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Wildlife chief's resignation resonates with Alaska biologistsLess than two years after his appointment as director of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game Division of Wildlife Conservation, Corey Rossi has resigned, effective immediately. Dale Rabe, deputy director, has been appointed acting director. An email from Fish and Game Commissioner Cora Campbell cited “personal reasons” for Rossi’s resignation. However, he was recently charged with 12 counts of illegal bear hunting as a licensed assistant guide in 2008. State wildlife biologists who couldn’t wait to share the news with their peers were calling one another Thursday evening, shortly after Commissioner Campbell’s email announcing Rossi’s resignation was sent to state offices. Rossi was arguably the least popular director since statehood, both publicly and internally. He had been appointed to Fish and Game in December 2008 by then-Gov. Sarah Palin, a high-level position specifically created for Rossi, a proponent of “intensive management,” better known as predator control. Rossi listed Palin’s parents as references in his application for assistant commissioner. In March 2010 Gov. Sean Parnell asked the director of wildlife conservation, Doug Larsen, to step down and Rossi was appointed in his stead, a move that delighted some pro-hunting organizations. Under Rossi, the department proposed new areas for aerial wolf control and also advocated bear control, using controversial methods such as snaring, to increase numbers of moose and caribou for human consumption. Wildlife biologists working under Rossi have been reluctant to criticize him or his pet projects publicly because retribution was swift and harsh. This reticence didn’t muzzle wildlife biologists formerly employed by Fish and Game, however, who sent a letter in March 2010 to then-Commissioner Denby Lloyd asking him to reconsider Rossi’s appointment. That letter and a follow-up letter were signed by 53 former wildlife biologists whose careers totaled 1,007 years of experience with the Department of Fish and Game stretching back, in several instances, to the late 1950s. The former biologists cited Rossi’s lack of education or experience in wildlife management and research, calling him a “single issue advocate who lacks the educational background necessary for an entry-level biologist position.” Rick Sinnott is a former Alaska Department of Fish and Game wildlife biologist. The views expressed here are the writer's own and are not necessarily endorsed by Alaska Dispatch. Contact Rick Sinnott at rick(at)alaskadispatch.com "That letter and a follow-up letter (opposing Rossi's appointment) were signed by 53 former wildlife biologists (all of whom were summarily ignored) whose careers totaled 1,007 years of experience with the Department of Fish and Game stretching back, in several instances, to the late 1950s." Could this political process be any more corrupt? Rhetorical... Rossi was a political appointment to apease the A.O.C.unfortunatly they were playing there only hand in the predetor control controversy, 8 years of the Knowels adminestration put our wildlife in a situation where real predetor controll messures were needed and the A.O.C. with its considerable political conections struggeled to manipulate things in their favor through the legeslature , eventualy turning their efforts to the governors office under Palin, it really is unfortunate that they did not check his ethical standards before setting him up for the job, the predetor controll issue, among one of the most contiversial in Alaska's history, has not ben well serverd by mr.Rossi or his suporters, the fact that he had no secondary education in bioligy has no bearing on his ethical makeup, or his ability to hold an administrative position within the department of fish and game everything he did while in officce is now suspect and should be stopped Another Palin crony bites the dust! Shame on you Rossi! If found guilty I hope they throw the book at him and send a strong message. No one should be allowed to mess with Alaska's treasures, least of all those put in a position of protecting them. heckuvajob Rossi! (by rainman | January 12, 2012 - 11:46pm New http://articles.ktuu.com/2012-01-12/hunt_30621569 "Long said Campbell (Commissioner, ADF&G) expressed her appreciation for Rossi's service to the state. Dale Rabe, the former Division of Operations manager under Rossi, is now the Department of Wildlife Conservation's acting director." Well Ms. Campbell - your lack of experience is below par with Mr. Rossi's so does it surprise me that you "thanked him for his service to the state" before it's more clear what transpired, and what didn't, while he was employed as a public servant? What a stupid thing to say out loud. Pandering much? Here's hoping you follow him right out the door not long from now. Yours was another worthless, political only, appointment. Good. Now I can stop signing petitions & writing to the lame administration bent on hiring this jerk to further taint the reputation