Three nominees to the Alaska Board of Fisheries faced repeated questions Tuesday about restoring public trust after recent out-of-cycle decisions that critics say eroded the board's transparent process.

The House Special Committee on Fisheries questioned Paul Cyr, Blair Hickson, and Mike Wood, the latter seeking reappointment, about their commitment to following established criteria and public input. The questioning centered on a recent board decision that changed Cook Inlet salmon gear from gillnets to beach seines despite more than 280 public comments in opposition.

Committee members asked each nominee the same question: "Many Alaskans, including myself, have been increasingly concerned about what appears to be the erosion of the public process by the Board of Fisheries. If you are confirmed to the board, what will you do to try and restore the public faith and trust in the Board of Fisheries and the process?"

Cyr, a Ketchikan mariculture manager with 20 years in Alaska fisheries, said decisions should not be rushed. "If there's not enough time to properly vet the decision, then it should not be made," Cyr said. "It needs to be looked into and done in the proper fashion."

Hickson, a Wasilla resident and sport fishing lodge operator, said transparency requires public debate on the record. "I think one of the largest things is having debates on the public record in a form that everybody understands where you're coming from and why you've come to that conclusion," Hickson said.

Wood, a Talkeetna commercial setnetter seeking a second term, acknowledged frustration with recent board timing. "I do believe that the timing of things have happened in such a way recently that oftentimes deliberations on very important issues aren't public long enough for the public to actually have an opinion or voice their concerns for the topic that's being voted on," Wood said. "I feel really strongly that the people need to know what the issue is and debate it openly so that board members can have the most, you know, so that they have the opportunity to learn the impacts that the decisions we make have on the public."

Committee members pressed nominees on out-of-cycle decisions, particularly the Cook Inlet gear change made at a Friday online meeting. Representative Vance noted that legislators sent a letter to the Board of Fish requesting justification for out-of-cycle actions but never received a response.

"You absolutely deserve a response," Wood said. "I mean, that's why we put ourselves there front and center to listen to the public and be told things whether you like it or not and respond, you know. So, I think you, the response is warranted."

Wood said he did not vote for the Cook Inlet gear change and believed the criteria for a board-generated proposal was not met. "I don't think it's open and transparent," Wood said. "And I believe that in the future that can be done by just having some ground rules regarding the process. And I think that's really important so that the strings aren't being pulled from behind, that everybody is on a level playing field, and that there's time and opportunity for people to directly answer the issue at hand."