October 17, 2013 — With the U.S. government shutdown now over, lawmakers in the Pacific Northwest are urging the commerce department to allow Bering Sea fishermen to start fishing for Alaska king crab.
Fishermen couldn’t start fishing on 15 October, when the season was supposed to begin, because the government shutdown prevented federal employees at the National Marine Fisheries Services from issuing fishing permits.
Rep. Suzan DelBene (D-Wash.), Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Oreg.), Rep. Rick Larsen (D-Wash.), Rep. Derek Kilmer (D-Wash.), Rep. Denny Heck (D-Wash.), and Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-Oreg.) all signed a letter to Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker, who oversees the NMFS, urging her to order the permits issued immediately.