Saving Seafood

NOAA, groups back adding climate mandates to fishing law

November 18, 2021 — The following was released by the office of Rep. Jared Huffman:

NOAA’s top fisheries official yesterday endorsed a plan that would require the agency for the first time in its history to add climate change requirements to its management of the nation’s fish stocks.

“Fisheries management must continue to adapt as our ocean ecosystem faces unprecedented changes due to climate change,” Janet Coit, the head of NOAA Fisheries, told a House Natural Resources panel.

Testifying before the Subcommittee on Water, Oceans and Wildlife, Coit said NOAA appreciates “the overarching climate focus” of a proposed overhaul of the nation’s primary fishing law, the 1976 Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.

Coit weighed in as the subcommittee heard testimony on a bill, H.R. 4690, sponsored by Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.), that would reauthorize the law and require NOAA to create plans for “climate ready fisheries.”

If approved, it would mark the first time that climate change received a mention in the federal fishing law, which Congress last reauthorized in 2006.

Read the full release from the office of Rep. Jared Huffman

Alaskan Fishermen Sue NMFS, Department of Commerce Over Cook Inlet Salmon Fishery Closure

November 15, 2021 — A trio of Alaskan fishermen has sued the National Marine Fisheries Service (NFMS)’s Assistant Administrator Janet Coit and Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo for a recently announced rule change that will close commercial salmon fishing in the federal waters of Cook Inlet, as SeafoodNews covered on November 4.

The fishermen, Wes Humbyrd, Robert Wolfe and Dan Anderson, argue that the rule, which implemented Amendment 14 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Salmon Fisheries in the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska (Salmon FMP), was unconstitutional.

“This casually destructive rule must be vacated, however, because it violates the Constitution’s Appointments Clause and Take Care Clause. These “essential” structural provisions of the Constitution are accountability-preserving mechanisms,” the complaint from the fishermen wrote. “Their basic function is to ensure presidential control over the agents who exercise executive power on his behalf.

Read the full story at Seafood News

NOAA Fisheries Names Kim Damon-Randall to Lead the Office of Protected Resources

August 27, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Today, NOAA Fisheries announced Ms. Kim Damon-Randall as the director of the Office of Protected Resources. She will assume her new duties on August 29. Ms. Damon-Randall began her career with NOAA in 2001, serving in a series of positions at the Greater Atlantic Regional Office. Her roles have included heading the Endangered Species Branch and Assistant Regional Administrator for Protected Resources. Most recently, she has served as GARFO’s Deputy Regional Administrator. She succeeds Ms. Donna Wieting who retired in March.

“Kim is a great choice for this position,” said NOAA Fisheries’ Assistant Administrator Janet Coit. “She has the right skills and experience to drive us forward in the conservation, recovery, and management of protected marine species, one of our core mission areas at NOAA Fisheries.”

In her new role, Ms. Damon-Randall will head the agency’s Office of Protected Resources, which focuses on:

  • Endangered Species Conservation and Recovery—Responsible for the conservation, protection, and recovery of more than 150 endangered and threatened marine species under the Endangered Species Act
  • Marine Mammal Conservation and Management—Responsible for the conservation, management, and protection of whales, dolphins, porpoises, seals, and sea lions under the Marine Mammal Protection Act
  • Sea Turtle Conservation and Management—Leads the conservation and recovery of sea turtles in the marine environment for NOAA
  • Marine Life Health and Stranding Response—Responsible for coordinating networks of professional, authorized individuals and organizations to respond to reports of sick, injured, entangled, or dead marine animals
  • Permitting and Authorizations—Issues permits and authorizations for important activities that are compliant with the ESA and the MMPA
  • Consultations with Federal Agencies under the ESA—Conducts federal agency consultations on activities that may affect endangered and threatened species or their habitats are required under section 7 of the ESA
  • Funding and Grant Support—Manages several grant programs that fund projects that assist us with the agency’s mission, including Species Recovery Grants (to states and tribes) and the John H. Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue Assistance Grant Program

Ms. Damon-Randall has extensive experience in the conservation, recovery, and management of protected species. She has worked on issues ranging from responding to petitions to list species under the Endangered Species Act to designating critical habitat. She has coordinated focused outreach efforts to raise awareness about threats to endangered species through initiatives such as the International Year of the Salmon and Species in the Spotlight campaigns.

“Kim has already helped us grapple with some of the most difficult species recovery issues the agency faces on a regional level, including North Atlantic right whale and Atlantic salmon. That experience will serve her well in her new job,” said NOAA Fisheries’ Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, Sam Rauch.

