Council Members

The Council has 13 voting members and three non-voting members. A chair and four vice chairs (one from each island area) are elected annually by the Council members.

Council members must balance competing interests while trying to make decisions for the overall benefit of the nation. Council members are advised by the Council’s advisory panels and committees, Council staff, the public, states and territories, academia and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS).

Eight members who are appointed by the governors of Hawaii, Guam, American Samoa and CNMI and appointed by the Secretary of Commerce:

Archie Taotasi Soliai,
Starkist Samoa
(2019-2022, American Samoa, obligatory),
Chairman
Howard Dunham,
American Samoa Alia Fishing Association
(2019-2022, American Samoa, at-large),
Vice Chair
John Gourley,
Micronesian Environmental Services
(2020-2023, CNMI, obligatory),
Vice Chair 
Michael Duenas,
Guam Fishermen’s Cooperative Association
(2018-2021, Guam, obligatory),
Vice Chair 
Edwin Watamura,
Waialua Boat Club
(2018-2021, Hawaii, obligatory),
Vice Chair
McGrew Rice,
Ihu Nui Charters
(2020-2023, CNMI, at-large)
Monique Amani,
Mosa’s Joint restaurant
(2019-2022, Guam, at-large)
Roger Dang,
Fresh Island Fish Co.
(2020-2023, Hawaii, at-large)

 

Four designated state officials:

  • Suzanne Case, Hawaii Dept. of Land & Natural Resources, DLNR Chairperson
  • Henry Sesepasara, American Samoa Dept. of Marine & Wildlife Resources, Director
  • Anthony Benavente, CNMI Dept. of Lands and Natural Resources, Secretary
  • Chelsa Muña-Brecht, Guam Dept. of Agriculture, Director

Four designated federal officials:

  • Michael Brakke, U.S. Department of State, Foreign Affairs Officer
  • RADM Matthew A. Sibley, U.S. Coast Guard 14th District, District Commander
  • Michael Tosatto, Pacific Islands Regional Office, National Marine Fisheries Service, Regional Administrator
  • Brian Peck, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – RAMNM , Superintendent

Standing Committees

  • American Samoa Archipelago Ecosystem
    • Howard Dunham
    • Archie Taotasi Soliai
    • Brian Peck
    • Henry Sesepasara, Chair
  • Enforcement/VMS
    • Monique Amani, Chair

    • Anthony Benavente

    • RADM Matthew A. Sibley

    • Chelsa Muña-Brecht

    • Archie Taotasi Soliai
    • Edwin Watamura
  • Executive and Budget

    • Michael Duenas, Vice Chair, GU

    • John Gourley, Vice Chair, CNMI

    • Archie Taotasi Soliai, Chairman
    • Howard Dunham, Vice Chair, AS
    • Edwin Watamura, Vice Chair, HI
  • Fishery Rights of Indigenous People
    • Anthony Benavente
    • Chelsa Muña-Brecht, Chair
    • Monique Amani
    • Brian Peck
    • Edwin Watamura
    • Archie Taotasi Soliai
  • Hawaii Archipelago & PRIA Ecosystems
    • Suzanne Case

    • Edwin Watamura, Chair

    • Roger Dang

  • Mariana Archipelago Ecosystem
    • Anthony Benavente, Co-chair
    • Chelsa Muña-Brecht, Co-chair
    • Monique Amani
    • Michael Duenas
    • John Gourley
    • Brian Peck
    • McGrew Rice
  • Pelagic & International Ecosystems
    • Roger Dang, Chair
    • Anthony Benavente
    • Michael Brakke
    • Chelsa Muña-Brecht
    • McGrew Rice
    • Archie Taotasi Soliai

    • Michael Tosatto

  • Program Planning & Research

    • Anthony Benavente

    • John Gourley, Chair
    • Howard Dunham
    • Chelsa Muña-Brecht

    • Michael Tosatto

    • Ed Watamura
  • Protected Species
    • Brian Peck
    • Monique Amani
    • Anthony Benavente
    • Suzanne Case
    • Henry Sespasara
    • Michael Tosatto
    • McGrew Rice, Chair

Financial Disclosures for Nominated Members: