NOAA Fisheries is seeking nominations for qualified individuals to serve as non-government U.S. commissioners to eight regional fisheries management organizations (RFMOs):
- Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC)
- International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT)
- International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC)
- Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO)
- North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization (NASCO)
- North Pacific Anadromous Fish Commission (NPAFC)
- South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organization (SPRFMO)
- Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC)
These are all RFMOs in which NOAA has discretion to nominate candidates for commissioner. The United States participates in several RFMOs, which are treaty-based bodies that play a critical role in the global system of fisheries governance. “They are the primary way we achieve cooperation between and among fishing nations to ensure the sustainable conservation and management of shared fish stocks and other living marine resources,” NOAA Fisheries stated in their May 25 press release, noting how commissioners participate in meetings and delegations to help develop and support the United States’ positions on the conservation and management of shared living marine resources.
“This public solicitation of nominations enhances transparency in our process, promotes equity and access for all communities across the United States, and increases diversity in the candidate pool to ensure the views and interests of the range of U.S. stakeholders are considered in the process of developing and advancing U.S. positions at RFMOs,” NOAA Fisheries stated, while adding “NOAA Fisheries is committed to increasing the diversity of stakeholder voices that represent the United States in our international fisheries engagements, and promoting representation of underserved communities in the pool of potential candidates for appointment as non-government U.S. commissioners to RFMOs.”
Nominations for U.S. commissioners, including self-nominations, should be submitted by July 8, 2022 to: [email protected]. Additional details on this process and candidate qualifications for each RFMO can be found in the Federal Register.
