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Johnson Out As Chairman of Marine Fisheries Panel

Posted on: Monday, 24 October 2005, 21:00 CDT

By Patricia Smith, The Daily News, Jacksonville, N.C.

Oct. 22--MOREHEAD CITY -- Jimmy Johnson is no longer chairman of the N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission.

Johnson, who has led the board nearly eight years, isn't on the commission either. He said he received a letter on Oct. 15, dated July 1, from Gov. Mike Easley's office thanking him for his service and stating that his term had expired and his successor had been appointed.

"It didn't catch me completely off guard," said Johnson, who had indicated this past summer that he did not expect to be reappointed.

Johnson's term expired June 30, and he was no longer qualified to hold the seat reserved for someone actively involved as a fish dealer or seafood processor.

For several years Johnson owned and operated Washington Crab Co. in Little Washington, then later worked for Sea Safari in Belhaven. However, he has been a state employee for more than a year now as Environment and Natural Resources Specialist with the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

The successor mentioned in the governor's letter referred to David Beresoff of Bolivia, who has been appointed to the seafood dealer's seat, said Jill Lucas, spokeswoman for the governor's office.

A new chairman has not yet been appointed, Lucas said.

Beresoff had been appointed June 24 to fill the unexpired term of a seat reserved for those actively engaged in or retired from commercial fishing, a slot that had been vacant since Tilman Gray of Avon resigned in the summer of 2004.

Lucas said she did not know why the governor changed Beresoff's appointment to Johnson's seat. Beresoff said he did not know why either.

"I just got a letter (Monday) telling me that my term has been changed," Beresoff said.

Beresoff said he does qualify for the seat because he not only fishes commercially, but he and his wife run a wholesale and retail fish market.

The change causes some concern, though, Beresoff said, because it once again leaves a vacant commercial fishing seat, which results in a "lopsided commission."

Beresoff also said he believes Johnson was done wrong, that his years of service deserved a more-proper sendoff.

"He was just dropped," Beresoff said.

Johnson said he too was a little disappointed by the manner in which he was told his time was up.

"I was expecting a little bit more warning so that I could get some things lined up," Johnson said.

For instance, Johnson had intended to attend the Joint Legislative Commission on Seafood and Aquaculture meeting in Morehead City earlier this week representing the Marine Fisheries Commission. With the last-minute change, no MFC member was there.

On the other hand, Johnson said he was happy the governor gave the commission plenty of time to prepare before its Nov. 17-18 meeting in Ocracoke.

Jess Hawkins, the Division of Marine Fisheries' liaison to the Marine Fisheries Commission, said he is now working with the commission vice chairman B.J. Copeland, who holds a seat reserved for a scientist, on issues before the board in November.

"Dr. Copeland is prepared to run the November meeting if the governor does not appoint someone in between now and then," Copeland said.

The terms of Copeland and Mac Currin, who holds a recreational fishing seat, expired June 30, as well, but commission members continue to serve until they are replaced.

Both Copeland and Currin said this week that they had not yet heard from the governor's office whether they will be reappointed.

Currin said he was sorry to see Johnson go.

"He's been a real dedicated, hardworking, fair chairman," Currin said.

Johnson was first appointed to a 17-member Marine Fisheries Commission in 1995 and served for a year-and-a-half before that board was disbanded. He was then reappointed to the newly formed nine-member commission in 1997.

He became interim chairman in December 1997 after the resignation of former chairman Bob Lucas, and then was made permanent chairman in late spring of 1998.

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Source: The Daily News

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