Mr. Fuglvog goes to Washington

Klas Stolpe

July 27 , 2006.

Life long Petersburg fisherman Arne Fuglvog is on someone else’s crew now and if Helly Hanson or Grundéns make a dress tie to go with Xtratufs then they had better send him a case… to Washington D.C. Fuglvog has netted and landed an important catch being appointed Legislative Aide for Fisheries by Senator Lisa Murkowski and will be joining her at our nation’s capital.

“I’m very humbled about this,” Fuglvog stated from the galley table of his fishing vessel Kamilar last week. “I’m definitely taking my rubber boots to D.C. and if I have to put them on I’ll put them on. It’s going to be different; it’s a very formal process back there. I know I have a lot to learn. This isn’t about getting notoriety, in fact the idea of working for someone who gets the credit for what you do is very appealing. First and foremost the reason I was so interested in this job was to work for Senator Murkowski, she is honest, has integrity, works tirelessly for the state of Alaska, has been a tremendous supporter for the fishing industry in Alaska and has done a lot of great things…. and while I work for the Senator, I also work for her constituency, which are the residents of Alaska. I will assist her in understanding fisheries issues, hopefully be helping to write legislation back in D.C., lots of meetings, lots of research… anything that comes up that the Federal Government needs to know about and Congress needs to be aware of…”

The hiring process included a letter of interest, resume, an informal interview in D.C. followed by a personal interview in Anchorage, and an extensive background review.

An email from Senator Lisa Murkowski states, “Arne has a reputation throughout Alaska’s fishing industry as a quick study, a consensus builder and a hard worker who has the interests of Alaska fishermen and coastal communities at heart. He has experience as a fisherman in many different fisheries throughout the state, and as a member of the North Pacific Council who really understands the complexities of regulating both the fishery resource and the people who rely on it. He will be a tremendous asset not only to my office, but to the whole Alaska fishing community.”

Working from the Hart Building, adjacent to the Capitol Building, the Senator’s staff figures out what the important issues are, what position to take, consults with Senator Murkowski and advocates the agreed upon position. These could turn into legislation or a bill in Congress or it could just lead to phone calls to the State Department or to various agencies like NOAA fisheries in order to get information or let that position be known.

“I think that’s one of the things I bring to the job,” Fuglvog said. “I’ve built all these relationships with the fishing industry in Alaska over the last 12 years of being in the council process, so those relationships are already there and the knowledge that I have of the fishing industry.”

Twelve years ago Fuglvog was selected for a position on the advisory panel to the North Pacific Fishery Management Council (NPFMC). He continued on the panel for nine years, then was appointed by Governor Frank Murkowski to a three-year term on the NPFMC. The U.S. Secretary of Commerce recently reappointed him for another three-year term. He is also President of the Petersburg Vessel Owners Association (PVOA) as well as serving on the Research Advisory Board to the International Pacific Halibut Commission and an alternate to the United Fishermen of Alaska Executive Committee. He is in the process of resigning all positions for his new appointment.

“It’s going to be quite a departure for him,” stated Governor Frank Murkowski.  “It’s a little different world back there this time of year. It’s about 110 degrees so he had better get used to the heat… in more ways than one. He’ll do a good job. His character is above reproach. He’s a very fine guy, a very knowledgeable guy, and a real student of the fisheries. I think he’ll find it exhilarating. He’s an enthusiastic contributor to the delegation back there because he knows his stuff. It’s a very competitive atmosphere there among the professionals and he’ll join that group and do a good job. Petersburg can be very proud of him.”

While he will be focusing on fishing issues his job will entail work in many different areas including transportation, firearms, and environmental issues.

“There’s a lot of other topics that need staff,” Fuglvog commented. “My job as legislative aide to the Senator will be fisheries but I’m assuming I will be doing work in other areas as well. Primarily it will be fisheries… that is such a big important issue in Alaska and the Senator and staff spend a lot of time on it.”

Issues on the surface and over the horizon include: marketing of seafood; improving ex-vessel prices; separating wild and farmed fish; off-shore aquaculture and the state having veto power run through the council; reauthorization of the Magnuson Act; and canned pink salmon becoming an accepted international food aid commodity.

“I need to put my full attention into this position,” Fuglvog stated. “It’s a big change… a big change.”

