Hanging around a North Pacific Fishery Management Council meeting, it's not unusual to see lawyers and lobbyists for seafood companies, crewman right off the docks in their Xtratufs, and even a few millionaire fishermen and processors.
Politicians know this, and come election time they're hanging around fishing for campaign cash.
Take this evening for example. From 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., Gov. Sean Parnell and Mead Treadwell, who's running for lieutenant governor, are holding a "Let's talk Alaska fisheries fundraiser" in the Crow's Nest at the Hotel Captain Cook in Anchorage, where the council is meeting this week. I found a stack of postcards hawking the event on a table in the back of the council meeting room.
The Parnell-Treadwell campaign faces competition for fish funds, as U.S. Rep. Doc Hastings, R-Wash., is holding his own "very special Alaska fundraising reception" during the same timeframe at the Orso restaurant just up the street. A flier lists some well-known fish lobbyists and lawyers as, I don't know, sponsors I guess.
Seeing as how he has very little money and doesn't care who wins, Deckboss reckons he'll skip both fundraisers.