IndexRepercussions of the closure of the Alaskan king crabIntroductionEconomic effects of the federal closureSocial ramifications on the national communityJapanese markets and illegal fishingConclusionRepercussions of the closure of the Alaskan king crabIntroductionIn the year 2013 , the US government shutdown from October 1st to 16th in reaction to the political schism between the Republican-controlled House and the Democratic Senate over the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act or, as Americans commonly know it, Obamacare and the legislative budget for the 2014 fiscal year. The bureaucratic abyss not only froze public spending and programs, but effectively slowed local and global businesses to a damaging halt. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get Original Essay As a result of the shutdown, approximately "[t]hree billion dollars were lost in government services" and approximately $2 billion was lost from industry closures, particularly Alaska's king crab industry, which plays a vital role in Alaska's economy, as countless jobs related to a specific trade have been drastically damaged. With the federal standoff hurting numerous state and international businesses, Alaska state lawmakers and federal representatives must now review national policies to promote economic and social stability to recover revenue lost from fisheries closures and help individuals affiliated with the industry. Effects of the Federal Shutdown Commercial fishing is one of Alaska's major economic activities, which is why many crabbers and fishermen, both local and international, were unhappy about the shutdown's repercussions on the fishing industry. A growing lack of payment to employees was prevalent across most Alaska occupations, from fishermen to federal personnel, with an estimated “16,390 civilians” affected by the shutdown. 3 This shared consequence of the inability to generate adequate profit from commercial fishing has essentially left Alaska legislators with an enormous workload; thus, in order to regulate federal jobs while avoiding layoffs, “federal offices are reducing hours” to avoid further layoffs.3 Unfortunately, mandatory layoffs have accelerated the shutdown of several jobs, such as preventing the National Marine Fisheries Service, run at the federal level, to issue permits for fishermen. Without permits, fishermen could not recover their losses as the start of the season was already late and individual quotas for the season could not be distributed, preventing fishermen from acquiring the proper documentation they needed to avoid exceeding limits annual catch. As a result, fishermen and American citizens are now blaming state lawmakers and federal representatives for their income losses. survive on reduced wages. With “about two hundred million dollars” at stake, captains like Keith Colburn, Wizard's owner and operator, estimate that about thirty percent of his annual income will vanish. Scott Campbell Jr., who has worked for Alaska's crabbing industry since the age of eighteen, is another individual affected by the closure. By the end of 2013, Campbell Jr. received a relatively low salary of about $30,000 for his work during the crab season. In addition to the reduced salary, Campbell had to work extra jobs after the Alaskan king crab season ended to support his family, similar to.
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