The New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC) is meeting in Gloucester, in the US state of Massachusetts, this week. On the agenda? Welcoming new members.
On Tuesday (Sept. 24), the council reappointed three members: Geoff Smith of Maine, Togue Brawn of Maine, and Mike Pierdinock of Massachusetts. In addition to the reappointments, the council also elected Bill Lucey of Connecticut and Ted Platz of Rhode Island to serve their first terms.
As for leadership roles, Rick Bellavance of Rhode Island and Daniel Salerno of New Hampshire were elected to lead the council as chair and vice chair for 2024-2025.
Bellavance is the owner/ operator of Priority Charters, a charter fishing business based in Point Judith. He has served as the NEFMC vice chair since 2021. While he's currently working in the recreational for-hire fishing industry, Bellavance has also been engaged in the commercial fishing industry for nearly 35 years.
New England Fishery Management Council Vice Chair Daniel Salerno, left, and Chair Rick Bellavance, right. Photo courtesy of NEFMC.
As chair, Bellavance will head the New England Council's leadership team on the Council Coordination Committee, which features chairs, vice chairs and executive directors from each of the eight regional fishery management councils. The committee meets twice a year to discuss issues related to the implementation of the Magnuson-Stevens Act.
Salerno, the new vice chair of NEFMC, manages two groundfish sectors: Northeast Fishing Sector XI, known as the New Hampshire Sector, and Northeast Fishing Sector V, also known as the Rhode Island/Long Island dayboat sector.
He's been involved with marine science and biology through education, work and research since 1992. Salerno is also the New England Council co-chair on the Northeast Trawl Advisory Panel and serves as the US co-chair on the Transboundary Management Guidance Committee.
NEFMC's September meeting concludes on Thursday, Sept. 26.
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