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2023 Regional Fishery Management Council Appointments

The appointment of 21 new and returning members to the eight regional fishery management councils.

Commercial fishing in the Valdez, Alaska harbor. Commercial fishing in the Valdez, Alaska harbor.

* Asterisk following a member’s name indicates a reappointment.

New England Council

The New England Council includes members from Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island. 2023 appointees will fill four at-large seats.

At-large seats

Jackie Odell (Massachusetts)
John Pappalardo (Massachusetts)*
Daniel Salerno (New Hampshire)*
Alan Tracy (Maine)*

Mid-Atlantic Council

The Mid-Atlantic Council includes members from the states of Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. 2023 appointees will fill four obligatory seats for North Carolina, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and New York, and one at-large seat.

Obligatory seat

Robert Ruhle (North Carolina)
Earl “Sonny” Gwin (Maryland)*
Michelle Duval (Pennsylvania)*
Paul Risi (New York)*

At-large seats

Danny Farnham (New York)*

South Atlantic Council

The South Atlantic Council includes members from Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. 2023 appointees will fill two at-large seats.

At-large seats

Robert Spottswood, Jr. (Florida)
Kerry Marhefka (South Carolina)*

Gulf Council

The Gulf Council includes members from Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas. 2023 appointees will fill three at-large seats.

At-large seat

Ed Walker (Florida)
Anthony Overton (Alabama)
Kesley Banks (Texas)

Pacific Council

The Pacific Council includes members from California, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. The Pacific Council also includes one Tribal seat. 2023 appointees will fill one obligatory seat for Washington, and one at-large seat.

Obligatory seat

Aldrich “Butch” Smith (Washington)*

At-large seat

Bradley Pettinger (Oregon)*

North Pacific Council

The North Pacific Council includes members from Alaska and Washington. 2023 appointees will fill two obligatory seats for Alaska and Washington.

Obligatory seats

Ryuichi “Rudy” Tsukada (Alaska)
Kenneth Down (Washington)*

Western Pacific Council

The Western Pacific Council includes members from American Samoa, Guam, Hawaii, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. 2023 appointees will fill one obligatory seat for the Commonwealth of the North Mariana Islands, and two at-large seats.

Obligatory seat

Gerald E. Weaver (Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands)

At-large seats

Roger Dang (Hawaii)*
Pedro Itibus (Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands)

Caribbean Council

The Caribbean Council includes members from Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The 2023 appointee will fill one obligatory seat for Puerto Rico.

Obligatory seat

Roberto Sabater (Puerto Rico)