View Governor Rick Scott’s original endorsement of Chairman Bob Gill here.

On March 15, 2012, Governor Scott nominated the well-respected Gill as his “preferred choice for the obligatory seat on the Council…I believe it is important that Mr. Gill continue as chairman of the council,” Scott wrote. “His reputation in both the commercial and recreational fishing communities as being impartial and open-minded would make him an ideal candidate to represent Florida on the Council.”

Five days later, which also was five days past the technical submission deadline, Governor Scott wrote a second letter that replaced Chairman Gill with a fisherman who does not participate of the Gulf of Mexico commercial fishing industry and who resides on Florida’s Atlantic coast. The same nominee only completed the recreational section of his initial nomination application to the Governor’s Office.

The unexpected — and yet unexplained — second submission of nominations for the Gulf of Mexico’s fishery management body alarmed two Gulf-wide commercial fishing organizations plus the region’s largest for federally-permitted charter and headboat vessels. All three are seeking a response from the Governor on why he is eliminating the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council’s current Chairman and well-respected commercial delegate from Florida.

You can see Governor Scott’s original letter here.