G. Michael Sutton, 50, of Monterey, has been appointed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to the Fish and Game Commission. Sutton has served as vice president and founding director of the Center for the Future of the Oceans at the Monterey Bay Aquarium since 2004. He previously directed the Marine Fisheries Program at the David and Lucile Packard Foundation from 1999 to 2004. Prior to that, Sutton served as vice president of the World Wildlife Fund from 1995 to 1999, as well as senior program officer for international wildlife policy for the World Wildlife Fund from 1990 to 1992. He also served as special agent for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service from 1984 to 1990, and worked for the National Park Service as a park ranger from 1980 to 1984.

The California Fish and Game Commission has been involved in the management and sustainable use of California's fish and wildlife resources since 1870, and in 1940 the people provided for a Fish and Game Commission in the State Constitution (Article 4, Section 20).

The Commission holds at least 11 public hearings each year to promulgate and amend proposed regulations, and publicly discuss environmental quality, species protection, permits, licenses, natural resource management policies and the and rehabilitation of depleted populations and habitat to provide the optimum use of renewable wildlife resources for a variety of consumptive and nonconsumptive uses.

It also holds a variety of special meetings to obtain public input on items of a more localized nature such as the formulation of fishery management plans, requests for use permits on certain waters, and the establishment of new marine and ecological reserves.

Sutton assumes the remainder of the term formerly held by Bob Hattoy, who passed away March 4, 2007. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Upon Senate confirmation Sutton's term expires on Jan.15, 2009. Members do not receive a salary.