Contact: Gordon Helm FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 6/19/98
U.S. Commerce Secretary William M. Daley today announced the appointment of 19 members to eight regional fishery management councils that work in partnership with the federal government to manage the nation's marine fishery resources.
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 the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Marine Fisheries Service, and approved by the Secretary of Commerce.
Council members are appointed to three-year terms and may serve no more than three consecutive terms. Each year about one-third of the 70 voting members appointed to obligatory and at-large seats complete their terms. Selections are made to replace outgoing members from candidates nominated by the governors of the affected states.
The councils represent diverse fisheries interests and are composed of members whose combined knowledge and experience represent a balance of commercial and recreational fisheries interests for each geographical area concerned. The new council members terms (listed below) will begin on Aug. 11, 1998, and will expire Aug. 10, 2001.
Note: * indicates the individual is being re-appointed.
New England Council -- The New England Council includes members from the states of Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut. The 1998 appointees are for three seats: New Hampshire's obligatory; 2 at-large:
Obligatory seat Erik S. Anderson* President New Hampshire Commercial Fishermen's Association Portsmouth, N.H. At-large seats William H. Amaru*James D. O'Malley* South Orleans, Mass.Executive Director East Coast Fisheries Foundation Narragansett, R.I. Mid-Atlantic Council -- The Mid-Atlantic Council includes members from the states of New York, New Jersey, North Carolina, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia. The 1998 appointees are for four seats: Delaware's obligatory; three at-large: Obligatory seat Ronal W. Smith Lewes, Del. At-large seats William S. Wells, III Charles E. Bergmann, II* Manager, Wells Scallop Company Cape May, N.J. Seaford, Va. James H. Gilford* Frederick, Md. South Atlantic Council -- The South Atlantic Council includes members from the states of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida. The 1998 appointees are for two seats: North Carolina's obligatory and South Carolina's obligatory: Obligatory seats Jodie E. Gay* Charles W. Stone* Hampstead, N.C. Murrells Inlet, S.C. Caribbean Council -- The Caribbean Council includes members from the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. The 1998 appointee is for one at-large seat: At-large seat Joseph A. LaPlace* St. Thomas, U.S.V.I. Gulf of Mexico Council -- The Gulf of Mexico Council includes members from the states of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida. The 1998 appointees are for three seats: Mississippi's obligatory and Texas' obligatory; 1 at-large seat: Obligatory seats Ralph D. Horn Irby W. Basco* Vice-President Nederland, Texas Clark Seafood Co., Inc. Pascagoula, Miss. At-large seat Alex M. Jernigan, P.E. Yankeetown, FL Pacific Council -- The Pacific Council includes members from the states of California, Washington, Oregon and Idaho. The 1998 appointees are for 2 seats: Idaho's obligatory; one at-large seat: Obligatory seat Jack T. Barraclough Idaho Falls, Idaho At-large seat Roger Thomas President, Golden Gate Fishermen's Association San Francisco, Calif. North Pacific Council -- The North Pacific Council includes members from the states of Alaska and Washington. The 1998 appointees are for Alaska's two obligatory seats: Obligatory seats Linda E. Behnken* Kevin B. O'Leary* Sitka, Alaska Kodiak, Alaska Western Pacific Council -- The Western Pacific Council includes members from the state of Hawaii, the American-flagged Pacific islands of American Samoa and Guam, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. The 1998 appointees are for two at-large seats: At-large seats Frank W. McCoy, Sr. Thomas C. Webster* Pago, American Samoa Kaneohe, Hawaii