Dr. Bill Karp Named as New Science and Research Director for Northeast Fisheries Science Center
Dr. Bill Karp, Northeast Fisheries Science Center Director.
Meet Dr. Bill Karp William (Bill) Karp, Ph.D., was named the new Science and Research Director for NOAA’s Northeast Fisheries Science Center on June 26, 2012. As director, Dr. Karp plans, develops, and manages a multidisciplinary program of basic and applied research on the living marine resources of the Northeast Continental Shelf Ecosystem from the Gulf of Maine to Cape Hatteras, NC. He also leads NOAA Fisheries’ six northeastern labs and field stations located from Maine to Washington, D.C. Prior to this appointment, Dr. Karp served as Acting Science and Research Director for the Northeast Region from January through mid-June 2012. Previously, he served as the Deputy Science and Research Director for the Alaska Fisheries Science Center for a period of four years. In that position, Dr. Karp provided the services of chief operating officer for the Alaska Center, guiding program planning and development, workforce development, administration, fiscal management, facilities oversight, information technology systems oversight, and safety and environmental compliance actions. Dr. Karp is a well known fisheries researcher internationally. He has been involved with the International Council for Exploration of the Sea (ICES) for over 20 years and is currently a member of its Science Committee and chairman of the Steering Group on Ecosystem Surveys, Science and Technology. Dr. Karp was awarded a B.Sc. in Applied Biology by Liverpool John Moores University (UK) in 1972 and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Fisheries by the University of Washington in 1975 and 1982. |
New England coastal community.
June 26, 2012
Statement from Dr. Richard Merrick, Chief Science Advisor for NOAA Fisheries
Today, I am pleased to announce that William (Bill) Karp, Ph.D., has been named the new Science and Research Director for NOAA’s Northeast Fisheries Science Center. Dr. Karp will plan, develop, and manage a multidisciplinary program of basic and applied research on the living marine resources of the Northeast Continental Shelf Ecosystem from the Gulf of Maine to Cape Hatteras, NC. He will lead NOAA Fisheries’ six northeastern labs and field stations located from Maine to Washington, D.C. The Northeast Center’s laboratory in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, is the birthplace of marine science in the United States and the site of the first federal conservation agency devoted to the protection, study, management, and restoration of fish.
His scientific expertise includes fisheries acoustics, survey design and innovation, bycatch assessment and management, and fishery-dependent data collection and interpretation. This broad background in research and management will help him guide the Northeast Science Center staff as they work to maintain the rigorous scientific approaches in place now and to develop innovative new approaches and technologies we will need in the future.
During his recent tenure as Acting Science and Research Director at the Northeast Center and before that at the Alaska Fisheries Science Center, Dr. Karp has shown that he is adept at working with the academic community, resource managers, the regional fishery management council, fishermen, the industry, and other stakeholders to find solutions for the challenges we face in understanding, conserving, and managing our nation’s marine ecosystems. Dr. Karp will continue to build on these valuable partnerships in one of the most dynamic scientific communities in the United States.
Please join me in wishing Bill well in his new endeavor on behalf of NOAA Fisheries.
Richard Merrick, Ph.D.
Cheif Science Advisor for NOAA Fisheries
Highlights from Dr. Karp's Career |
- His work at the Alaska Fisheries Science Center began in 1986 at the Center’s Midwater Assessment and Conservation Engineering (MACE) Program where he was responsible for acoustic/trawl assessments of walleye pollock in the Gulf of Alaska and the Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands.
- He played a leading role in the transition from analog acoustic systems to digital technologies and spent some time in Norway working alongside the developers of the new systems which were eventually adopted at the Alaska Fisheries Science Center and throughout the agency.
- Served as lead for the Alaska Fishery Science Center’s cooperative agreement with the Norwegian Institute of Marine Research.
- Currently a Senior Fellow of the Council for Excellence in Government and an affiliate professor at the University of Washington.
- Was the first chair of the NOAA Fisheries Advanced Sampling Technology Working Group (2000 – 2003).
- Was the NOAA representative on Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research (SCOR) working group on Advanced Technologies for Observing Marine Life (2000 – 2003).
- Was the United States representative on North Pacific Marine Science Organization (PICES) Technical Committee on Data Exchange (1994 -1998).
- Led the AFSC’s fisheries monitoring program for several years during which the program was greatly expanded, modernized, and reorganized as a full research division.
- A founding member of the NOAA Fisheries National Observer Program Advisory Team (NOPAT) and co-convener of the first International Fisheries Observer Conference (1998).
- Chair of the steering committee for the first U.S. National Bycatch Report (2006-2011).
- An invited expert at the FAO Expert Consultation on Bycatch Mitigation (2009).
- Co-convener of the first International Council for Exploration of the Sea (ICES) Conference on the Collection and Interpretation of Fishery Dependent Data (2010).
