Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission is a regional organization representing 15 states that oversees fishing regulations from Maine to Florida. The appointment of Ray Brown is for four years and his job is to oversee the re-population of shad and river herring, key species in the food chain. The commission has issued a moratorium on catching shad and herring has been imposed to reduce stress on the species.
Brown said that North Carolina’s moratorium is hopefully giving our native run of river herring time to replenish, thus giving us all hope that within a decade the moratorium can be lifted at least for personal consumption and use. He further adds that he believes he can better serve the state by being a member of the regional group since it controls a much larger expanse of waters.
The commission has five main policy arenas such as interstate fisheries management, research and statistics, fisheries science, habitat conservation, and law enforcement. The commission focuses on responsible stewardship of marine fisheries resources and serves as a forum for the states to collectively address fisheries issues under the premise that as a group they can achieve more than they could as individuals.
Brown told that the goal of the commission is healthy, self-sustaining populations for all species along the Atlantic Coast or successful restoration well in progress by the year 2015.