In her previous roles at the agency, she has managed budgets and worked to streamline the agency’s response to consultations under the Endangered Species Act. She is the Federal Commissioner and Head of the United States Delegation to the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization. She is currently serving as the organization’s vice president.

“Serving as the Director of the Office of Protected Resources is my dream job. Protected species conservation and recovery has always been near and dear to my heart, and I am very much looking forward to working with the incredibly dedicated and talented staff in the office on the important issues and challenges facing species in the United States,” said Damon-Randall.

Before joining the agency in 2001, Ms. Damon-Randall worked on marine conservation and outreach at the Norwalk Maritime Aquarium and J.L. Scott Marine Education Center.

She has a Bachelor’s degree in biology and a Master’s degree in Marine Affairs, both from the University of Rhode Island.

Ms. Damon-Randall is originally from Deep River, Connecticut. As a child, she used to visit the Mystic Aquarium in Mystic, Connecticut, on a regular basis. She actually met her idol—the Shark Lady herself, Dr. Eugenie Clark—when she did a presentation on sharks at the Aquarium. Kim is married and has two children: her son is a U.S. Marine and her daughter is a freshman at Suffolk University in Boston.

Strelcheck to lead NOAA Fisheries’ Southeast region

August 13, 2021 — Andy Strelcheck will begin his new role Sunday as regional administrator for National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries Southeast Regional Office, which oversees North Carolina and is based in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Strelcheck, who began his career with NOAA in 2004, succeeds retired Regional Administrator Dr. Roy Crabtree, who was in the position since 2003. Strelcheck has worked in marine fisheries research and management and managed protected resources and habitat conservation.

“I’m honored to make this announcement,” NOAA Fisheries’ Assistant Administrator Janet Coit said in a statement. “He’s done an incredible job acting in the position since the beginning of the year and we’re looking forward to him officially taking on this important role.”

The Southeast region, which has responsibility for marine ecosystems from Texas to North Carolina and the U.S. Caribbean, including Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, works with three fishery management councils, state and federal partners, the fishing industry, and other stakeholders to manage and conserve federal commercial and recreational fisheries, marine mammals, endangered and threatened species, habitat and more, according to NOAA.

At the agency, Strelcheck previously oversaw data analyses and analytical work that supported fishery management council regulatory actions, led the development and operation of the commercial red snapper and grouper-tilefish individual fishing quota programs, valued at more than $50 million annually. He most recently served as deputy regional administrator. Before that, he served as a fishery plan coordinator and branch chief for the region’s commercial catch share programs in southeast regional office’s Sustainable Fisheries Division.

Read the full story at Coastal Review Online

NOAA Names Andy Strelcheck to Lead Fisheries’ Southeast Region

August 11, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Today, NOAA Fisheries announced Mr. Andy Strelcheck as the new Regional Administrator for NOAA Fisheries Southeast Regional Office in St. Petersburg, Florida. He will assume his new duties on August 15, 2021. Mr. Strelcheck began his career with NOAA in 2004, serving in a series of positions, including Southeast Deputy Regional Administrator since 2015. He succeeds retired Regional Administrator Dr. Roy Crabtree who was in the position since 2003.

“I’m honored to make this announcement,” said NOAA Fisheries’ Assistant Administrator Janet Coit. “He’s done an incredible job acting in the position since the beginning of the year and we’re looking forward to him officially taking on this important role.”

In his new role, Mr. Strelcheck will head the agency’s Southeast Regional Office. The region has responsibility for marine ecosystems from Texas to North Carolina and the U.S. Caribbean, including Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The region works closely with three fishery management councils, state and federal partners, the fishing industry, and other stakeholders to manage and conserve federal commercial and recreational fisheries, marine mammals, endangered and threatened species, habitat, and much more.

Mr. Strelcheck has extensive experience in marine fisheries research and management, and management experience in protected resources and habitat conservation. His graduate studies and many peer review publications focused on commercial and recreationally important finfish species in the southeast United States, including snappers and groupers.

“Andy’s innovative strategies for fisheries management and strength in relationship building makes him the ideal candidate for this position,” said Sam Rauch, NOAA Fisheries’ Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs. “His expertise lends itself to the management complexities of the region which includes three different ecosystems with hundreds of marine species—the Gulf of Mexico, South Atlantic, and Caribbean. In addition, the Southeast is home to some of the nation’s most threatened and endangered species, such as Rice’s whales, elkhorn corals, and smalltooth sawfish.”

