Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Advisory Panel
The advisory panel consists of representatives of commercial and recreational fishing interests, the scientific community, and the environmental community.
Background
NOAA Fisheries consults with, and considers the comments of the Highly Migratory Species Advisory Panel (HMS AP) when preparing and implementing fishery management plans or amendments for Atlantic tunas, swordfish, billfish, and sharks.
The members of the HMS AP represent commercial and recreational fishing interests, the scientific community, and the environmental community who are knowledgeable about Atlantic HMS and/or Atlantic HMS fisheries. HMS AP Members serve three-year terms, with approximately one-third of the total HMS AP members' terms expiring on December 31 of each year.
Advisory Panel Members
The persons listed below were appointed by NOAA Fisheries for the specific terms indicated.
| Name | Sector | Association | Term | Email Address |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jeff Kneebone | Academic | New England Aquarium | 1/1/25-12/31/27 | jkneebone@neaq.org |
| Nadya Mamoozadeh | Academic | North Carolina State University | 1/1/24-12/31/26 | nrmamooz@ncsu.edu |
Daniel Coffey | Academic | Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies | 1/1/25-12/31/27 | daniel.coffey@tamucc.edu |
Camrin Braun | Academic | Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution | 1/1/25-12/31/27 | cbraun@whoi.edu |
| Martin Scanlon | Commercial | Blue Water Fishermen’s Association | 1/1/24-12/31/26 | proii2@yahoo.com |
| David Appolonia | Commercial | F/V Blitzen | 1/1/24-12/31/26 | davidmappolonia@gmail.com |
| Chinh Nguyen | Commercial | F/V St. Joseph & Peter | 1/1/23-12/31/25 | sgtcwin@aol.com |
| Matt Huth | Commercial | Fresh Catch Seafood | 1/1/23-12/31/25 | matthuth00@gmail.com |
| Al Mercier | Commercial | 1/1/23-12/31/25 | amerc78221@aol.com | |
Steve Getto | Commercial | American Bluefin Tuna Association | 1/1/25-12/31/27 | sbgetto@comcast.net |
Alan Weiss | Commercial | Blue Water Fishing Tackle Co. | 1/1/25-12/31/27 | adweiss5@verizon.net |
| Spencer Bode | Commercial | F/V Titan, Seafreeze Ltd. | 1/1/24-12/31/26 | spencerbode17@gmail.com |
| David Schalit | Commercial | American Bluefin Tuna Association | 1/1/24-12/31/26 | dschalit@gmail.com |
| Scott Vaeth | Commercial | Miss Shell Seafood, Inc., Grey Ghost Fishing | 1/1/24-12/31/26 | scottvaeth@aol.com |
James Hull | Commercial | Hull Seafood | 1/1/25-12/31/27 | hullsseafood@aol.com |
Robert Zales | Commercial | Southeast Fisheries Association | 1/1/25-12/31/27 | bobzales2@gmail.com |
| John Bohorquez | Environmental | Stony Brook University | 1/1/23-12/31/25 | john.bohorquez@stonybrook.edu |
| Jackson Martinez | Environmental | Environmental Defense Fund | 1/1/23-12/31/25 | jmartinez@edf.org |
Raimundo Espinoza | Environmental | Conservación ConCiencia Inc. | 1/1/25-12/31/27 | raimundo.espinoza@gmail.com |
| Esther Wozniak | Environmental | The Pew Charitable Trusts | 1/1/24-12/31/26 | ewozniak@pewtrusts.org |
| Peter Chaibongsai | Recreational | The Billfish Foundation | 1/1/24-12/31/26 | peter_chaibongsai@billfish.org |
| John DePersenaire | Recreational | Viking Yacht Company | 1/1/24-12/31/26 | jdepersenaire@vikingyachts.com |
| Bob Humphrey | Recreational | Sport-Ventures Charters and Casco Bay Bluefin Bonanza | 1/1/23-12/31/25 | bob@bobhumphrey.com |
| Evan Hipsley | Recreational | International Gamefish Tournament Observers | 1/1/23 - 12/31/25 | evan.hipsley@igfto.org |
| Bruce Pohlot | Recreational | IGFA | 1/1/23-12/31/25 | bpohlot@igfa.org |
| Eric Jacobsen | Recreational | American Sportfishing Association | 1/1/23-12/31/25 | edjacobsen@partners.org |
