Governor appoints wildlife biologist to State Game Commission

Feb. 28—Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham is appointing a wildlife biologist to the State Game Commission, filling a crucial vacancy that gives the body a quorum it has lacked for weeks amid a spate of turnover.

By appointing Fernando Clemente, the governor is increasing the commission to four members, the minimum required for a quorum that enables it to function.

The commission oversees wildlife conservation plus hunting and fishing regulations in the state.

"Mr. Clemente's experience and expertise in the field of wildlife management made him an ideal candidate for this position," Maddy Hayden, a governor's spokeswoman, wrote in an email. "In addition, he is a well-respected member of Southern New Mexico and conservation communities."

Clemente couldn't be reached for comment Tuesday.

A conservation group praised the selection, saying Clemente was highly qualified.

"Fernando certainly has the qualifications to be an exceptional game commissioner," said Jesse Deubel, executive director of New Mexico Wildlife Federation, adding Clemente was a board member for his group for several years.

After Deanna Archuleta, a longtime energy lobbyist, resigned in early February, the commission was left with just three members.

Late last year, Roberta Salazar-Henry of Las Cruces resigned. Another commissioner, David Brian Soules, died in 2021.

Deubel said what he found the most upsetting was the governor removing two commissioners she had picked after taking office — Joanna Prukop and Jeremy Vesbach — because they voiced opposition to a policy of letting landowners declare streams flowing through their properties as nonnavigable, barring public access.

State Rep. Matthew McQueen, D-Galisteo, and Sen. Crystal Diamond, R-Elephant Butte, want to reduce the governor's power to choose and remove commissioners — an authority they contend has led to the commission being unstable and understaffed.

They are co-sponsoring a bicameral bill that seeks to create an equitable mix of members from various backgrounds — such as a hunter, rancher, conservationist and scientist — as well as a more even representation of political parties.

The governor would choose three and the Legislature would appoint four. No more than two of the governor's picks could be from the same political party.

And none of these commissioners could be removed without cause. The state Supreme Court would decide whether the firing was justified.

"It would bring stability, continuity and professionalism to the Game Commission," McQueen said.

The bill has made it through two House committees and awaits review by the Senate Rules Committee.

Deubel said the provision to prevent commissioners from being removed arbitrarily — perhaps because they disagree with the governor — is vital to have a functional board.

For example, will Clemente be able to make decisions based on his expertise, Deubel said, or will he have to adhere to politics?

"We've almost gotten to the point where it's irrelevant who the commissioners are because we have one commissioner, and that's the governor," Deubel said.

Clemente is a wildlife biologist with over 20 years of experience across multiple branches of natural resource management, according to a news release from the Governor's Office.

He has owned and operated New Mexico Specialized Wildlife Services since 2012, served as a professor at La Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua since 2021 and has been president of the Sunland Park Chamber of Commerce since 2019.

He is also president of the board of directors for La Clinica de Familia.

Nick Streit, owner of Taos Fly Shop, agreed the commission has been in disarray and is in need of reform. The bill has some good proposals that would address the commission's high turnover and try to create a fairer blend of interests, he said.

The angling industry has never been represented, despite the amount of fees it generates for the state, Streit said. The bill doesn't specifically call for an angler to be commissioner but would increase the chance of that happening, he added.

No bill is perfect, and it could have unintended consequences, Streit said, such as the Legislature infusing its selections with even more politics.

If the bill gets through the Legislature, the governor probably will veto it, but it will at least send her a message, Streit said.

"You can't just fire someone because they disagree with you," he added.