Contact: Marty Golden                    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                        
         Scott Smullen                   6/12/97

The federal agency responsible for saltwater fish science and management today announced the appointment of Marty Golden as Pacific Recreational Fisheries Coordinator for the National Marine Fisheries Service, a new position responsible for coordinating and implementing agency recreational fisheries programs for West coast states, Alaska, Hawaii and the Pacific trust territories.

"The agency has recently made great strides to improve recreational fishing opportunities and create constructive dialogue with anglers," said Golden. "I'm excited by the chance to improve the agency's focus and communication with the recreational fishing community."

Golden hopes to develop education outreach programs that promote strong conservation ethics among anglers, to foster a better understanding of the marine environment and related issues. A recently completed agency video entitled "Fish for Tomorrow" is an example of one such project he plans to expand upon. Golden will be located in the NMFS Southwest Regional Office in Long Beach, Calif., working with other agency recreational fisheries staff to provide input to various recreational management initiatives.

"Marty's extensive experience in marine recreational fisheries at both the state and regional levels will allow him to hit the ground running. I'm pleased Marty's joining the team," said Dick Schaefer, chief of the Intergovernmental & Recreational Fisheries Office of the fisheries service. Golden, a senior marine biologist with the fisheries service, will serve as part of the Office of Intergovernmental and Recreational Fisheries, recently established to implement the NMFS Recreational Fisheries Resources Conservation Plan and develop a stronger link to the recreational fisheries constituency.

Since joining the fisheries service in 1989, Golden has been involved in recreational fisheries issues as the agency's recreational fisheries coordinator for California, Hawaii and the territorial trusts. He also worked on other fisheries, habitat, and endangered species issues for the agency. Golden worked for the U.S. Department of Interior and as an environmental consultant before joining the fisheries service. He published or contributed to nearly 50 technical papers involving aquatic research.

Golden is a fellow and served as director of the Southern California Chapter of the American Institute of Fishery Research Biologists, is an American Fisheries Society Certified Fisheries Scientist, and a member of a number of other professional organizations. He is also an underwater photographer. Golden holds an associate's degree in forestry, and a bachelor's and master's degree in zoology, all of which include work in fisheries and water pollution ecology.

The National Marine Fisheries Service, a component of the U.S. Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Oceanic Administration, studies, manages, and protects U.S. living marine resources, coastal habitats and endangered species.

NOTE: Southwest Region and Southwest Fisheries Science Center news releases and other information can be found on the Internet at http://swfsc.ucsd.edu.