Council Members

The Council has 13 voting members and three non-voting members. A chair and four vice chairs (one from Hawaii, Guam, American Samoa and the CNMI) 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 of the members are private citizens who are familiar with the commercial and/or non-commercial fisheries, marine conservation or both. They are appointed by the Secretary of Commerce from lists submitted by the Governors of each of the island areas:

William Sword,
Pacific Energy South-West Pacific Ltd
(2022-2025, American Samoa, obligatory)
Chair
Manuel “Manny” Duenas,
Guam Fishermen’s Cooperative Association
(2021-2024, Guam, obligatory),
Vice Chair
Matthew Ramsey,
Conservation International
(2021-2024, Hawaii, obligatory),
Roger Dang,
Fresh Island Fish Co.
(2020-2023, Hawaii, at-large)
Vice Chair
Pete Itibus
Fisherman
(2023-2026, CNMI, at-large)
Dr. Judith Guthertz
University of Guam
(2022-2025, Guam, at-large)
Shaelene Kamaka’ala
Hawaiian Islands Land Trust
(2022-2025, Hawaii, at-large)
Sylvan Igisomar
CNMI Dept. of Lands and Natural Resources
(Designated)
Vice Chair

Taotasi Archie Soliai,
American Samoa Dept. of Marine & Wildlife Resources, (Designated)
Vice Chair

 

Four designated state officials:

  • Dawn Chang, Hawaii Dept. of Land & Natural Resources, DLNR Chairperson
  • Taotasi Archie Soliai, American Samoa Dept. of Marine & Wildlife Resources, Director
  • Sylvan Igisomar, CNMI Dept. of Lands and Natural Resources, Acting Secretary
  • Chelsa Muña, 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
  • Sarah Malloy, Pacific Islands Regional Office, National Marine Fisheries Service, Acting Regional Administrator
  • Brian Peck, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – RAMNM , Superintendent

Standing Committees

  • American Samoa Archipelago Ecosystem
    • William Sword
    • Brian Peck
    • Taotasi Archie Soliai
  • Enforcement/VMS
    • Taotasi Archie Soliai
    • Chelsa Muña
    • RADM Michael Day
  • Executive and Budget
    • Sylvan Igisomar, Vice Chair, CNMI

    • Manny Duenas, Vice Chair, GU

    • William Sword, Chair
    • Roger Dang, Vice Chair, HI
    • Archie Soliai, Vice Chair, AS
  • Fishery Rights of Indigenous People
    • Sylvan Igisomar
    • Chelsa Muña, Chair
    • William Sword
    • Matthew Ramsey
    • Judith Guthertz
  • Hawaii Archipelago & PRIA Ecosystems
    • Dawn Chang
    • Matthew Ramsey, Chair

    • Roger Dang

    • Brian Peck
    • Shaelene Kamaka’ala
  • Mariana Archipelago Ecosystem
    • Sylvan Igisomar, Co-chair
    • Chelsa Muña
    • Manny Duenas, Co-chair
    • Brian Peck
    • Judith Guthertz
  • Pelagic & International Ecosystems
    • Roger Dang, Chair
    • Sylvan Igisomar
    • Roger Dang
    • Taotasi Archie Soliai
    • Sarah Malloy
  • Program Planning & Research
    • Sylvan Igisomar
    • Matthew Ramsey
    • Sarah Malloy
    • Judith Guthertz
  • Protected Species
    • Brian Peck
    • Manny Duenas
    • Dawn Chang
    • Roger Dang
    • Sarah Malloy

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