New boss for NMFS

Agency veteran Jon Kurland has been named the new Alaska regional administrator for the National Marine Fisheries Service.

Jim Balsiger to retire

Jim Balsiger, Alaska regional administrator for the National Marine Fisheries Service, is planning to retire. His last day will be Nov. 30.

Balsiger has been the agency's Alaska chief since May 2000. He would be away from Alaska for a time to serve as acting head of NMFS in Silver Spring, Maryland.

Balsiger lives in Juneau and says he intends to remain there after retirement.

Observer program stands, but NMFS given task

Deckboss has written a few times about The Boat Co. lawsuit, which challenges the revamped fishery observer program implemented in 2013.

This week a federal judge gave the plaintiff a partial victory, as specified in the conclusion of his order (page 48).

Here's a statement from Jim Balsiger, head of the National Marine Fisheries Service in Alaska:

"We are pleased with the court's decision to uphold the North Pacific Groundfish and Halibut Observer Program — a decision which ensures this critical fishery management program will stay in place. While the judge upheld the program, he has asked the agency to prepare a supplemental Environmental Assessment to look at program costs and coverage levels. Going forward, we will work with the court on a schedule for development of that supplemental EA."

The Boat Co. and Earthjustice issued this press release.

Ted Stevens, Nov. 18, 1923 — Aug. 9, 2010

Here's a statement from the National Marine Fisheries Service on Ted Stevens, who died Monday in a plane crash north of Dillingham:

Aug. 10, 2010

Regional Administrator's statement regarding the passing of former Senator Ted Stevens

This is an especially sad day for the Alaska Region of NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service, where we have worked in cooperation with former Senator Ted Stevens to make Alaska's fisheries among the best managed in the world.

Senator Stevens was distinguished as a champion of sustainable ocean policy and influenced nearly every marine environmental and resource management law in the U.S. Senate over the past four decades. Alaska waters were often the test bed of revolutionary new ways of science-based fishery management and resource allocations that promoted safety and incentives for sustainability.

Senator Stevens was a tireless advocate for U.S. fisheries and marine science. He was instrumental in promoting the new Alaska Fisheries Science Center in Juneau which replaced the aging Auke Bay Lab. This laboratory honors his legacy with the name, the Ted Stevens Marine Research Institute.

Our deepest, most heartfelt thoughts are with his family during this time of loss.

Jim Balsiger
Regional Administrator
NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service
Alaska Region

Balsiger's back

Here's personnel news from the National Marine Fisheries Service:

March 29, 2010

Balsiger Returns as Regional Administrator for Alaska

Dr. Jim Balsiger is back in Juneau to again serve as administrator for NOAA Fisheries' Alaska Region.

He has been working at NOAA Fisheries headquarters in Silver Spring, Md., for more than four years, first overseeing all of the agency's regulatory programs and then, for the past two years, serving as acting administrator for NOAA Fisheries.

Doug Mecum, who has been the acting regional administrator for NOAA Fisheries' Alaska Region, has returned to his post as deputy regional administrator.

"It was an honor to lead NOAA Fisheries for the last two years. Now it's good to be home where I can be part of managing Alaska's world-class fisheries and of conserving Alaska's species and habitat," Balsiger said.

Dr. Balsiger's background includes time as the science and research director at the Alaska Fisheries Science Center in Seattle, where he also served as deputy director from 1991 through 1995 and program leader for the status of stocks task within the Center's resource ecology and fisheries management division from 1977 to 1991.

Dr. Balsiger holds a Bachelor of Science degree in forestry from Michigan Technological University in Houghton, Mich.; a Master of Science degree in forest silviculture from Purdue University in Lafayette, Ind.; and a Ph.D in quantitative ecology and natural resource management from the University of Washington in Seattle. He has authored or co-authored more than 33 publications in scientific journals and technical memoranda on fisheries subjects.