In his previous roles at the agency, he oversaw data analyses and analytical work that supported fishery management council regulatory actions. He also led the development and operation of the commercial Red Snapper and Grouper-Tilefish Individual Fishing Quota programs, valued at more than $50 million annually. More recently, as Deputy Regional Administrator, he has provided leadership and operational guidance to 140 full time employees and contractors who he sees as the reason for the region’s success. He greatly values agency employees and the expertise they bring to the table.

“Andy is a dedicated, natural born leader who cares equally for our organization, marine natural resources, and the constituents we serve,” said Paul Doremus, NOAA Fisheries’ Deputy Assistant Administrator of Operations. “We are proud to see Andy advance his career with NOAA. He has a diverse skill set and he truly understands the importance of public service.”

Before joining the agency in 2004, Mr. Strelcheck worked for 3 years as a fishery biologist for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. He worked on Florida’s commercially and recreationally important fisheries.

He has a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Florida State University and a Master’s of Science in Marine Science from the University of South Alabama. Prior to his time as Deputy Regional Administrator, he served as a fishery plan coordinator and branch chief for the region’s commercial catch share programs in Southeast Regional Office’s Sustainable Fisheries Division.

Mr. Strelcheck grew up in Atlanta, Georgia, and spent many summers diving in Florida and the Caribbean. He currently lives in Safety Harbor, Florida, with his wife and two sons. In his free time he enjoys traveling with his family, coaching his sons’ baseball teams, and being on the water fishing, boating, or kayaking.

Janet Coit named to lead NOAA Fisheries; Rick Spinrad confirmed as NOAA administrator

June 22, 2021 — Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management head Janet Coit was named to lead the National Marine Fisheries Service, also known as NOAA Fisheries, on Monday, 21 June, a move met with wide approval from a variety of stakeholder groups.

Coit will oversee a governmental agency that employs 4,800 people in five regional offices, six science centers, and more than 20 laboratories in 15 states and U.S. territories. It is responsible for the management and conservation of recreational and commercial fisheries, including some aspects of marine aquaculture.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

Meet the new NMFS director: Janet Coit

June 22, 2021 — Janet Coit has been appointed the assistant administrator for NOAA Fisheries. She will also serve as acting assistant secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere, and deputy NOAA administrator, according to a press release from NOAA.

Coit succeeds Paul Doremus, who has been acting NMFS administrator since January. The appointment is effective immediately.

“I have worked closely with Janet Coit for many years in Rhode Island, and I am thrilled to see her expertise and skillful leadership recognized by this administration,” said Chris Brown, a Rhode Island commercial fisherman and president of the Seafood Harvesters of America. “Janet will be a thoughtful and steady NMFS AA, carefully listening to stakeholders while keeping sound science, not politics, at the heart of the agency. She won the respect of commercial fishing industry in Rhode Island, and I expect her to do the same as NMFS AA.”

Coit directed the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management for more than 10 years, where she focused on improving natural resource conservation, promoting locally grown and harvested food, including seafood. She worked to improve new infrastructure for commercial and recreational fisheries and promote sustainable management of fisheries, including a new shellfish initiative.

Read the full story at National Fisherman

National Fisheries Institute Statement on the NOAA Appointment of Janet Coit

June 22, 2021 — The following was released by the National Fisheries Institute: 

The National Fisheries Institute is pleased the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has appointed Janet Coit to lead the agency as the assistant administrator.

During her tenure at the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, she developed an ability to work with stakeholders to ensure seafood was harvested the right way, streamlined agency processes, and promoted seafood locally and abroad. This same approach is needed at the federal level.

We look forward to working with Janet Coit in her new role.

RHODE ISLAND: Former DEM chief Janet Coit named to lead U.S. fisheries office

June 22, 2021 — It’s a rare thing for someone to occupy a Cabinet-level position in state government under three different governors. But Janet Coit was able to do it, steering the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management for a decade, the longest tenure of any director in the 44-year history of the agency.

Now, she’s set to take a set of traits — diligence, diplomacy, likeability — that she used to great effect as Rhode Island’s top environmental official to what will surely be a more challenging position on the national stage. On Monday, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, Coit’s former boss in the Rhode Island State House, announced the selection of Coit to lead the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s fisheries office.

Raimondo described Coit as a source of trusted counsel while she was governor and said she will bring a wealth of experience to what’s also known as the National Marine Fisheries Service.

Read the full story at the Providence Journal