Nicole Zeiser is moving from Yakutat. Photo courtesy of Nicole
Zeiser.

Nicole Zeiser, Haines’ new Alaska Department of Fish and Game commercial fisheries biologist, starts work on March 1.

Zeiser is replacing Wyatt Rhea-Fournier who for the first time managed the gillnet fishery last year, and took a job in Homer after the fall dog season. Zeiser is taking the helm of a fishery that’s complicated by dwindling king salmon returns and unprecedented restrictions. Fish and Game has designated Chilkat king salmon as a stock of concern, and fishermen saw decreased fishing time and area as result of that designation.

Zeiser, originally from Ketchikan, was the assistant area commercial management biologist in Yakutat for eight years before being promoted to the commercial area management biologist for the past three years.

In Yakutat, Zeiser managed commercial set nets and a shrimp fishery. “I was ready to get out of Yakutat and try something new, learn a new fishery,” Zeiser said. “I stayed here longer than anticipated. When the position became open it was something that turned me on. Haines is beautiful. I’m looking forward to broadening my management skills and moving to Haines.”

Zeiser attended college in Oregon. She came back to Alaska before graduating and worked on a commercial seiner out of Ketchikan. She later worked for Fish and Game as a wildlife technician and earned a degree in biology from Kodiak College. She landed her first job as a biologist in Yakutat.

Zeiser likes to hunt, hike and fly fish.

Recently engaged, she’s moving to town with her fiancée who worked as a police officer in Yakutat.

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