Fuglvog began fishing in 1972 at the age of nine on his grandfather Erik’s boat, who taught him long lining by running snap-on gear in Frederick Sound. In 1975, Arne made his first 18-day halibut trip with his father Ed in the Gulf of Alaska, a trip he called ‘his rite of passage.’ Although sick as a dog, the 12-year-old soon was cleaning fish and poke-icing around the clock and through high school and college. He first ran the boat in 1989; got married and bought the Mitkof in 1993; and took his first council seat in 1994. Including ancestors in Norway he is a fifth generation fisherman. Fuglvog graduated from PHS in 1981 and the University of Puget Sound in 1986 with a Phys Ed/Education major. He currently is a tender operator and long-liner and spends six-months a year on a boat.

“The fishing business will continue,” Fuglvog commented. “We have good people to run the boat and Cindy will get a lot more involved. She’ll take over as the primary fisherman in the family.”

Fuglvog praised his wife’s support.

“I wouldn’t have even applied for this job if I didn’t have her sacrifice, support, and willingness for a major life change,” he said. “She’s been incredibly supportive. I could not have done this without her. On a personal level the timing was really good, we’re basically empty nesters this year, we were looking for a change. I was spending so much time on the boat fishing that I couldn’t really prepare for council meetings. I didn’t foresee going in this direction. You know, change is a good thing. I just think very few people get the opportunity in life to reinvent themselves and that’s what I see I am doing… continuing my education and learning and some of the things I have been trained to do, but I’m also getting the opportunity to go out and test myself in a completely new environment.”

Fuglvog stated the teamwork involved in fisheries and those he worked with made this appointment possible.

“I have worked with great directors at Vessel Owners; Kris Norosz, Gerry Merrigan, Liz Cabrera, Cora Crome, Julianne Curry, they have a lot of brain power. And the fleet here, I could have never gotten to where I am without the support of the fishing fleet and the community of Petersburg. The fact that I have worked with and for the fleet for so long makes this a hard decision. I’ve enjoyed so much working with all these people. Now it will just be in a different role.”

After the 2006 salmon season and one long-line trip, Fuglvog will start his new post the first week in September, working under retiring legislative aide Bill Woolf. With over 20 years of experience under Senators Frank and Lisa Murkowski, Woolf is one of the most knowledgeable aides in D.C. Fuglvog will move into his post in January.

“It’s going to be great to work under him and have him mentor me and teach me the ropes,” Fuglvog stated. “I had to learn how to navigate the council process and I’m really excited to learn how to navigate the legislative process on Capitol Hill. I'm going to have to figure out how to be effective back there both for the Senator and Alaska... and Bill’s a great one to teach me that. Those are big shoes to fill."

Fuglvog will bring to Washington his perspective as a life-long Alaskan growing up in a coastal community as well as being the only active fisherman on the NPFMC. The fisheries council system was set up and is governed by Congress.

“I think you have just a few people back there (D.C.) who really understand fisheries,” Fuglvog commented. “We’re fortunate in Alaska that all of our delegation and their staff really understand… I think that I will be unique in the fact that there probably won’t be many fishermen working in D.C; I think that is something I’ll bring to the table. The fact that I am a council member going back to work in D.C. allows me to bring a lot of hands on experience. I hope those things will help educate people and give me some credibility…”

Fuglvog hopes to remain true to his beliefs and Alaska, much like the Jimmy Stewart’s character in ‘Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.’

“I think there’s a general cynicism about politics and Washington D.C. I’m an idealist, I’m hoping that the system works the right way and that I’ll deal with it honestly with a healthy dose of optimism. No one can be more of an outsider than I am; a fisherman from a small island community in Alaska. I’m looking at this as a fisheries job, but then again I remember I was naïve enough to say – when I got on the council and someone stated ‘enjoy your life in politics’ – I’m not going into politics… but I think it’s both. In my own mind it’s primarily a fisheries job but its fisheries politics. Whenever you add the word politics it connotates certain things… I hope to be a good liaison between the Senator, her constituents, and the fishing industry in Alaska which includes personal, sport, subsistence, and commercial… and I’ve been a participant in all those fisheries and I support all those fisheries.”

Fuglvog stated that although he doesn’t have political aspirations, he is excited about the job and can’t think of wanting to work in the political arena any where other than D.C. where it is really happening, where you are really a part of it.

“When I started fishing all the things I learned, helped train me to get into the wheel house and be a skipper running the operation… and in one way I see that my experience working up through the advisory board to the council is excellent training for the job I will be doing now… I’ve got a lot of ground to make up. I know the fishing industry well but there’s a lot of areas in the state I don’t know.”

Continued Fuglvog, “I’m just hoping people know that they will have someone back there looking out for them and people’s interests in Alaska; and bringing my perspective to the table. Hopefully in short time I will be able to do it effectively. More than anything else I will be accessible, someone there that they can count on, the public can call up and will communicate with them.”