Caribbean Fishery Management Council

Conserving, Restoring and Managing of Fishery Resources in the US Caribbean

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    About Us

    CFMC Logo

    The Caribbean Fishery Management Council (CFMC) is one of eight regional fishery management councils, established under PL 94-265 (approved on April 13, 1976), now known as the Magnuson-Stevens Act (the Act) as amended in 1996 and 2007 also called Sustainable Fisheries Act, for the conservation and orderly utilization of the fishery resources of the United States of America.

    The CFMC includes the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico (PR) and the United States Virgin Islands (USVI). It has ten members, seven with vote and three with voice but no vote. Four of the voting members are appointed by the US Secretary of Commerce upon recommendations of the Governors of PR and the USVI. The other voting members are directly designated by the Act: the principal officials from PR and USVI with marine fishery management responsibility, and the Regional Administrator for the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Southeast Regional Office (SERO). The three non-voting members are: the Director of the Southeast (Atlanta) Region of the Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), the Commander of the Seventh (Miami) District of the US Coast Guard (USCG), and a representative from the US Department of State (USDS).

    The CFMC has its headquarters in San Juan, Puerto Rico. It is unique in being the only council that does not include one of the fifty states of the Union and in sharing fish stocks with many Caribbean nations.

    The Caribbean Fishery Management Council is responsible for the creation of management plans for fishery resources (FMPs) in the US Caribbean Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) off PR and the USVI. FMPs are submitted to the US Secretary of Commerce for approval and implementation in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Once implemented, local Governments may adopt compatible legislation for the conservation of the fishery resources within local waters.

     

     

  • Council Staff

    The staff supports the council's fishery management decision-making process; review and prepare fishery management plans and supporting documents. Also, helps the public participate in the Council's process by providing information to the Council members, advisory groups, fishers and educational services to the public.

    You may contact our staff by:

     

    Staff Members

     

    Miguel A. Rolón

    Executive Director

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    Diana T. Martinó Nogueras

    Assistant and Executive Secretary

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    Graciela García-Moliner

    FMP & Habitat Specialist

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    Liajay Rivera García

    EBFM Technical Assistant

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    María de los Ángeles Irizarry

    Fiscal Officer

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    Vivian Ruiz Camacho

    Accounting Technician

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    Kiara M. Matías Rojas

    Administrative Assistant

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    Cristina D. Olán Martínez

    Social Media Network Coordinator

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  • Descripción:

    Strategic planning is necessary to determine the direction of an organization, set common goals and objectives, and identify ways to accomplish them. During 2020-2021, the CFMC was involved in developing its Strategic Plan for 2022-2026. The organization of the strategic plan reflects both the collective goals and distinctive needs of the three island districts that comprise the Council’s jurisdiction. The Vision, Mission, and Core Values incorporate a common future, purpose, and approach. The Goal Statements reflect broad areas of focus necessary to achieve the Council’s Vision while accommodating the differing priorities of each island district. All were developed with extensive Council, advisory panel, and stakeholder input.

    For three of the goals (Management; Ecosystem and Resource Health; Social, Cultural, and Economic Issues), island-specific objectives and strategies were developed to address the characteristics and needs of each district. Several objectives evolved to be identical across island districts, indicating overlapping priorities. In such instances, objectives have been consolidated so that only the island-specific strategies are represented. The Council also determined that the Communication and Outreach goal encompasses one of its most important responsibilities and concluded the objectives and strategies were relevant throughout its jurisdiction, and not specific to one island or district.

    Please, click on the following links to read and download the 2022-2026 CFMC Strategic Plan.

    DOCUMENTOS:

    2022-2026 CFMC Strategic Plan (English version)

    Plan Estratégico del CFMC 2022-2026 (versión en español)

  • Voting Members

    The Caribbean Fishery Management Council is composed of seven voting members appointed by the US Secretary of Commerce. (At least one shall be appointed from Puerto Rico and USVI.) The remaining voting members shall be: the principal local government official or designee with marine fishery management responsibilities and expertise in each of the two local governments, as appointed by the governor of Puerto Rico and USVI; the Regional Administrator of the National Marine Fisheries Service for the Southeast Region or designee.

    Appointed Obligatory Members

    James Kreglo (USVI)

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    Statement of Financial Interest 2023

    Appointed At-Large Voting Members

    Council Members Federal Government

    Andrew Strelcheck

    Acting Regional Administrator, NMFS-SERO

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    Jonh McGovern

    Designee
    NMFS-SERO

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    María del Mar López-Mercer

    Designee
    NMFS-SERO

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    Council Members USVI

    Jean-Pierre L. Oriol

    Commissioner, USVI-DPNR

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    Nicole F. Angeli

    Designee
    Director, Division of F&W, USVI-DPNR

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    Council Members PR

    Anaís Rodríguez Vega

    Secretary, PR-DNER

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    Dr. Ricardo López-Ortiz

    PR-DNER Fisheries Research Laboratory

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    Non-Voting Members

    The CFMC has three non-voting members, they are: the Southeast Regional Director of the US Fish and Wildlife Service or designee; the Commander of the Seventh Coast Guard District or designee; and a representative of the US Department of State or designee.