| Martha Guyas | Recreational | ASA Fishing | 1/1/23-12/31/25 | mguyas@asafishing.org |
| Charles Witek | Recreational | 1/1/24-12/31/26 | charleswitek@gmail.com | |
Patrick Kearney | Recreational | Reel Tight Charters | 1/1/25-12/31/27 | patrick.Kearney@mahouse.gov |
Stephen Weitzen | Recreational | Weitzens | 1/1/25-12/31/27 | stephenweitzen@gmail.com |
Willy Goldsmith | Recreational | Pelagic Strategies | 1/1/25-12/31/27 | wgoldsmith@pelagicstrategies.com |
| Stephen Rhodes | Recreational | F/V Legacy | 1/1/25-12/31/27 | stephenjrhodes3@gmail.com |
| Carlos Farchette | Council Rep | Caribbean Fishery Management Council | N/A | carlosfarchette@gmail.com |
| Kesley Banks | Council Rep | Gulf Council | N/A | kesley.banks@tamucc.edu |
| Tim Griner | Council Rep | South Atlantic Fishery Management Council | N/A | timgrinersafmc@gmail.com |
| Scott Lenox | Council Rep | Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council | N/A | fishinoc@hotmail.com |
| Michael Pierdinock | Council Rep | New England Fishery Management Council | N/A | cpfcharters@yahoo.com |
| David Donaldson | Commission Rep | Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission | N/A | ddonaldson@gsmfc.org |
| Caitlin Starks | Commission Rep | Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission | N/A | cstarks@asmfc.org |
| Gregory Skomal | State Rep | Massachusetts Marine Fisheries | N/A | gregory.skomal@state.ma.us |
| Amy Dukes | State Rep | South Carolina Department of Natural Resources | N/A | dukesa@dnr.sc.gov |
| Marcus Drymon | State Rep | Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant - State Rep for Alabama | N/A | marcus.drymon@msstate.edu |
| Angel Willey | State Rep | Maryland Department of Natural Resources | N/A | angel.willey@maryland.gov |
| Jason Adriance | State Rep | Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries | N/A | jadriance@wlf.la.gov |
| Perry Trial | State Rep | Texas Parks and Wildlife Department | N/A | perry.trial@tpwd.texas.gov |
| Christine Kittle | State Rep | Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission | N/A | christine.kittle@myfwc.com |
| Kevin Aman | State Rep | North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries | N/A | kevin.aman@deq.nc.gov |
| Carolyn Belcher | State Rep | Georgia Department of Natural Resources | N/A | carolyn.belcher@gadnr.org |
| Greg Hinks | State Rep | New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection | N/A | gregory.hinks@dep.nj.gov |
| Yamitza Rodriguez Ferrer | State Rep | Puerto Rico DNER/Recreational and Sport Fisheries Division | N/A | yrodriguez@drna.pr.gov |
| Matt Davis | State Rep | Maine Department of Marine Resource | N/A | matthew.m.davis@maine.gov |
| Walter Golet | ICCAT Advisory Committee | University of Maine School of Marine Sciences and Gulf of Maine Research Institute | N/A | walter.golet@maine.edu |
Note: The terms of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) Advisory Committee, the regional fishery management councils, state agencies, and fisheries commissions do not expire and assignment and substitution of these Advisory Panel (AP) representatives is at their discretion of the respective agencies.
Meetings
NOAA Fisheries holds periodic meetings of the Atlantic HMS Advisory Panel to consider alternatives for the conservation and management of highly migratory species. Below are links to agendas and materials from upcoming and past meetings.
Upcoming Meetings
2025
Past Meetings
2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
- September 6-7
- May 9-11
For information about past meetings not listed here, please contact nmfs.sf.webmaster@noaa.gov.