- Division of Marine Fisheries
The Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) Director Daniel McKiernan was elected Chair of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission in October. In this two-year termed position, he will lead the ASMFC in management efforts, collaborating across states to tackle adapting to changes in species distribution and availability, recreational catch estimate recalibration, and fisheries research funding, among numerous other issues. Additionally, in September, DMF Policy Analyst Melanie Griffin was elected Vice-Chair of the New England Fishery Management Council.
In December, the Department of Fish and Game celebrated the recipients of its annual Performance Recognition Program awards, which salute the outstanding contributions of agency staff in delivering services to the public. Members of DMF’s permitting team—Story Reed, Kerry Allard, Lynne Besse, George Davis, Matthew Duggan, Vicki Oliveira, and Luke Putaansuu—were acknowledged with a Group Award for their hard work contributing to the transition of the MassFishHunt permitting system to an updated online platform.
George Davis and Matthew McLaughlin were singled out for Individual Awards as well. George was recognized for his exceptional work in DMF’s Gloucester permitting office, assisting fishers with their permitting questions at the front desk with a friendly and approachable demeanor. Matt was recognized for his diligence, positivity, and radiant enthusiasm as a crucial part of DMF’s Statistic Program.
