On August 22, 2022, the New Jersey Division of Fish & Wildlife sent a blast email seeking applicants to fill the two open seats – one recreational, and one member of the general public – on the New Jersey Marine Fisheries Council (Council.
As per the job posting at the newly redesigned Fish & Wildlife website, the Council has a long history of contributing to sustainable management of the State’s valued marine fisheries resources, the habitats upon which they depend, and the fisheries and communities they support. Formed in 1979 through an act of NJ state legislation, the Council’s responsibilities include:
- Contributing to the preparation and revision of fishery management plans in New Jersey
- Advising the Commissioner of the NJ Department of Environmental Protection in development and implementation of a successful fisheries management program within the state
- Recommending new and revised rules and regulations for effective management of our fisheries and fishery resources.
The Council consists of 11 members, nine of whom are appointed by the Governor, with advice and consent of the Senate. The make-up of the nine appointed members consists of four members representing recreational fishing, two representing commercial fin-fisheries, one representing commercial fish processors, and two representing the general public. The remaining two members are the chairmen of the Atlantic Coast and Delaware Bay Shellfish Councils. With the exception of the two shellfisheries representatives, Council members are appointed for a term of 3 years.
A volunteer commitment, Council members are expected to attend bi-monthly meetings (six times per year) to receive updates on state and regional management initiatives and make recommendations on new and revised management regulations. In addition, Council members serve on a number of subcommittees that meet on an as-needed basis throughout the year to discuss species- or topic-specific issues and make recommendations.
Candidates should have demonstrated knowledge and experience with marine resources and/or socio-economic issues related to ecological matters from the appropriate sector, and according to the job posting “The State is committed to inclusive and diverse representation on Councils and Boards and strongly encourage peoples from all backgrounds to apply for consideration.”
Interested parties can submit an application online through the Governor’s Appointments Office at https://nj.gov/governor/admin/bca/.
