February 8, 2017 — It would make sense for an expert on Alaska to oversee the nation’s fisheries, even if he is a Texan.
Chris Oliver, the executive director of the North Pacific Fishery Management Council for the past 16 years, didn’t ask for a consideration as the new assistant administrator for the National Marine Fisheries Service; rather, the most powerful fishing industry voices in the nation’s most profitable region asked.
He doesn’t know if the new administration will offer it or if he’d want it if it did.
Still, looking at his history, knowledge and reputation, he seems in many ways a natural fit.
“There’s no guarantee…that I would say yes if they offered it to me,” he said after the North Pacific council wrapped up its recent meeting Feb. 6 in Seattle. “But I’ve got a lot of people who’ve expended a lot of effort, and my understanding is I’ve got a pretty strong backing from our congressional delegation. I’m inclined to do it because it interests me.”