Marine Fisheries Advisory Committee Subcommittees and Task Forces

Committee Leadership

Chair: Megan Davis, PhD

Vice Chair: Kellie Ralston

Designated Federal Officer: Heidi Lovett (Acting), Supervisory Policy Analyst, Office of Policy, NOAA Fisheries Service

Assistant Designated Federal Officer: Katie Denman (Acting), Policy Analyst, NOAA Fisheries Service

Standing Subcommittees

(* indicates Subcommittee Chair)

Executive Subcommittee

Members: Davis*, Kalez, McDonald, Moore, Moreland, ODierno, Ralston, Runnebaum

Consists of the Chairs of each of the five Subcommittees, plus the MAFAC Chair and Vice Chair.
Assists with agenda development, subcommittee assignments, and administrative issues for Committee business.

Strategic Planning and Budget Subcommittee

Members: Davis, McMahon, Moreland*, Sullivan, Tam, Thom, Veerhusen

Reviews and advises on strategic planning elements relevant to the agency's mission and performance, budget operations and priorities, and reviews.
The subcommittee is planning to explore NAPA recommendations and tools used by other agencies to bring greater transparency and stakeholders support to strategic multi-year investments in core mission critical infrastructure.

Commerce Subcommittee

Members: Davis, McMahon, Moore, Moreland, ODierno*, Tam, Upton, Veerhusen

Reviews and advises on fisheries management and emergent socio-economic issues such as offshore aquaculture, seafood technology, and consumer interests.
Overseeing the work of the Seafood Promotion Task Group, which is exploring the concept for a National Seafood Council to improve consumer confidence in and consumption of U.S. seafood.
Oversees the work and assignments to the Aquaculture Task Force.

Protected Resources Subcommittee

Members: Davis, Fote, Hayden, Kalez, McDonald*, Schumacker, Sullivan, Tam

Reviews and advises on protected species programs operating under the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Endangered Species Act.

Climate and Ecosystems Subcommittee

Members: Davis, Fote, Hayden, McDonald, Moore*, Runnebaum*, Schumacker, Schumann, Sullivan, Upton

Reviews programs and initiatives involved with the development and implementation of ecosystem approaches to fisheries management.
The Subcommittee is currently investigating two key challenges that are delaying progress on implementing climate-ready fisheries management approaches:

1) The lack of clear definitions for key concepts such as a) climate-ready fisheries b) climate-ready fishery management and c) climate-ready fishing communities that create multiple barriers for scientists, managers and stakeholders in working collaboratively to adapt our fisheries to climate change impacts.

2) The current structure and practice of fishery management that creates real barriers for including and acting on existing information on climate impacts to fisheries, or for clearly communicating what science-informed products are most helpful to managers.

Recreational Fisheries Subcommittee

Members: Donaldson, Fote, Kalez*, Ralston, Sullivan, Tam, Yamada

Advises on initiatives and policies that pertain to recreational fisheries, fishermen, and related industries.

Task Forces

Columbia Basin Partnership Task Force

Created in 2017 to make recommendations on common goals and helping to define a shared path to long-term salmon recovery in the Columbia Basin Region. The CBP Task Force will recommend a shared vision for Columbia Basin salmon and quantitative goals to meet conservation needs and provide harvest opportunities. The Task Force completed its work in September 2020, when it transmitted it's Phase 2 Final Report.

Learn more about the Columbia Basin Partnership Task Force

Recreational Electronic Reporting Task Force

NOAA Fisheries and MAFAC are pleased to announce the establishment of a new Recreational Electronic Reporting Task Force. This Task Force will provide expert advice to MAFAC, and subsequently NOAA Fisheries Leadership, on the generation, delivery, and use of electronically reported data from private recreational anglers to assist NOAA Fisheries in fulfilling its mission activities.

Terms of Reference for the Recreational Electronic Reporting Task Force (PDF, 3 pages)

Learn more about the new Task Force

Aquaculture Task Force

Created in January 2015 to expand the aquaculture expertise of MAFAC, and to help MAFAC provide advice and input to NOAA Leadership, on the NOAA Aquaculture Program and its future activities.

Learn more about the Aquaculture Task Force

Climate and Marine Resources Task Force

Created in January 2015 as a communication conduit for stakeholder input to MAFAC, and subsequently NOAA Leadership, on the production, delivery, and use of climate-related information in fulfilling NOAA Fisheries mission activities.

Learn more about the Climate and Marine Resources Task Force