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State biologists kicked off whale panel

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — A Parnell administration rule that requires state scientists to adhere to official policy and not the principles of independent science when they work outside their agencies continues to fuel debate more than a month after two biologists were removed from a federal beluga whale recovery team.

The state biologists were kicked off the beluga panel because the rule compromised the scientific integrity of the team, federal officials said.

"The situation is unfortunate," said Leslie Cornick , an associate professor of marine biology and policy at Alaska Pacific University . "What you have is the politicians silencing their state-employed biologists, and the politicians, who don't know anything about interpreting scientific data, are interpreting scientific data in a way that fits their agenda."

The policy could have the long-term effect of chilling participation of state scientists in independent research and journal activity that scientists in academia have long enjoyed, said Cornick, who said she was speaking for herself and not her university.

Doug Vincent-Lang, the acting deputy commissioner of Fish and Game and an advocate of the new state rule, said in a recent interview that scientists are encouraged to engage in vigorous debate inside their agencies, but that once a position is established, the state has a right to demand adherence to it.

On April 25, as the issue simmered for months, the top official of the National Marine Fisheries Service in Alaska decided the state gag rule on its scientists was in direct conflict with federal policy.

James Balsiger, the Juneau-based NMFS regional administrator, said he had no choice but to remove two Alaska Department of Fish and Game biologists, Bob Small and Mark Willette , from the scientific panel of the Cook Inlet beluga whale recovery team, even though both are experts in their fields.

WoO: Swindell Survives for Tri-State Win

Swindell's brand new Big Game Treestands Maxim swept into the lead on Lap 18 of the 40-lap A-main at the quarter-mile bullring just north of Evansville, Ind., and survived five restarts during the wild event, including a green-white-checkered finish. It marked the fifth World of Outlaws victory of Swindell's career at Tri-State Speedway and his first since 1998. It was also his ninth win overall at the track dating back to 1974. "We've spent a few off-seasons running down in New Zealand on some pretty tight tracks and it has taught us a lot," said Swindell, a three-time World of Outlaws champion from Germantown, Tenn., who also has won this year at Merced (Calif.) Speedway and Royal Purple Raceway near Houston. "Al Parker built us a great motor and we had a new Maxim here tonight so we just had to put our experience to good use and came out with a win." Swindell had to deal with a very strong Kasey Kahne Racing contingent of Saldana, McMahan, Cody Darrah and Brad Sweet. Saldana, who extended his lead with the Red Bull Maxim in the World of Outlaws championship standings to 15 points over 20-time series champion Steve Kinser, led a KKR sweep of the top three spots in time trials. McMahan, whose team is owned in a partnership between Dennis Roth and Kahne, had his HR Cattle Maxim on the pole for the A-main with Saldana to his outside. Once the green flag flew, Saldana opened a quick lead that would stand for the first 17 laps. The field was reset for a double-file restart and Saldana chose the outside line with Swindell lining up to the inside. Saldana charged out front. By Lap 15 he was in heavy traffic with Swindell bearing down on him. Three laps later Swindell caught and passed Saldana just before the third-place running car of Lucas Wolfe sustained a flat left rear tire.

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