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The Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is seeking applications from commercial and recreational fishermen to serve as advisory panel members on the Marine Fisheries Advisory Council (MFAC). The MFAC provides guidance to DNR’s Coastal Resources Division (CRD) in matters related to management of saltwater fisheries such as blue crab, finfish species and shrimp. Members will be appointed by DNR Commissioner Mark Williams and CRD Director Doug Haymans for a term of four years based on recommendations from CRD staff.
Membership in the MFAC is evenly distributed geographically and comprised of people representative of commercial fishing and processing/packaging, charter and private sportfishing, as well as nonconsumptive estuarine and marine fisheries interests. The following advisory panel (AP) member seats are vacant:
• Blue Crab AP: Three commercial crabbers and one recreational crabber
• Finfish AP: Two commercial fishermen and one recreational angler residing in a non-coastal GA county
• Shrimp AP: Four commercial food shrimp trawlers and four commercial shrimp castnetters
All commercial and recreational fishermen must possess all applicable state and federal licenses, and commercial fishermen must have reported landings for the AP’s primary marine species during the previous two years.
“Advisory panels are an important component of the fishery management process and provide decision makers with the first-hand experience needed to balance conservation of our resources with economic benefit,” Haymans said. “This is a great opportunity for the public to be involved in the process and I encourage anyone interested to apply.”
Anyone interested in applying should submit the Marine Fisheries Advisory Council Advisory Panel Application, along with a cover letter, to Kathy Knowlton at
