Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo appointed seven new members to NOAA’s Marine Fisheries Advisory Committee (MAFAC), bringing the group’s membership to the full complement of 21. MAFAC advises the Secretary of Commerce and NOAA on all living marine resource matters that are the responsibility of the Department of Commerce.
The seven new members are:
Natasha Hayden, Kodiak, Alaska
Vice President of Lands & Natural Resources, Afognak Native Corporation
Meredith Moore, Washington, D.C.
Director, Fish Conservation Program, Ocean Conservancy
Linda O’Dierno, Somers, New York
Fish and Seafood Development Specialist
Jocelyn Runnebaum, Ph.D., Bath, Maine
Fisheries Project Manager, Nature Conservancy
Sarah Schumann, Warren, Rhode Island
Owner/Principal, Shining Sea Fisheries Consulting, LLC
Clayward Tam, Kailua, Hawaii
Cooperative Fisheries Research Coordinator, Pacific Islands Fisheries Group
Brett Veerhusen, Seattle, Washington
Principal, Ocean Strategies, Inc.
“I’m extremely pleased to announce these seven new appointments made by the Secretary of Commerce. These new members have such a rich and diverse background working across a wide range of fisheries, seafood, and marine resource issues,” said NOAA Fisheries’ Assistant Administrator Janet Coit.
MAFAC members draw on their expertise to evaluate and make recommendations on national living marine resources policies. The members represent a wide spectrum of fishing, aquaculture, protected resources, environmental, academic, tribal, state, consumer, and other related national interests from across the United States. They ensure the nation’s marine resource policies and programs meet the needs of these stakeholders.
Jennifer Lukens, the Designated Federal Officer that manages MAFAC noted, “MAFAC has provided advice and recommendations to NOAA for more than 50 years and these new members will bring invaluable experience and a rich diversity of perspectives to the work of this important Committee. I am excited to have them join MAFAC and share their insights.”
MAFAC recently identified priority initiatives for incoming NOAA and Commerce leaders to improve seafood businesses and trade, support recreational opportunities, strengthen science and fishery data, enable adaptive management, and recover protected species.
New Jersey angler and recreational advocate Tom Fote is also a member of MAFAC currently serving in his second term (expires April, 2025). Visit the MAFAC website to learn more.
