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,
American Samoa Dept. of Marine & Wildlife Resources
(American Samoa, state designated official),
Chairman
John Gourley,
Micronesian Environmental Services
(2020-2023, CNMI, obligatory),
Vice Chair
Manuel “Manny” Duenas,
Guam Fishermen’s Cooperative Association
(2021-2024, Guam, obligatory),
Vice Chair
Matthew Ramsey,
Conservation International
(2021-2024, Hawaii, obligatory),
McGrew Rice,
Ihu Nui Charters
(2020-2023, CNMI, at-large)
Roger Dang,
Fresh Island Fish Co.
(2020-2023, Hawaii, at-large)
Vice Chair
William Sword,
Pacific Energy South-West Pacific Ltd
(2022-2025, American Samoa, obligatory)
Vice Chair
Dr. Judith Guthertz
University of Guam
(2022-2025, Guam, at-large)
  Shaelene Kamaka’ala
Hawaiian Islands Land Trust
(2022-2025, Hawaii, at-large)

 

Four designated state officials:

  • Suzanne Case, Hawaii Dept. of Land & Natural Resources, DLNR Chairperson
  • Archie Taotasi Soliai, 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:

  • C. Colin Brinkman, U.S. Department of State, Office of Marine Conservation, Foreign Affairs Office
  • RADM Michael Day, 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
    • William Sword
    • Brian Peck
    • Archie Taotasi Soliai
  • Enforcement/VMS
    • McGrew Rice
    • Archie Taotasi Soliai
  • Executive and Budget

    • Manny Duenas, Vice Chair, GU

    • John Gourley, Vice Chair, CNMI

    • Archie Taotasi Soliai, Chairman
    • William Sword, Vice Chair, AS
    • Roger Dang, Vice Chair, HI
  • Fishery Rights of Indigenous People
    • Anthony Benavente
    • Chelsa Muña-Brecht, Chair
  • Hawaii Archipelago & PRIA Ecosystems
    • Suzanne Case
    • Matthew Ramsey

    • Roger Dang

    • Brian Peck
    • McGrew Rice
  • Mariana Archipelago Ecosystem
    • Anthony Benavente, Co-chair
    • Chelsa Muña-Brecht, Co-chair
    • Manny Duenas
    • John Gourley
    • Brian Peck
  • Pelagic & International Ecosystems
    • Roger Dang, Chair
    • C. Colin Brinkman
    • Roger Dang
    • Chelsa Muña-Brech
    • Archie Taotasi Soliai

    • Michael Tosatto

  • Program Planning & Research

    • Anthony Benavente

    • John Gourley, Chair
  • Protected Species
    • Brian Peck
    • Suzanne Case
    • Michael Tosatto
    • McGrew Rice, Chair

Financial Disclosures for Nominated Members:

2021 Report to Congress on Councils on the Regional Fishery Management Councils and SSC Members Financial Interest Disclosure and Recusal Requirements