, 2010

JUNEAU -- The Alaska Legislature has rejected the controversial appointment of a Fairbanks man to the state Board of Game

Lawmakers, meeting in joint session Friday, voted 31-27 against Al Barrette. He was appointed to the board in February but needed legislative approval.

http://www.adn.com/2010/04/09/1219255/legislature-rejects-game-board.html

His record in the last two months proved to be part of his downfall as lawmakers cited his votes against Alaska Native subsistence and local interests against those of hunters. Barrette is a trapper and tanner.

Sen. Bill Wielechowski, D-Anchorage, said the Legislature needed to decide whether Barrette reflected Alaskans' values. He then ran down a litany of votes and actions he said Barrette's taken, including opposing limiting the harvest of beavers in the Yukon Flats region, where he said locals favored limits; voting to authorize the baiting of brown bears, which he said the rest of the board rejected; and advocating use of snowmachines to harvest wolves in a buffer zone near Denali National Park that the board had just done away with. The board rejected that, he said. "In my opinion, this record does not reflect how I want Alaska's wildlife to be managed," Wielechowski said.

Rep. Carl Gatto, R-Palmer, said lawmakers all have records and votes on certain legislation that people can quibble with. Rep. Mike Kelly, R-Fairbanks, said he knows Barrette and thinks it's commendable that he's been so open about his hunting, fishing and tannery work. Barrette also became a lightening rod after he gave a videotaped interview in which he was seen skinning a wolf and espousing the Bible to explain man's dominion over animals.

He later said that was taken out of context and that he believed in science-based management of the state's wildlife.

Critics have said Barrette's decisions consistently favor one group -- hunters -- regardless of scientific data and public sentiment.

Gov. Sean Parnell's office did not immediately return a message left Friday seeking comment.


Background Information:

On March 5, 2010, the Alaska Board of Game voted 4-3 to eliminate all buffer zones around Denali National Park. These zones, established in 2000, were intended to protect members of the park's wolf packs whose ranges go slightly outside the park.

The Board of Game's seven members all hunt. Several are also trappers. The present board is strongly anti-predator as is evident in many recent decisions.

The net effect of this buffer zone decision is that now trappers can set their snares, leghold or body traps right up to the park boundaries, boundaries which wildlife do not understand.

Who is Al Barrette?

Mr. Barrette is the most recent appointment to the Board of Game. His was one of the 4 votes eliminating the buffer zones.

With this vote he ignored the wishes of over 100,000 park visitors and Alaskans to favor 3 or 4 recreational trappers.

Because Al Barrette has not yet been approved by the Legislature, he is vulnerable to being removed from the Board when the Joint Legislative Session is held at which appointments are acted upon.

Some points of consideration about Mr. Barrette and the BOG are:

* The BOG creates all aerial hunting regulations.
* Mr. Barrette is proud his was the first such permit.
* The BOG creates all trapping regulations.
* Mr. Barrette has patented and manufactures a wolf trap.
* Mr. Barrette owns a fur tannery in Fairbanks.
* Mr. Barrette is yet another hunter on a board meant to represent all Alaskans, not just the hunter/trapper residents.
* Mr. Barrette's perspective on wildlife management does not use the wealth of scientific data and methods available (see Shannyn Moore's article Skinning the Truth for Mr. Barrette's perspective on how "original sin" and wildlife management are connected).

What Can You Do?

If you are a resident of Alaska, using the above talking points (as well as others you might derive from your own views) you should:

Contact your district state representative
Contact your state senator
Contact Governor Parnell (or call him at 907.465.3500)

Additional useful contacts include:

The Tourism Board

The Boards and Commissions Office (and/or call 907.465.3934)

If you are not a resident of Alaska, you should contact Governor Parnell and the Tourism Board. Tourism is Alaska's second largest revenue source and many businesses in Alaska depend on it.

Do not underestimate the power of your email or phone call!

The Legislature usually receives little public input on appointments so you may have more effect than you realize.

REMEMBER - Little Red Riding Hood Lied!

As professional wildlife photographers who have spent 15 years working with the Toklat wolves of Denali National Park, my husband and I have been, and seen others, within 10 feet of wild wolves literally hundreds of times and have documented their reactions to humans... none of which were in the least bit menacing or threatening.

Please see:

http://www.savetoklatwolf.com/Wolf1.html for photos of how these wild wolves naturally behave around humans when they discover that they won't be harmed or fed.

Then share these links with people who think otherwise.

"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." -- Edmund Burke

For more information, check out the web site of the Alaska Wildlife Alliance and Wolf Song of Alaska.

Please forward this e-mail to those you know who might be interested.


On behalf of the wolves of Denali National Park, thank you!