U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick finalized this year’s appointments to the Regional Fishery Management Councils. For the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council which has management authority extending from three to 200 miles off the coasts of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia, appointments include Capt. Paul Risi of New York, Warren Elliott of Pennsylvania, and Dave Blazer of Maryland.
According to the Center for Sportfishing Policy (CSP), these appointments reflect the Administration’s commitment to ensuring knowledgeable, experienced conservation-minded individuals help to shape federal fisheries policy.
The councils oversee recreational saltwater fisheries that support more than 15 million American anglers and contribute over $145 billion in sales and nearly 700,000 jobs annually.
According to CSP, Capt. Risi was reappointed to represent New York on the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council. “A lifelong angler and charter captain, he brings more than four decades of experience in recreational fishing and fisheries management at both the state and federal levels,” CSP stated in an official release.
Elliott, who previously served on the Council and chaired its Ecosystem and Ocean Planning Committee, was appointed to represent Pennsylvania. CSP praised Elliot for “bringing valuable institutional knowledge and a long-standing commitment to fisheries conservation and outdoor recreation.
Blazer, a former director with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, was appointed to represent Maryland on the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council.
New Jersey’s two appointees to the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council – Greg Hueth and Jake Wiscott – were not up for reappointment in this cycle, nor was Lisa Wooleyhan of Delaware. Learn more at www.mafmc.org.
