Council Membership

The 18 voting members of the Council include the Regional Administrator of NOAA Fisheries in the Greater Atlantic Region (GARFO) and the five principal state officials with marine fishery management responsibility (or their designee) from CT, ME, MA, NH, and RI.

Twelve other NEFMC members are nominated by the governors of the New England coastal states and appointed by the Secretary of Commerce for three-year terms. Additionally, four non-voting members represent the United States Coast Guard, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Department of State, and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission.

Financial Interest of Members

Council members may have an interest in any fishery-related harvesting, processing, lobbying, advocacy, or marketing activity as long as they disclose the extent of this interest to the public. This ensures that knowledgeable fishing industry members can serve on the Council. Council members are not allowed to vote on matters that would benefit only them or a minority of other people within the same sector or gear group.

Council member financial disclosure forms must be available for public inspection on the internet and at the Council office. Details of this requirement are provided in the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act in Section 302 (j) DISCLOSURE OF FINANCIAL INTEREST AND RECUSAL and in the Code of Federal Regulations available online.

Council Members

New England Fishery Management Council Vice Chair Rick Bellavance, left, and Chair Eric Reid, right.

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Voting Members 2022-2023

Mike Pentony

Regional Administrator, NOAA Fisheries

Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office

55 Great Republic Drive

Gloucester, MA 01930

(978) 281-9283 fax (978) 281-9207
michael.pentony@noaa.gov

Megan Ware

Maine, Director of External Affairs

Maine Department of Marine Resources

21 State House Station

Augusta, ME 04333-0021

(207) 446-0932

Megan.Ware@maine.gov

Cheri Patterson

New Hampshire, Chief for Marine Division

NH Fish and Game Department

225 Main Street

Durham, NH 03824

(603) 868-1095 fax (603) 868-3305

Cheri.Patterson@wildlife.nh.gov

Melanie Griffin

Massachusetts, Fishery Policy Analyst

Division of Marine Fisheries

92 Fort Avenue

Salem, MA 01970

(978) 853-1196

melanie.griffin@mass.gov

Scott Olszewski

Rhode Island, Deputy Chief

RI Division of Marine Fisheries

3 Fort Wetherill Rd.

Jamestown, RI 02835

(401) 423-1934 fax (401) 423-1925

Scott.olszewski@dem.ri.gov

Peter Aarrestad

Connecticut - Director, Fisheries Division

Department of Energy and Environmental Protection

79 Elm St, 6th Floor

Hartford, CT 06106-5127

(860) 424-4171

Peter.Aarrestad@ct.gov