Hull, Cross, Mezirow confirmed to council

The U.S. Department of Commerce has reappointed Dan Hull, of Alaska, and Craig Cross, of Washington, to the North Pacific Fishery Management Council.

The department also has appointed Andy Mezirow as a new Alaska member.

Here's the official announcement.

Commerce Department will need new leader

Acting Secretary of Commerce Rebecca Blank is leaving to become chancellor at the University of Wisconsin.

Here's a statement from President Obama.

You'll recall that Blank became acting secretary after an incident in California involving former Commerce Secretary John Bryson.

The Commerce Department is hugely important to the commercial fishing industry, housing agencies such as the National Marine Fisheries Service and the National Weather Service.

Alaska gets in line

This morning we brought you the news of how Acting Secretary of Commerce Rebecca Blank had declared a fishery disaster for Alaska due to poor Chinook salmon runs in some parts of the state.

Well, turns out Alaska isn't alone.

Blank also issued fishery disaster determinations today for several Northeast states, as well as Mississippi. Details here.

Of course, these disaster declarations really are meaningful only if Congress ponies up significant dollars for relief.

That seems far from guaranteed, with the politicians under enormous pressure to cut the federal deficit and avoid tax hikes.

Feds declare salmon disaster with aid possible

The U.S. Department of Commerce has declared a fishery disaster for Alaska due to weak Chinook salmon returns to Cook Inlet and the Yukon and Kuskokwim rivers.

Read the letter to Gov. Sean Parnell.

Some blowback from New England

At the request of two Massachusetts congressmen, federal fishery management councils will be evaluated on how they're complying with the law on "socioeconomic impact of regulations on fishermen and fishing communities."

Here's a press release.

Commerce Secretary Locke to take foreign post

National news outlets are reporting that U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke, the former governor of Washington, is President Obama's pick to take a new post as ambassador to China.

Born in Seattle, Locke is Chinese-American.

The National Marine Fisheries Service is among the many agencies within the Commerce Department.