     

    Rear Admiral William D. Baumgartner

    Commander 7th USCG District

    (305) 415-6800

    Rear Admiral Douglas M. Schofield

    Commander 7th USCG District
    Director, Homeland Security Task Force
    Southeast Commander

    (305) 415-6800

     

    Edwin Muñiz

    Field Supervisor
    USFWS Caribbean Field Office

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    Deidre Wagner-Kramer

    Office of Marine Conservation
    Bureau of Oceans and Int’l Environmental Scientific Affairs
    US Department of State

    (202) 637-3228

    Legal Advisor

    Katherine Zamboni

    NOAA Office of Legal Counsel
    SERO

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    District Advisory Panels

     

    • District Advisory Panel - Puerto Rico (DAP/PR)

       

      Member

      Socio-Economic Sector

      Nelson Crespo (Chair)

       Aquarium Trade Fishery

      Joel González          

       Commercial Fishery

      José Chaar

       Commercial Fishery

      Edwin Javier Arroyo

       Commercial Fishery

      Carlos Velazquez

       Commercial Fishery

      Roberto Silva

       Commercial Fishery

      Gustavo Cruzado Rodríguez

       Commercial Fishery

      Genius Fernández Maya

       Commercial Fishery

      Anthony Elizo

       Commercial Fishery

       Cedric Taquin 

       Recreational Fishery

       Gary Wayne Rogers 

       Aquarium Trade Fishery

      Conservación Conciencia

       Ex-Officio Member

       Department of Natural and Environmental Resources

       Ex-Officio Member

       U.S. Coast Guard   Ex-Officio Member

       

       

       

    • District Advisory Panel - St. Croix, USVI (DAP/STX)

       

      Member

      Socio-Economic Sector

      Gerson Martínez (Chair)

       Commercial Diver

      Edward Schuster

       Commercial Fishery

      Thomas Daley

       Commercial Fishery

      Patricia Skov

       Commercial Fishery

      Mike Fuller

       Recreational Fishery

      David Gubser

       Commercial Fishery

      Marcia Taylor

       Other

      Virdin Brown   

       Other

      William J. Tobias.

       Recreational Fishery

      Michael Funk

       Commercial Fishery

      Michelle Pugh

       Diver

      Conservación Conciencia

       Ex-Officio

      PEW Charitable Trust

       Ex-Officio

      USVI Division of Fish and Wildlife, DPNR

       Ex-Officio

      U.S. Coast Guard

       Ex-Officio
    • District Advisory Panel - St. Thomas, USVI (DAP/STT)

       

      Member

       Socio-Economic Sector

      Julian Magras (Chair)  

       Commercial Fishery

      Gregory Ledee  

       Commercial Fishery

      Ruth Gomez

       Commercial Fishery

      Daryl Bryan

       Commercial Fishery

      Shirley Ledee

       Commercial Fishery

      Gilbert Mathew Laban

       Commercial Fishery

      Elizabeth Kadison

       Recreational Fishery

      Joshua Quetel

       Commercial Fishery

      Collin Butler

       Commercial Fishery

      Christy Berry

       Commercial Fishery

      Jessica Petersen

       Commercial Fishery

      Winston Ledee

       Commercial Fishery

      Conservación ConCiencia

       Ex-Officio

      DPNR

       Ex-Officio

      U.S. Coast Guard

       Ex-Officio

      PEW Charitable Trust

       Ex-Officio

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    MEMBER

    APPOINTMENT (A) 

    REAPPOINTMENT (R) DATE    

    EXPIRATION DATE
    1. Juan J Cruz-Motta    April 2024 R    April 2026
    2. Stacey Williams Designated By SEFSC Director         April 2026
    3. Tarsila Seara   April 2026
    5. Kevin McKarthy April 2024 R  April 2026
    6. Sennai Habtes April 2024 R April 2026
    7. Alida Ortiz April 2024 R April 2026
    8. Edwin Cruz-Rivera April 2024 R  April 2026




    Updated 02/15/2022

     

    Outreach and Education Advisory Panel

     

    Members

     

    Dr. Álida Ortiz Sotomayor

    Chairperson

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    Gerson Martínez

    St. Croix Fisher

     

    Andrés Maldonado Rivera

    Puerto Rico Fisher

    Ruth Gómez

    St. Thomas Fisher

     

    Adyan Ríos

    NOAA Fisheries-SEFSC

    Emily Muehlstein

    Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council

     

    Kim Iverson

    NOAA Fisheries-SEFSC

    Vilmarie Román Padró

    PR Department of Natural and Environmental Resources

     

    Jannette Ramos García

    Puerto Rico Sea Grant (contractor)

     

    Nicole Greaux (observer)

    Liaison, USVI-DFW/CFMC

    Wilson Santiago Soler (observer)

    Liaison, PR-DNER/CFMC

     
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    Scientific and Statistical Committee

    SSC Objectives and Duties

     

    Member
    Appointment (A) / Re-Appointment (R)
    Expiration
    April 2024 A
    April 2026
    April 2024 R
    April 2026
    April 2024 R
    April 2026
    April 2024 R
    April 2026
    April 2024 R
    April 2026
    Erick H. Williams
    Designated By SEFSC Director
    April 2026
    April 2024 R
    April 2026
    April 2024 R
    April 2026
    April 2024 R
    April 2026
    April 2024 R
    April 2026
    April 2024 R
    April 2026