Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Government shutdown hits NMFS, council meeting

The partial shutdown of the federal government is sending serious ripples through the commercial fishing world.

Deckboss just got off the line with Jim Balsiger, head of the National Marine Fisheries Service for Alaska, who kindly provided an update on the situation.

First, the North Pacific Fishery Management Council's meeting this week in Anchorage is still on. The 11-member council will convene tomorrow morning at the Hilton hotel downtown.

Normally, a bevy of NMFS staffers attend council meetings, providing reports and expertise, but not this time. Balsiger says he'll be the only NMFS guy in attendance.

That's because nearly all NMFS personnel in Alaska, save Balsiger and a couple of people in Juneau keeping an eye on fishing levels, have been furloughed.

The council still has money for operations, so its own staffers remain on active duty and will support the meeting.

It's possible the council's agenda will change somewhat in terms of pace or content.

The hope, said Balsiger, is the government shutdown will be brief.

5 comments:

  1. How very fortunate that Jim Balsiger's household has made so
    much money lobbying for the Processor's.

    ReplyDelete
  2. F,,...g cheap shot
    You anonymous piece of s.,,

    Balsiger and his right hand man- doug mecum- are outstanding public servants who provide exceptional leadership to the commercial fishing industry and the public- who, after all, own all of our fisheries resources that we harvest and process for the public to consume--that public.

    Wes. I understand the limitations of a interactive public domain where folks have no handle, no identity. There are none. These comments are worthless if there is no name attached.

    At least on most other anonymous blogs, posters carry handles-- akmusher--muskeg girl-- and eventually we find out who the person is or at least if they are indeed a person.

    This is bs. This abuse of the cave carvings-- even cavemen would stand by their mark

    You anonymous creeps who have to row garbage at decent, hardworking, honest people.


    You suck


    happily hunting while you guys attend all the meetings
    that is, until my meetings begin.
    Bobbyt

    ReplyDelete
  3. Why would you find that as wrong
    or incorrect.God forbid, if anything
    happened from a divorce or worse,
    Balsiger personally will profit from his wife's lobbying and Commercial
    knowledge/input of "OUR"Resource.
    As far as a piece of S, take a
    look in the mirror.

    ReplyDelete
  4. boobt, you are truly a knuckle dragging idiot. Keep opening your mouth, entertainment galore. Beware, that 'squatch looking stink beast in your roadhunting sideview mirror is YOU. Don't shoot, well, second thought go ahead, how can you live with yourself? UN-FRIGGIN-BELIEVEABLE.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Boob T can't help it, he's a registered Lobbyist promoting
    and brown nosing the people he
    makes his living off by steering their thoughts for his financial
    gain.
    Oh, and Balsiger's wife is a
    registered lobbyist.
    2 foxes in the same hen house.
    See ya Football Head.

    ReplyDelete