The size, make-up and mission of a local Gulf of Alaska rationalization task force dominated Tuesday’s City Council and Borough Assembly joint work session.

The task force is directed to offer advice to the assembly and council and to help develop a plan for management of the Gulf of Alaska fishery.

The appointment of the group marks an evolution in the local governments’ approach toward fisheries, an attempt to be more proactive instead of just fighting North Pacific Fishery Management Council rationalization schemes after implementation.

The list of 15 task force members — pared down to nearly one-third of its original size — includes representatives of fishing groups, processors, elected officials and the city’s fisheries consultant.

“I count up the lobbyists on this list, and it scares me,” fisherman Alexus Kwachka told the members. “We have three fishermen, really, on this list.”

The task force will include Julie Bonney, director of the Groundfish Data Bank, salmon setnet fisherman Duncan Fields, fisheries consultant Linda Kozak and Matt Moir, manager of Alaska Pacific Seafoods.

Other members are commercial fisherman Theresa Peterson with the Alaska Marine Conservation Council, City Councilman Gabriel Saravia, assemblyman and ex-fisherman Cecil Ranney, Jeff Stephan of the United Fisherman’s Marketing Association, consultant Joe Sullivan, Jay Stinson, president of the Alaska Draggers Association, jigger Peter Allen and John Whiddon, president of Island Seafoods.

Ron and Julie Kavanaugh, owners of the fishing vessel Sylvia Star, will share a seat.

Steve Branson and Terry Haines will share a seat as representatives of the Crew Members Association.

Norm Wooten will moderate the group.

The appointments are not official until passed by the council and assembly at their next meetings.

Sullivan, the city’s fisheries consultant, was the most controversial appointment to the group

“Mr. Sullivan’s name stuck out like a sore thumb,” said assemblyman Mel Stephens, who argued Sullivan is more a Seattle resident than a Kodiakan.

“If you’re going to have a Kodiak Gulf of Alaska task force, it should be purely people from Kodiak,” he said.

Councilman Tom Walters defended Sullivan’s appointment, arguing the processor representatives may have the interests of foreign owners in mind.

Several on the list are “hired guns for different corporations and stuff,” he said.

Walters said the task force also will have to consider the fate of fishermen who work but don’t live in here.

Saravia said he doesn’t understand why several assembly members objected to Sullivan’s appointment. He said the city hired him to lend his expertise.

“I don’t see what this fear (is) of having this guy with more knowledge than us being on the committee,” he said.

Assemblywoman Sue Jeffrey responded that the task force should be made up of local taxpayers.

“We’re forming a group that, hopefully, keeps in mind what’s good for Kodiak not for various groups,” she said.

Councilman Dave Woodruff said the city needs someone on the task force who knows “what we could lose if different rationalization schemes come down.”

City councilman Charles Davidson emphasized that it is the City Council and Borough Assembly that will ultimately decide the local governments’ position on rationalization schemes.

“The buck stops here,” he said. “All this is is an advisory committee.”

Before the work session began, fishermen urged the council to add a jig fisherman to the list.

Peter Allen, in the audience, was appointed on the spot, though he urged the council and assembly to add another jigger.

“There’s well over 100 jiggers out there. There’s a lot of little guys out there on boats trying to feed their families,” he said. “You’re going to take the biggest gear group and say, ‘You only get Peter Allen.’”

Borough Mayor Jerome Selby said the group should appoint another jigger as an alternate so one is always at the meeting. No one was on hand to accept an appointment so another jigger’s name will be brought up later.

Jeffrey suggested the charge of the task force be specified: to keep people in the community working and to work toward consensus.

Selby said no one on the committee is going in with the agenda of cutting employment.

Assemblyman Tom Abell said no one can tell an industry “to keep X amount of people working.”

“What we’re wanting is to put the most amount of money through this community,” he said.

Mirror writer Kristen Inbody may be reached via e-mail at kinbody@kodiakdailymirror.com.