Eric Schwaab named new NMFS chief

The Obama administration today named Eric Schwaab, a Maryland public official, as the new head of the National Marine Fisheries Service.

Schwaab takes over for Jim Balsiger of Juneau, who long held the position on an acting basis. Balsiger is returning to run NMFS in Alaska, source of more than half the nation's commercial fish landings.

Not trying to brag, but Deckboss reported back in December that Schwaab looked like the guy for the top NMFS job.

Anyway, here's the official announcement on Schwaab's appointment:

Feb. 10, 2010

Announcing the New Assistant Administrator for NOAA Fisheries

Message from NOAA Administrator, Dr. Jane Lubchenco

It gives me great pleasure to announce Eric Schwaab as the new assistant administrator for fisheries, starting February 16. We are excited to have someone with Eric’s experience and proven leadership to bring a fresh perspective to the management of NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service. Eric will lead NOAA’s efforts to rebuild our fisheries and the jobs and livelihoods that depend on them. His immediate priorities include improving outreach and relationships with recreational and commercial fishermen, better aligning federal and regional fisheries priorities, restoring confidence in fisheries law enforcement, and promoting management approaches that will achieve both sustainable fisheries and vibrant coastal communities.

Eric brings more than 25 years of experience in local, state and federal natural resource management. He has spent the majority of his career at the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, where he began as a natural resources police law enforcement officer in 1983. He eventually served as director of the Maryland Forest Service; director of the Maryland Forest, Wildlife and Heritage Service; and director of the Maryland Fisheries Service. In 2003, Eric left the Maryland Department of Natural Resources to serve as resource director for the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies until 2007. He then returned to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources as the deputy secretary. Eric has also served as a member of the U.S. Department of Commerce Marine Fisheries Advisory Committee.

Eric is a creative and proven manager, consensus builder and leader. He has developed and implemented solutions to address challenges in regional habitat restoration, including Chesapeake Bay restoration issues, fish and wildlife conservation, public lands management, natural resources law enforcement, public agency administration, strategic planning and leadership development.

I am excited to welcome Eric to the NOAA family. He will work with NOAA leadership, the fisheries service, his fellow assistant administrators and our many constituents to further our efforts to protect and manage the nation’s fisheries, our other trust resources including marine mammals and sea turtles, and the ecosystems upon which they depend. Welcome Eric!

I would also like to take this opportunity to express my deep appreciation to Dr. Jim Balsiger, the acting assistant administrator, for his superb and sustained leadership. Jim has led the fisheries service for over two years in this capacity, far from his home in Alaska, and done so with distinction. He was especially instrumental in engaging the fishery management councils in the process of developing the draft catch shares policy. Dr. Balsiger will soon return to his position as NOAA Fisheries’ regional administrator for Alaska, but before doing so will assist Eric with his transition into the fisheries service and NOAA. I’d also like to thank the entire team at NOAA Fisheries who have done an excellent job during this period.

Dr. Jane Lubchenco
Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and NOAA Administrator

Wanted: perfection

Good fishery managers must be really hard to find.

We know this because the Obama administration, now just 21 days away from finishing its first year in power, still hasn't chosen someone to lead the National Marine Fisheries Service.

The prior administration of George W. Bush was quicker, naming Bill Hogarth as NMFS chief on Sept. 6, 2001, seven and a half months after Bush's inaugural.

We've heard a few names bandied about for the job: Arne Fuglvog, Elliott Norse, Brian Rothschild. You can read about them in prior Deckboss posts.

I also have it on good authority that Jim Balsiger of Juneau, appointed acting NMFS administrator in February 2008 after Hogarth took a university job, wants to stay in the position.

Evidently, none of these candidates is good enough. Or, more likely, not of the right political or ideological stripe.

Anyway, here comes 2010 and who knows, maybe employees in the nation's foremost fishery management agency will soon know who's at the helm for the long haul.

New name in the wind for top NMFS job

Ever heard of Elliott Norse?

