Witherell to retire as North Pacific Council skipper

Here's the press release.

Personnel file

Brent Paine, executive director of United Catcher Boats, says he plans to retire in December.

UCB is a Seattle-based trade association whose membership includes the powerful Bering Sea trawl fleet delivering pollock to shore plants.

Paine has skippered UCB since 1993, or more than 30 years. Previously, he was on the staff of the North Pacific Fishery Management Council.

Personnel file

Doug Mecum is retiring at the end of December after more than 17 years as deputy regional administrator for the National Marine Fisheries Service in Juneau.

Head of Alaska Wildlife Troopers to retire

More in this press release.

Jim Balsiger to retire

Jim Balsiger, Alaska regional administrator for the National Marine Fisheries Service, is planning to retire. His last day will be Nov. 30.

Balsiger has been the agency's Alaska chief since May 2000. He would be away from Alaska for a time to serve as acting head of NMFS in Silver Spring, Maryland.

Balsiger lives in Juneau and says he intends to remain there after retirement.

A change at the top for Coastal Villages

Coastal Villages Region Fund has announced that longtime Executive Director Morgen Crow has retired.

Anchorage-based Coastal Villages is believed to be the richest of the six Alaska community development quota organizations.

Change at the top

Scott Kelley has retired as director of the state Division of Commercial Fisheries.

Forrest Bowers has been serving as acting director since Sept. 26.

APICDA's Cotter announces retirement plans

Here's the press release.

Two top agency lawyers leaving

People familiar with federal fisheries management know the large role lawyers play.

And so it's noteworthy when the top two lawyers for the National Marine Fisheries Service in Juneau retire the same week.

They're saying so long today to Lisa Lindeman, NOAA General Counsel's Alaska Section chief since 1990, and Jonathan Pollard, Alaska Section deputy chief since 2007.

No word yet on who will succeed them.

Cordova hatchery chief to retire

David Reggiani, general manager of Prince William Sound Aquaculture Corp., is retiring.

PWSAC, based in Cordova, operates major hatcheries producing millions of pink and other salmon.

Big job available

The Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute is looking for a new executive director to replace Ray Riutta, who is retiring after nearly 10 years in the position.

Hilsinger, commercial fish director, retiring Dec. 1

John Hilsinger, state commercial fisheries director, will retire Dec. 1, an Alaska Department of Fish and Game spokeswoman confirms.

That is the same date Hilsinger's boss, Commissioner Denby Lloyd, plans to step down, as previously reported.

News of this second departure highlights a big problem Hilsinger himself has addressed — the struggle to attract and retain top biologists and other staff in the Division of Commercial Fisheries.

You'll recall we reported just last week that the state's crab manager at Dutch Harbor, Forrest Bowers, is leaving for a new job with the National Marine Fisheries Service in Juneau.

Lloyd appointed Hilsinger to the position of commercial fisheries director on Feb. 18, 2007.

Lloyd to retire as Fish and Game commissioner

Denby Lloyd will retire effective Dec. 1 as commissioner of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.

He made his plans known today in an e-mail to staff.

Lloyd is facing a drunk driving charge in Juneau.