The U.S. Department of Commerce said it made a series of appointments to Regional Fishery Management Councils. The new council members are favorable to the recreation sector, the Center for Sportfishing Policy said in a statement yesterday.
The appointments, announced by Commerce on Monday, include Richard Bellavance of Rhode Island to the New England Council, Scott Lenox of Maryland and Ken Neill of Virginia to the Mid-Atlantic Council, and Gary Borland of South Carolina to the South Atlantic Council.
Michael McDermott of Mississippi, Troy Williamson of Texas and Thomas Frazer of Florida were named to the Gulf of Mexico Council. Peter Hassemer of Idaho and Marc Gorelnik of California were appointed to the Pacific Council, and Nicole Kimball of Alaska joins the North Pacific Council.
“We hope with these appointments, the Commerce Department and NOAA Fisheries are seeking a new path forward in the way America’s federal fisheries are managed,” said Jeff Angers, president of the Center for Sportfishing Policy. “Conservation and opportunity for the public to access healthy marine fisheries should be top priority in all regions.”