He's president and founder of a Bellevue, Wash., nonprofit called the Marine Conservation Biology Institute.

He's also the latest somebody I've heard the Obama administration is considering for administrator of the National Marine Fisheries Service.

As Deckboss readers know, the Obama camp seems to be having a heck of a time filling the position, which Bush appointee and Alaskan Jim Balsiger continues to anchor.

Fuglvog pulls out of contention for NMFS job

Arne Fuglvog has dropped out of the hunt for the top job at the National Marine Fisheries Service.

In this letter dated July 31 to Commerce Department Under Secretary Jane Lubchenco, Fuglvog said the process of considering candidates was taking much longer than he expected "and I am no longer able to remain a candidate."

Fuglvog is a former Alaska commercial fisherman now working on the staff of U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska.

The Obama administration recently asked Jim Balsiger to stay on a few more months as NMFS chief while the search for his successor continues.

Obama camp moving slowly on top NMFS job

Looks like Jim Balsiger of Juneau will be staying longer than expected in Silver Spring, Md., where he's been serving as head of the National Marine Fisheries Service.

Balsiger, who came into the job during the Bush administration, was believed to be on the way out some time ago after two names emerged as top replacement candidates — Arne Fuglvog, a former Petersburg commercial fisherman now serving as an aide to U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and Massachusetts oceanography professor Brian Rothschild.

But recently, press reports emerged that the Obama administration was moving slowly on picking Balsiger's successor, and maybe had even reopened the search.

Rumors also have been circulating that Balsiger was asked to stay on as NMFS chief for six more months.

I called spokeswoman Monica Allen at NMFS headquarters on Friday and she kindly relayed my question to Balsiger: Hey, what's the deal?

"He told me the scoop on that," Allen told me. "He is going to serve probably for a few months until the administration makes that important appointment."

Six more months?

"It’s not locked in, no,” she replied. “Jim has been asked to stay on for several more months."

Of course, Deckboss wonders whither Fuglvog's chances at this point. I gave him a call a few days ago, but he didn't get back to me. No worries, Arne. Can't say as I blame you.

Here's a couple of links if you're interested in reading more about this:

Gloucester Daily Times story

Commentary from National Fisherman editor Jerry Fraser

Feeling crabby

Deckboss hears a group of concerned Bering Sea crab fishermen are holding something of a summit this morning in Seattle with Jim Balsiger, head of the National Marine Fisheries Service.

They're meeting at the Bay Cafe at Fishermen's Terminal to express worries about a potential slashing of the snow crab catch limit this coming winter season.

Here's a recent item I wrote for Pacific Fishing magazine that explains:

OPILIO WOES: Will next season’s Bering Sea snow crab harvest be a lot smaller? Very possibly, though not purely for lack of crab. The concern is that the stock hasn’t made enough progress under a 10-year federal rebuilding plan implemented in 2000 after the crab population, and the commercial catch, took a nosedive. A group of scientists, the Crab Plan Team, has recommended a significant cut in the catch limit for this coming winter season to meet the rebuilding goal by the required 2011. Two factors, however, could have a major bearing on whether we see a quota cut: the results of this summer’s at-sea stock survey, and a forthcoming federal legal opinion on the implications of not rebuilding the stock within the specified timeframe. Bering Sea snow crab harvests have ranged from 25 million pounds to more than 60 million pounds this decade. But the growing catch remains a far cry from hauls of more than 300 million pounds seen in the early 1990s. Because of the rebuilding concerns, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game will delay its announcement on the season catch limit until October to allow for additional scientific review. Normally the quota is announced by late September.

Word is this morning's breakfast meeting with Balsiger could draw even some "Deadliest Catch" celebrity crabbers like Sig Hansen.

Significantly, here's that legal opinion from NMFS clarifying the situation on snow crab rebuilding.

I don't have time to analyze the letter this morning, but I hear some crab industry players view it with some relief.