Secretary of Commerce Don Evans today announced the appointment of 18 members to the eight regional fishery management councils that work in partnership with the federal government to manage the nation's ocean fisheries.

The councils, established by the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, prepare fishery management plans for marine fish stocks in their respective geographical areas of responsibility. The management plans are submitted for review by NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service and approved by the secretary.

"Regional fishery management council members are our primary interface with the public. Their knowledge, experience and hard work are critical to an effective resource management partnership," said Secretary Evans. "The difficult task of rebuilding and sustaining our marine resources begins with the eight councils, and I look forward to working with this year's appointees and those currently serving on the councils."

The council members represent diverse interests including commercial, recreational and environmental fisheries for each geographic area.

Terms of the council members expire annually on August 10 for approximately one-third of the 72 obligatory and at-large members appointed to the eight regional councils. On behalf of the secretary, the assistant administrator for fisheries solicits nominations from the governors of fishing states and oversees the annual appointments process. Governors must submit completed gubernatorial nominations by March 15, and the secretary announces the selections by approximately June 27. New members take their seats on August 11.

Under the Act, the secretary selects from a group of gubernatorial nominees a council member for each appointed obligatory and at-large seat that has become open due to an expiring term, a resignation, or other reason. Obligatory seats are state-specific, while at-large seats are regional in scope.

Last year's agency report on council membership is available on the Internet at: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/reg_svcs/2000RPT%20to%20congress.pdf

This year's appointments were to be made to 19 expiring seats. However, the appointment of a member to Idaho's obligatory seat on the Pacific Fishery Management Council currently is pending. Eighteen council members, below, will begin service on August 11, 2001. Their terms will expire on August 10, 2004.

Note: * indicates the individual is being reappointed.

New England Council - The New England Council includes members from the states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island. The appointees for 2001 are for New Hampshire's obligatory seat and two at-large seats:

• Erik S. Anderson* - president, New Hampshire Commercial Fishermen's Assn.; Portsmouth, New Hampshire

• 
  Mark Amorello - owner, Ocean Works Inc.; Pembroke, Massachusetts
• Ralph P. Boragine - executive director, Rhode Island Seafood Council; Charlestown, Rhode Island

Mid-Atlantic Council - The Mid-Atlantic Council includes members from the states
of Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Virginia. The appointees for 2001 are for Delaware's obligatory seat and three
at-large seats:

• Ronal W. Smith* - field and laboratory biologist, University of Delaware College of Marine Studies; Lewes, Delaware

• Lawrence W. Simns, president, Maryland Watermen's Assn.; Rock Hall, Maryland
• James R. Lovgren* - founding director, Garden State Seafood Assn.; Brick, New Jersey
• Yvonne M. Peabody - office manager, Peabody Corporation (packing facility); Hampton, Virginia

South Atlantic Council - The South Atlantic Council includes members from the states of Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina. The appointees for 2001 are for North Carolina's and South Carolina's obligatory seats:

• Robert L. Southerland, commercial fisherman, Wilmington, North Carolina
  Henry E. Pearce, Jr., recreational fisherman, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

Caribbean Council - The Caribbean Council includes members from the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The appointee for 2001 is for an at-large seat:

• Monica M. Lester, office manager, Tropical Trappin' Corporation; St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands

Gulf of Mexico Council - The Gulf of Mexico Council includes members from the States of Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. The appointees for 2001 are for Texas' obligatory seat, Mississippi's obligatory seat, and an at-large seat:

• Irby W. Basco*, president, Basco Construction; Port Neches, Texas
  David E. Saucier, Ingalls Shipbuilding; Pascagoula, Mississippi

• Julie K. Morris - coordinator, New College Environmental Studies Program, University of South Florida; Sarasota, Florida

Pacific Council - The Pacific Council includes members from the states of California, Idaho, Oregon and Washington. The appointee for 2001 is for an at-large seat:

• Roger Thomas* - president, Golden Gate Fishermen's Association; Sausalito, California

North Pacific Council - The North Pacific Council includes members from the states of Alaska and Washington. The appointees for 2001 are for Alaska's two obligatory seats:

• Stosh S. Anderson - small boat owner/operator; Kodiak, Alaska
• Stephanie D. Madsen - vice-president, Pacific Seafood Processors Association; Juneau, Alaska

Western Pacific Council - The Western Pacific Council includes members from the American-flagged Pacific islands of American Samoa and Guam, the state of Hawaii, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. The appointees for 2001 are for two at-large seats:

• Edwin A. Ebisui, Jr. - attorney; Haleiwa, Hawaii
• Frank W. McCoy* - general manager/owner, Northwest Fisheries and McCoy's Icehouse; Pago Pago, American Samoa

NOAA fisheries is an agency of the Commerce Department's National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration. The agency is dedicated to protecting and preserving our nation's living marine resources through scientific research, management, enforcement, and the conservation of marine mammals and other protected marine species and their habitat.