Alaska pollock, cod fisheries facing delay if US government shutdown drags on

While Alaska's Pacific cod fishery opened on time Jan. 1, other key US fisheries -- including the Alaska pollock fishery -- could face delays if the protracted US government shutdown continues to drag on.

Like a range of other US agencies, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has been running on a skeleton crew as a result of a US government shutdown. NOAA Fisheries is only able to perform "essential" services such as quota monitoring, while foregoing inspections and permitting necessary for US vessels to fish in Alaska's federal waters.