and work of the ADF&G. Leaving for personal reasons? I suppose that a complete lack of moral character and having a penchant for being an arrogant liar are good personal reasons to leave a public servant job. Good Riddance Rossi, and don't come back. I sincerely hope you are fined up the butt & kept locked up in an cell with no view, with The Carpenters looping in background for your listening pleasure. The ADN story, bylined Kyle Hopkins and Richard Mauer, says, “the troopers' Wildlife Investigations Unit in Anchorage learned of the illegal bear hunt on Nov. 22, 2010 .... Troopers and other agencies conducted multiple interviews last month in Alaska, Oregon and Utah.” While coordinating “other agencies” to conduct simultaneous interviews to hamper suspects ability to collude in their stories may have taken some time (if that was even done), why did it take at least a year? The ADN piece adds the tidbit that “Rossi employed Palin's parents for 14 years trapping nuisance animals when Rossi worked for the U.S. Department of Agriculture”. That story uses different wording to describe “other agencies”, at least the one that alerted the Alaskan Wildlife Troopers, than Medred’s Dispatch piece on the filing of charges. The ADN article goes, “unrelated investigation conducted by an out-of-state law enforcement agency” when Medred uses, “unrelated out-of-state operation conducted by another agency”. They are very different things, one placing the Wildlife Troopers source as agency located out-of-state, and the other, just the unrelated investigation was out-of-state. Mere speculation, but could this be tied to illegal trade in animal parts - a FED enforcement area as the US is a signatory to the international treaty banning such trade? Bear parts exporters are busted fairly often. Again, simply speculation, but the smell of rotting carcasses, not just gut piles, is heavy around this. Select government officials based on competence and ability to add value to the citizens of our State. This guy was a goofball from the get go. Worth pointing out that at the time of the offence Mr. Rossi was executive director of SFW. Corey Rossi as Director of Wildlife Conservation over sees all regions of Alaska's wildlife management.
This is a direct violation of the Alaska state Procedural Act. Violating State Statute has become standard procedure since Corey Rossi was implemented into Game Management by the Palin/ Parnell administration, and promoted under the Parnell administration. Since March of 2010 the Division of Wildlife Conservation has slipped dramatic changes to proposals, or completely new proposals after public comment was completed, while the Board of Game was in session. This has not been a problem because the State Attorney General office has allowed the Board to act illegally on these proposals, even when the public decried illegal action. The Governor was contacted to no avail. There is little wonder Attorney General John Burns resigned, and is now being replaced by Michael Geraghty, maybe he has more stomach for this kind of Law. Whether you endorse or do not endorse predator control, Alaskans have rights, protected by Statute, to be informed and comment for at least 30 days prior to a Board of Game or Fisheries meeting. The Parnell administration has turned a blind eye to Alaskan's rights and Statutes, in favor of influential interests. This mess the Division of Wildlife Management is in has a direct link to the top....where the buck stops. Corey Rossi would not quit if the Department of Law, Special Offices of Prosecution and Appeals, and the Alaska State Troopers, did not have him hands down. The "out of state" investigation highlighted this case against Rossi. If these charges were not filed, Alaska would have zero credibility in other states. The other question that BEGGS to be answered is where are the Federal Lacy Act charges regarding state to state transportation violations? The US Fish and wildlife agents are surely working on those. Those better be forth coming soon ...and those are felonies. No one is above the law. .... Not the State Executive Branch, Division of Wildlife Conservation, Or the Board of Game. Time to clean up the Corrupt Bastards Club of Alaska wildlife management, and this is a good starting point. Governor Parnell is the leader of this digusting low in Alaska's game management history. Parnell wholesale's our oil to big industry, and our wildlife to his special interest pals like the safari club international and sportsmen for wildlife. Captain Zero strikes again ... Wake up ALaska and send Parnell down the road at the next election. "Wildlife biologists working under Rossi have been reluctant to criticize him or his pet projects publicly because retribution was swift and harsh" May Rossi's punishment be swift and harsh. So now we know it's bear fat that greases the governors gears! Thanks for the mug shot Rick. This is barely justice for all the creatures this man murdered while only leaving their flesh to rot and only to take head and hide. |
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