WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), a member of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, today pressed the nominee to serve as deputy secretary of the Department of Commerce, Mr. Paul Dabbar, on concerns about the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) ability to complete fisheries stock surveys in Alaska if staffing and approved funding from the department are not prioritized. Sen. Sullivan noted in the committee hearing that conducting surveys is one of the Commerce Department’s core responsibilities with regard to fisheries, and surveys are needed in order for Alaskans to harvest in various fisheries across the state. Sen. Sullivan also demanded that Dabbar and Commerce officials work promptly with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to sign the pending maintenance contract for the Kodiak, Alaska-based NOAA research vessel, Oscar Dyson, which conducts these critically important surveys.

“When you don’t do stock assessment surveys, you know what happens? My fishermen can’t fish,” said Sen. Sullivan. “All they need is a survey and it’s not happening. I have a whole list and I’m going to mention them here. I hope to hell someone from Commerce is watching. Okay? Because if you’re not doing surveys, that’s the basic stuff you’re supposed to do at NOAA, then my guys can’t fish. They don’t want subsidies. They just want to fish.”

Fishing and seafood processing employ more Alaskans than any other industry and are vital to the economic well-being of dozens of coastal communities throughout the state. Roughly two-thirds of all seafood harvested in America comes from Alaska’s waters.

Below is a transcript of Sen. Sullivan’s exchange with Mr. Dabbar.

SEN. SULLIVAN: I think we’re off to a good start, certainly on fisheries. We have this “Unleashing Alaska’s Extraordinary Resource Potential” executive order from President Trump on day one. This includes fisheries, LNG, all kinds of great things in Alaska. Then, just a couple days ago, the “Restoring America’s Seafood Competitiveness” EO. So we’re off to a good start. I want to commend the President, Secretary Lutnick, and their team. But I am concerned, to Senator Cantwell’s point—and this is a big issue—that we’re not having the staffing to do the two things that Commerce has to do for fisheries. American fisheries, unlike CHIPS and Science—a quarter of $1 trillion in subsidies—my guys don’t get subsidized at all. The federal government has to do two things: They need to do robust surveys to inform accurate stock assessments, and they need to do timely promulgation of regulations to open fisheries. That’s it. When the federal government doesn’t do that, you screw the hard-working fishermen of Alaska and America. Just think of “Deadliest Catch.” They do have to compete with Russia and China. To be honest, right now, it’s starting not to look good. I’m starting to get really upset, because when you got—Biden was horrible on the surveys. Horrible. We threw a ton of money at NOAA and the guy did climate change and all this BS. He didn’t do the blocking and tackling of NOAA, which is stock assessment surveys. You guys came in: “Hey, we’re not going to be like Biden.” But you’re not…I’m getting really worried that you guys aren’t doing this either. When you don’t do stock assessment surveys, you know what happens? My fishermen can’t fish. They don’t get $240 billion in subsidies. All they need is a survey and it’s not happening. I got a whole list and I’m going to mention them here. And I hope to hell someone from Commerce is watching. Okay? Because if you’re not doing surveys, that’s the basic stuff you’re supposed to do at NOAA. Then my guys can’t fish. They don’t want subsidies and they just want to fish. Can I get your commitment—and I hope to hell someone from NOAA’s watching this. I got a whole list of surveys right now that looks like you’re not going to complete. So what happens? My fishermen don’t fish. That is wrong. Can I get your commitment—and I hope to hell someone from NOAA and Commerce is watching this right now—get on with the surveys. Can I get your commitment? You can tell I’m a little rattled about this.

DABBAR: Yes, Senator, and I know that I’ve read your proposed bill, the latest one, and also how understanding research of, for example, salmon in Alaska, where some things are going well strong, and some things are weaker, and why. So I’m certainly committed on that also.

SULLIVAN: I just need your commitment to get the staffing and money to do the surveys. That’s it. If we’re failing on this, this is not good. Let me ask one final question. This relates. There’s a contract we’re trying to get the Secretary to sign, like right now. It’s for the Oscar Dyson. It’s a NOAA survey vessel homeported in Kodiak, Alaska. It’s coming up for its contract. It needs to be signed this week. Again, I hope Commerce people are watching. Okay? Just sign the contract so we can do the surveys from the Oscar Dyson. That’s a NOAA survey vessel ship. If that’s not signed in the next couple of days, that vessel won’t be able to do surveys. Again, this is blocking and tackling to take care of our fishermen, which is in the President’s EOs. But we’ve got to be able to support them with science. Can I get your commitment on that and maybe have someone get to the Secretary and sign this contract on the Oscar Dyson like today?

DABBAR: I’ll follow up, and there are people behind me watching, listening to you. I’m certain.

SULLIVAN: It’s really, really important. Thank you.

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  Alaska, commerce, fishermen, hearing, noaa, sullivan