Alaska Bycatch Advisory Council and Alaska Bycatch Review Task Force (ABRT) Members

Advisory Council Members

The Bycatch Advisory Council has 6 members who are appointed by Commissioner Doug Vincent-Lang.

Members:

• Chair Linda Kozak — Ms. Kozak serves as a representative of halibut fishers. She owns a fishery consulting service and serves on the board of United Fishermen of Alaska.
• John Jensen — Mr. Jensen has over a half century of experience in Alaska's commercial fishing industry. He is serving his seventh term on the Alaska Board of Fisheries and was appointed to the North Pacific Fisheries Management Council (Council) in 2018.
• Kevin Delaney — Mr. Delaney represents personal use and sport fishers and is the founder of Delaney Outdoors, a fishery consulting firm he opened in 2010. He was the director for the Division of Sport Fish, Alaska Department of Fish and Game from 2005 to 2010.
• Brian Gabriel — Mr. Gabriel represents a coastal Alaskan community and has been the mayor of the City of Kenai since 2016 and previously held a seat on the city council for six years.
• Stephanie Madsen — Ms. Madsen represents the trawl sector and is the Executive Director for the At-Sea Processors Association. She is a former chair of the Council and currently serves on the Council's Ecosystem Committee.
• Karma Ulvi — Ms. Ulvi serves as the subsistence representative from a Yukon River community. She is the Chief of the Native Village of Eagle and the Tribal Administrator with Tanana Chiefs Conference.
• Eva Dawn Burk — Ms. Dawn is Dene' Athabascan from Nenana and Manley Hot Springs, along the Tanana River in Alaska. She grew up commercial fishing, is a subsistence fisherwoman, and leads her community’s annual fish camp in Nenana. Eva Dawn has a background in engineering and environmental studies, and previously worked on onshore and offshore resource development projects for ASRC Energy Services. She is about to complete a Master of Science in Natural Resources and Environment at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, focusing largely on how food sovereignty and co-stewardship affect Indigenous community wellness.
• Erik Velsko — Mr. Velsko was born and raised in Homer, Alaska. He has been a long-time participant in many fixed-gear state and federal fisheries and has spent extensive time as a licensed mate onboard several Bering Sea fishing vessels. Erik has a B.S. in Marine Transportation and a minor in law from the California Maritime Academy. He also holds a 1600 Ton Master Oceans license.

Task Force Members

The Alaska Bycatch Review Task Force has 15 voting members who are appointed by Governor Dunleavy and two non-voting members of the Legislature.

Voting members:

• John Jensen, Chair — Mr. Jensen has over a half century of experience in Alaska's commercial fishing industry. He is serving his seventh term on the Alaska Board of Fisheries and was appointed to the North Pacific Fisheries Management Council (Council) in 2018.
• Tommy Sheridan, Vice-chair — Mr. Sheridan holds the public member seat on the task force. He is the owner of Sheridan Consulting and is a member of the North Pacific Anadromous Fish Commission.
• Ragnar Alstrom — Mr. Alstrom holds the Community Development Quota representative seat on the task force. Mr. Alstrom is the Executive Director for the Yukon Delta Development Association.
• Jim Andersen — Mr. Andersen is the Director of the Division of Economic Development & Investments for the Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development.
• Kevin Delaney — Mr. Delaney represents personal use and sport fishers and is the founder of Delaney Outdoors, a fishery consulting firm he opened in 2010. He was the director for the Division of Sport Fish, Alaska Department of Fish and Game from 2005 to 2010.
• Duncan Fields — Mr. Fields fills the seat reserved for an organization representing Alaska Natives. He is a long-time resident of Kodiak Island and owns a consulting firm that represents two Native corporations.
• Mike Flores — Mr. Flores fills the charter operator seat and has owned and operated a sport fishing charter business in Ninilchik since 1994. He is also a board member on the State of Alaska's Big Game Commercial Services Board.
• Brian Gabriel — Mr. Gabriel represents a coastal Alaskan community and has been the mayor of the City of Kenai since 2016 and previously held a seat on the city council for six years.
• George Guy — Mr. Guy serves as the subsistence representative from a Kuskokwim River community. He is the General Manager of the Kwethluk Power Company and serves on the Board of Directors of Calista Corporation.
• Linda Kozak — Ms. Kozak serves as a representative of halibut fishers. She owns a fishery consulting service and serves on the board of United Fishermen of Alaska.
• Stephanie Madsen — Ms. Madsen represents the trawl sector and is the Executive Director for the At-Sea Processors Association. She is a former chair of the Council and currently serves on the Council's Ecosystem Committee.
• Raymond May — Filling the salmon fisher seat is Mr. Raymond May. He owns and operates a commercial fishing vessel out of Kodiak and is a council member for the Native Village of Port Lions.
• Karma Ulvi — Ms. Ulvi serves as the subsistence representative from a Yukon River community. She is the Chief of the Native Village of Eagle and the Tribal Administrator with Tanana Chiefs Conference.
• Erik Velsko — Mr. Velsko occupies the crab fisher seat and has worked as a commercial fisherman in Alaska since 1997. He is currently a member of the Council's Advisory Panel.
• Douglas Vincent-Lang — Mr. Vincent Lang is the Commissioner of the Alaska Department of Fish & Game.

Non-voting members:

• Representative Bryce Edgmon — Mr. Edgmon has represented the 37^th District since 2006. The district includes all or portions of the Aleutians West and East Borough, Lake and Peninsula Borough, Bristol Bay Borough, and the Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area.
• Senator Peter Micciche — Mr. Micciche represents District O which covers the northern portion of the Kenai Peninsula and the communities of Soldotna, Kenai, Nikiski, Cooper Landing, and Seward. He was previously the mayor of Soldotna and a member of its city council.