Applications for the Council’s Advisory Panel STILL Available
Fishermen, members of fishery-related industries and individuals from fishery- or marine related organizations are invited to apply for membership to the Advisory Panel (AP) for the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council.
The AP includes three panels that focus on the American Samoa Archipelago Fishery Ecosystem Plan (FEP), Hawaii Archipelago and PRIA FEP, and Marianas Archipelago FEP. Each of these panels will also deal with the Pelagics FEP as well.
Each of the FEP subpanels includes representatives from commercial fisheries, recreational fisheries, subsistence and indigenous fisheries, and ecosystems and habitat.
The AP includes representatives from American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), Guam and Hawaii who meet the following selection criteria:
- Present or recent activity in recreational, commercial or subsistence fishing;
- Present or recent involvement in the buying, processing or marketing sectors of the fishing industry and/or involvement in conservation or management organizations, fishing clubs or other organized groups concerned with marine or fisheries issues;
- Willingness to play an active role in fisheries management; and
- Ability to dedicate time for fishery document review and participate in panel meetings.
AP members provide advice to the Council on all aspects of the region’s fisheries and suggest management strategies.
The AP terms are for four years and will commence Jan. 1, 2015. Positions are voluntary (not paid). However, members are reimbursed for expenses related to their participation in meetings.
This year, applications are being accepted electronically and can be found at https://wpcouncil.wufoo.com/forms/20152018-advisory-panel-application/. For those who may need other arrangements, please call the Council Office at (808) 522-8220 for assistance. Completed applications must be received by the Council before September 22, 2014. UPDATE: COUNCIL STILL TAKING APPLICATIONS
For more information, contact Joshua DeMello at the Council at Joshua.DeMello@noaa.gov or (808) 522-7493.