The Commerce Department has announced the appointment of two new members, Douglass Boyd of Texas and Lawrence Abele of Florida, and returning member Harolyn Williams of Mississippi, to the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council.
Terms will begin 11 August. Council members serve three-year terms, and may be reappointed to serve up to three consecutive terms.
Boyd is a member of the Sport Fishing & Boating Partnership Council, the Coastal Conservation Association, and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department of Fisheries Shrimp Advisory Panel.
Abele earned a PhD from the University of Miami, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science. He is the provost and executive vice-president for Academic Affairs at Florida State University, and has authored numerous scientific publications.
Williams has broad experience in commercial fisheries and ocean issues. She previously served three consecutive three-year terms, serving as Council vice-chair in 1998-1999 and Chair in 2000-2001.
She returned to the Council in 2007 and this reappointment marks the beginning of her second three-year term.
Williams has been involved in fisheries issues since 1970 and has served on various regional and international panels. She has also testified before Congress on several fishery issues.
The Gulf Council, one of eight regional management councils established by the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, prepares fishery management plans for marine fish stocks in their regions.
Each year NOAA’s Fisheries Service solicits nominations from the governors of fishing states, and oversees the annual appointment process.
The Secretary must select council members from the list of nominees provided by the governors to fill obligatory and at-large seats that have become available due to an expiring term, a resignation or other reasons.
Obligatory seats are state-specific, while at-large seats may be filled by a person from any of the states in the region.
