Jim Balsiger, acting director of the National Marine Fisheries Service, in his speech mentioned that the transition team of President-elect Barack Obama is kind of a green group, and so are NOAA. He said that one of NOAA’s goals is to reestablish the United States as the pre-eminent steward of ocean health and vitality, and to establish a national ocean policy and improve federal coordination.
Balsiger pointed out that under the new administration Alaska is not escaping the need for a fair and equitable way to allocate between the commercial and sport fish sectors. He also made a point that Obama gave to Sport Fishing magazine in September, in which the president-elect said his administration “would place the emphasis in fishery management where it belongs: in ensuring the long-term health and sustainability of stocks through the use of effective and appropriate conservation measures.
According to Balsiger American fisheries are in crisis particularly on the East Coast. He opined that there is an urgent need to know when stop fishing. Fish harvest need tough measures to prevent overfishing, he expressed. Balsiger also explained that among the top priorities for NMFS are an end to over-fishing, climate change adaptations and implementing a vessel recapitalization plan.
