CONTACT: Gordon Helm FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
1/10/97
DR. REBECCA LENT TO HEAD NMFS HIGHLY MIGRATORY SPECIES
DIVISION
Will manage Atlantic tunas, billfish, sharks and other high-seas species for
DOC
Dr. Rebecca Lent has been selected to head up the Highly Migratory Species Division of the National Marine Fisheries Service, Assistant Administrator Rolland Schmitten announced today.
Lent takes over a highly visible and critically important division of the fisheries service. She has been the division's deputy chief for the past two years, and has served as a fishery economist with the division since 1992. Lent will assume her new assignment beginning April 13.
"Rebecca brings a wealth of knowledge and management experience to this division," Schmitten said. "Her grasp of the sensitive issues still facing highly migratory species such as tunas, sharks and billfish will result in the kind of effective, well crafted decisions that are needed to meet the challenges posed by these valuable fisheries."
Lent succeeds Dr. William Hogarth, who had accepted a temporary appointment to manage the division before heading to his new assignment as fishery management administrator in the fisheries service's southeast region.
"I believe it is very important to protect these valuable resources while also working closely with all constituents, including fishermen, fishery management councils, regional authorities and states," Lent said. The division chief designate says she expects to spend much of her time working with these groups to further improve management strategies for these highly sought and economically valuable species.
Lent's research on the net economic benefit of the Atlantic bluefin tuna recreational fishery is considered the industry standard. In 1996, in addition to her regular duties, she organized and chaired the Socio-economic Session of the 25th Anniversary Symposium of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas -- the international governing body for those species. A fishery economist for the past 20 years, Lent has also conducted research in Canada and Africa and worked in Canadian academia prior to jointing the fisheries service. The Highly Migratory Species Division is part of the fisheries service's Office of Sustainable Fisheries. Headquartered in Silver Spring, Md., the National Marine Fisheries Service is part of the Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.