September 29, 2016 — The following was released by the NEFMC:

The New England Fishery Management Council is seeking at-large members to serve on its Research Steering Committee.  The committee’s primary mission is to foster collaborations between fishermen and scientists and advise the Council on research priorities aimed at achieving collaborative outcomes.  The committee also reviews final reports to ensure that research projects have had adequate technical review and to discuss how information gained from the research may be used in management.

When fully populated, the Research Steering Committee is made up of:  four voting Council members who are appointed annually; one Northeast Fisheries Science Center representative; one National Marine Fisheries Service representative from the Greater Atlantic Region Fisheries Office; and eight at-large members.

The Council specifically is seeking applicants for the eight at-large seats, which are broken down as follows:

• Two fishery scientists;
• Four fishermen;
• One representative from the conservation community; and
• One representative from academia.

The solicitation announcement states, “The Council Chairman will appoint Research Steering Committee members on the basis of their experience and expertise concerning fishing, fisheries science and research, and/or fisheries policy.”

The committee meets roughly three times per year.  Expenses for travel, meals, and lodging will be paid for in accordance with the Council’s travel policy.