Over the summer the U.S. Department of Commerce announced the appointment of new and returning members a number of regional fishery management councils around the country. “Each year, the Secretary of Commerce appoints approximately one-third of the total 72 appointed members to the eight regional councils,” the Commerce Department said in a July 31st email release, explaining how the Commerce Secretary selects members from nominations submitted by the governors of fishing states, territories, and tribal governments.
At the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (MAFMC) which includes members from the states of Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Virginia, the Department of Commerce announced the following appointments have been appointed to either state-specific or regional seats – also known as obligatory and at-large seats – and have already begun to serve their respective 3-year terms as of the August meeting of council.
Obligatory Seat
- Greg Hueth (New Jersey)
- Skip Feller (Virginia)
At-large Seat
- Anna Beckwith (North Carolina)
- James Gilmore (New York)
As reported in the August edition of The Fisherman Magazine, Hueth who runs the Big Mohawk out of Belmar was appointed to fill New Jersey’s obligatory seat at the MAFMC to replace Capt. Adam Nowalsky who had termed out on his position in that obligatory seat after serving three consecutive 3-year terms.
In New York, Gilmore replaces outdoor writer Tom Schlichter who served only one three-year term as New York representative to the MAFMC before getting bounced by the Secretary of Commerce in favor of Gilmore who recently retired at director of New York’s Division of Marine Resources.
The New England Fishery Management Council includes members from Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island, with the following individuals each appointed to 3-year terms.
Obligatory Seat
William Lucey (Connecticut)
Geoffrey Smith (Maine)*
Michael Pierdinock (Massachusetts)
Theodore Platz (Rhode Island)
At-large Seat
Kristin “Togue” Brawn (Maine)
Filling out the entire U.S. Atlantic Coast lineup of representatives, the Secretary of Commerce also made the following appointments to the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council officials with members from Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina.
Obligatory Seat
James Hull (Florida)
Judy Helmey (Georgia)*
At-large Seat
Charles Phillips (Georgia)
Thomas Roller (North Carolina)
As one of eight regional fishery management councils established by the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act in 1976 to manage fisheries within U.S. federal waters, the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s authority extends from 3 to 200 miles off the coasts of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia. For more information mafmc.org.
