Lifetime Citizen Portal Access — AI Briefings, Alerts & Unlimited Follows
Alaska senators demand NOAA surveys, ask nominee to sign Oscar Dyson contract to avoid missed fish assessments
Loading...
Summary
Senators from Alaska and others warned that NOAA staffing and contracting issues are preventing critical fisheries surveys. They urged nominee Paul DeBarr to ensure staffing and contract approvals so vessels such as the Oscar Dyson can conduct stock assessments needed for fisheries management and opening seasons.
Senators pressed Paul DeBarr during his confirmation hearing to ensure NOAA has the staffing and contracts needed to complete fisheries stock assessments and other core functions.
Sen. Maria Cantwell warned about staff reductions at NOAA and said those cuts were ‘‘already impacting NOAA's core functions including reduced and suspended weather balloon launches at many of our weather forecast offices,’’ noting consequences for wildfire season. She asked the nominee to be ‘‘held accountable for the cuts in science.’’
Sen. Dan Sullivan of Alaska delivered an extended set of questions focused on fisheries, telling the committee that Alaska supplies about two‑thirds of U.S. seafood and calling for immediate action on overdue surveys. Sullivan said many NOAA survey contracts are at risk of expiring and singled out the NOAA survey vessel Oscar Dyson, which he said needs a contract signed immediately, warning: ‘‘If that's not signed in the next couple days, that vessel won't be able to do survey.’’ He repeatedly asked DeBarr for a commitment to secure staffing and contracts to allow surveys to proceed.
DeBarr said he would follow up and that he ‘‘certainly commit(s) on that also’’ and that people at the department would be watching. He described experience working on atmospheric and fish research connectivity during his DOE tenure but said he had read only press coverage of some proposed NOAA reorganizations and would review any formal proposals if confirmed.
Why it matters: NOAA surveys underpin stock assessments that determine whether and when fisheries open; missed or delayed surveys can limit fishing opportunities for commercial, recreational and subsistence users and have economic consequences for coastal and fishing communities.
Senators pressed for immediate action to sign expiring contracts and increase staffing for survey programs; DeBarr committed to follow up if confirmed.
