NOAA names Balsiger NMFS acting director

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has appointed James Balsiger as NOAA acting assistant administrator for the National Marine Fisheries Service. Balsiger will direct federal scientists and regulators responsible for the management of commercial and recreational ocean fishing and for the protection of marine mammas, sea turtles and their habitat.

“We are counting on Jim to keep NOAA’s Fisheries Service moving in the right direction,” said retired Navy Vice Admiral Conrad C. Lautenbacher Jr., Ph.D., undersecretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator. “Jim has the knowledge and experience necessary to achieve the president’s important goals of ending over-fishing and promoting aquaculture to meet the nation’s ecological and food source needs.”

Balsiger has been administrator for the NMFS Alaska region since 2000. He served as regional science and research director for the NMFS Alaska Fisheries Science Center in Seattle from 1991 to 1995, and was leader of the center’s fish stock assessment program from 1977 to 1991.

In 2002, President Bush awarded Balsiger a Meritorious Award for sustained superior accomplishments in the management of programs of the U.S. government and for noteworthy achievement of quality and efficiency in the public service.

—Alan Bailey