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:

  • Howard Dunham, American Samoa Alia Fishing Association (2019-2022, American Samoa, at-large), Vice Chair
  • Archie Taotasi Soliai, Starkist Samoa (2019-2022, American Samoa, obligatory), Chairman
  • Michael Duenas, Guam Fishermen’s Cooperative Association (2018-2021, Guam, obligatory), Vice Chair 
  • Michael Goto, United Fishing Agency Ltd. (2017-2020, Hawaii, at-large)
  • John Gourley, Micronesian Environmental Services (2017-2020, CNMI, obligatory), Vice Chair 
  • Edwin Watamura, Waialua Boat Club (2018-2021, Hawaii, obligatory), Vice Chair 
  • McGrew Rice, Ihu Nui Charters (2018-2020, CNMI, at-large)
  • Monique Genereux (2019-2022, Guam, 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 Kevin E. Lunday, 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

    • Anthony Benavente

    • RADM Kevin E. Lunday

    • Chelsa Muña-Brecht, Chair

    • Edwin Watamura
    • Archie Taotasi Soliai
  • 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
    • Brian Peck
    • Edwin Watamura
    • Archie Taotasi Soliai
  • Hawaii Archipelago & PRIA Ecosystems
    • Suzanne Case, Chair

    • Edwin Watamura

    • Michael Goto

  • Mariana Archipelago Ecosystem
    • John Gourley
    • Anthony Benavente, Co-chair

    • Michael Duenas

    • Chelsa Muña-Brecht, Co-chair

    • Brian Peck
    • McGrew Rice
  • Pelagic & International Ecosystems
    • Michael Goto, Chair
    • Michael Brakke
    • McGrew Rice
    • Anthony Benavente

    • Michael Tosatto

  • Program Planning & Research

    • Anthony Benavente

    • John Gourley

    • Michael Tosatto

    • Michael Duenas
  • Protected Species
    • Brian Peck
    • Anthony Benavente
    • Suzanne Case
    • Henry Sespasara
    • Michael Tosatto
    • Edwin Watamura, Chair

Financial Disclosures for Nominated Members: