Opening for Belknap County rep on Fish & Game Commission

To The Daily Sun,

At the last Governor and Council meeting, Ernest Millett of Belmont resigned his position effective January 23 as a N.H. Belknap County Fish and Game Commissioner, after having served less than one year of his four-year term.

The Fish and Game Department has 11 commissioners, one from each county in the state, plus one representing the coastal area. In general terms once the governor nominates a Fish and Game candidate and then there is a 30-day waiting period for the public to make comment about the nominee and then it goes to Governor and Council for final approval.

A candidate must be qualified in the following manner: (a) well informed on fish and wildlife conservation and restoration; (b) dedicated to the conservation and protection of the state’s fish and wildlife resources and of an environment conducive to the welfare of the same; (c) committed to a fish and game program providing reasonable balance between research, habitat management and law enforcement; (d) an active outdoorsman with a resident fishing, hunting, or trapping license in at least five of the 10 years preceding his appointment; (e) personal record free of convictions of violation of fish and game laws and regulations of this state or any other jurisdiction within five years preceding his appointment; (f) at least five years of experience in one or a combination of the following fields; (l) forestry; (2) agriculture; (3) management of wild lands; (4) soils conservation; (5) conservation of water resources; (6) fish and game management or propagation; (7) conservation engineering; (8) conservation law; (9) wildlife education; (l0) active membership in a conservation or sportsmen’s organization in this state, (g) in the case of the coastal commission member, a general knowledge of all crustaceans and bivalves in coastal waters and salt water fishing in general.

Upon nomination by the governor, each nominee shall forthwith file with the secretary of state an affidavit, duly signed and sworn to, setting forth in detail how he complies with the qualifications cited above and affirming his belief in the aims of subparagraphs (b) and (c). Appointments shall not be confirmed by the council until such affidavit has been examined by them and such appointee has been found qualified.

I would encourage interested members of the public to inquire on how to apply for this Belknap County Fish and Game position by calling the governor’s staff representative Elliot Gault at (603) 271-8790. Typical term lengths are five years. Once the current Belknap County Fish and Game position is filled, the position will run until June 29, 2021.

Joseph D. Kenney

Wakefield