- Division of Marine Fisheries
Longtime marine biologist and fishery manager Daniel J. McKiernan was appointed Director by Commissioner Ronald Amidon on May 21. Commissioner Amidon’s nomination of McKiernan was approved by the Massachusetts Marine Fisheries Advisory Commission, the Governor-appointed citizens board that advises the Director and oversees DMF’s regulations governing fishing. McKiernan had served as the Division’s Acting Director since November and succeeds former Director Dr. David E. Pierce, who retired last fall.
McKiernan is well-known to the fishing and seafood industries—as well as the conservation community—for his 35 years of work for DMF. He is a graduate of UMASS-Dartmouth and earned a M.S. degree in fisheries biology from Auburn University. He began his professional career as a field biologist for DMF in 1985, working closely with the commercial lobster fishery as a sea-sampler monitoring catches and conducting research on lobster biology. Since 2003 he has served as the agency’s Deputy Director, gaining valuable managerial experience. McKiernan is practiced in the arenas of federal and interstate fisheries management. As a long-standing representative to the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, he has chaired numerous species management boards (including lobster at present) and was recognized for his management efforts with an award of excellence in 2018. He is also the Chair of the ongoing Massachusetts Shellfish Initiative, a multi-agency and stakeholder effort to develop a strategic plan for Massachusetts shellfish fisheries.
McKiernan has worked tirelessly as a proponent for the co-existence of recreational and commercial fisheries as well as the protection of endangered and threatened species. His advocacy for the seafood industry is well recognized by the public and he will continue to support the fishing community through these challenging times. “Dan McKiernan has the experience, dedication, and knowledge to lead the Division of Marine Fisheries,” said Department of Fish and Game Commissioner Ron Amidon. “I am pleased he will continue to serve a leadership role in executing the Baker-Polito Administration’s commitment to supporting our seafood industry and recreational fishing sector while maintaining the sustainability of Massachusetts’ incredible marine resources.”
According to McKiernan, “I am thrilled and humbled to take the helm of DMF that is renowned for its amazing professionals and history of great fisheries management and conservation. The ongoing pandemic presents unprecedented challenges to both the agency and the stakeholders who depend on the resources.” McKiernan credited his former DMF directors David Pierce, Paul Diodati, and Philip Coates who all mentored him during his career and were collectively responsible for the roster of talented professionals at DMF that he has inherited.
McKiernan also thanked the Marine Fisheries Advisory Commission for their endorsement and their unpaid dedication to the agency and the marine resources. He noted that the first report of the Commission in 1961 discussed the need for compromise among user groups and that is as relevant today as it was 60 years ago. “This agency deals with an amazing array of issues and we strive to balance the needs and interests of all our users and the fish and shellfish that support them,” he said.
