In recent federal administrative updates, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick has exercised independent authority under the Magnuson-Stevens Act to select alternative nominees for open seats on both the Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) and the North Pacific Fishery Management Council (NPFMC), deviating from the top-ranked choices submitted by West Coast governors.
While state governors submit ordered lists of preferences, the Department of Commerce and NOAA Fisheries maintain the legal authority to select any qualified individual from the roster to ensure regional expertise and a balanced commercial and recreational representation.
Here is a breakdown of the new council appointments impacting Pacific fisheries:
- Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC): Secretary Lutnick selected second-choice candidate Chad See over Washington Governor Bob Ferguson’s first pick, Jamie Goen (executive director of the Alaska Bering Sea Crabbers). See, the director of the Freezer Longline Coalition, brings extensive maritime lobbying and public policy experience in Washington, D.C. and the Pacific Northwest, with a strong focus on groundfish and Pacific cod management.
- North Pacific Fishery Management Council (NPFMC): The Secretary selected second-choice candidate Forrest Bowers over Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy’s top choice, Märit Carlson-Van Dort. Bowers is a 30-year veteran of the Alaska Department of Fish & Game (ADF&G) and currently serves as the acting director of its division of commercial fisheries, carrying deep experience engaging directly with fishermen and commercial seafood processors.
Why This Matters for Commercial Fisheries
These appointments follow statements made earlier this year by NOAA Fisheries Assistant Administrator Eugenio Piñeiro Soler, who emphasized the importance of stakeholder engagement in the political process of council appointments. Soler noted that industry stakeholders must actively champion well-qualified candidates within their sectors to ensure commercial interests remain fairly balanced and robustly represented in federal management decisions.