Request for Nominations: Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Advisory Panel

Nominations are being sought to fill 11 of the seats on the Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Advisory Panel. NOAA Fisheries consults with and considers the comments and views of the HMS AP when preparing and implementing Fishery Management Plans or amendments for Atlantic tunas, swordfish, billfish, and sharks. Nominations for the HMS Advisory Panel will be accepted to allow representation from commercial and recreational fishing interests, the scientific community, and the environmental community who are knowledgeable about Atlantic HMS and/or Atlantic HMS fisheries. Panel members serve three-year terms, with approximately one‑third of the total members’ terms expiring on December 31 of each year. 

Individuals with definable interests in recreational and commercial fishing and related industries, the environmental community, academia, and non-governmental organizations will be considered for membership on the HMS Advisory Panel. Nominations are welcomed from both individuals and constituent groups. 

Qualifications 

Qualification for membership includes one or more of the following: (1) experience in HMS recreational fisheries; (2) experience in HMS commercial fisheries; (3) experience in fishery-related industries (e.g., marinas, bait and tackle shops); (4) experience in the scientific community working with HMS; and/or (5) experience representing a private, non-governmental, regional, national, or international organization representing marine fisheries, or environmental, governmental, or academic interests dealing with HMS.

Nomination Packages

Complete submissions should include:

1. The name of the nominee and a description of his/her interest or expertise in HMS or HMS fisheries, or in particular species of sharks, swordfish, tunas, or billfish and specifically describe how the nominee meets the criteria below;
2. Contact information including mailing address, phone, and email of the nominee;
3. A statement of background and/or qualifications;
4. A written commitment that the nominee shall actively participate in good faith, and consistent with ethics obligations, in the meetings and tasks of the HMS AP; and
5. A list of outreach resources that the nominee has at his/her disposal to communicate HMS issues to various interest groups.

Submit by email with the subject line “HMS AP nominations” to HMSAP.Nominations@noaa.gov.

Submit by U.S. mail to Peter Cooper, Highly Migratory Species Management Division, NMFS SF1, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910. 

Nomination packages are due by November 8, 2018.

Each sector must be adequately represented, and the intent is to have a group that, as a whole, reflects an appropriate and equitable balance and a mix of interests given the responsibilities of the HMS Advisory Panel. Therefore, we will seek to fill vacancies based primarily on maintaining the current representation from each of the sectors, and secondarily by species expertise and/or representation from different regions. The species expertise listed in the table below indicates the current makeup on the panel and does not necessarily indicate a requirement for expertise in that particular species.