A former utility executive and adviser to the global private equity firm, Kohlberg, Kravis Roberts & Co., Bryson made streamlined regulation, job creation and exports his priorities in confirmation hearing testimony.

Bryson, a Democrat, accepted an invitation from Kerry to come to Massachusetts for fact finding, but otherwise said little about the nation's fisheries, which suffer a more than $11 million trade deficit from cheap imports primarily from China, and are facing extensive fleet consolidation through an Obama administration policy that comes with the trading and accumulation of catch shares by the best capitalized players.

Jane Lubchenco, catch shares' primary champion, was vice chairwoman at EDF when Obama nominated her to head the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which sets fisheries policies, in the Commerce Department.

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