News  Malcolm Haith Appointed to Fisheries and Wildlife Board

Malcolm Haith, of Boxford, has been appointed by Governor Maura Healey to the Massachusetts Fisheries and Wildlife Board. The seven-member Fisheries and Wildlife Board has oversight of the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife) and is the state’s adopting authority for regulations relating to hunting and fishing, endangered species, and other fish- and wildlife-related issues. Haith will represent the Northeast Wildlife District, replacing Bob Durand of Marlborough. A corporate and executive security professional throughout his career, Haith is currently the founder and CEO of an executive protection services firm based in Boxford.

“I am pleased and honored to be appointed to the Fisheries and Wildlife Board,” said Malcolm Haith. “I am passionate about conserving both open land and biodiversity in Massachusetts and encouraging as many people as possible—of all ages, races, and ethnicities—to participate in all the outdoor opportunities the Commonwealth has to offer. I look forward to contributing in a thoughtful and meaningful way.”

Haith brings a lifetime of rich outdoor experiences to his work on the Board, beginning with state-sponsored fishing events for kids during his early childhood in Connecticut and during family trips to his grandfather’s farm in North Carolina. There he learned about the importance of nature as a source of food as well as of recreational opportunities. While a student at Northeastern University, he used MassWildlife’s maps and guides to explore fishing areas throughout the state and he expanded his outdoor interests after college to include hunting deer, waterfowl, upland birds, and big game, in New England and in North Carolina. After being introduced to the conservation benefits and joys of working with well-trained bird dogs, Haith became an avid hunting dog trainer and competitor and currently has two Field Champion Labrador Retrievers in the American Kennel Club (AKC) Retriever Field Trials.

“Malcolm Haith has many years of experience hunting and fishing and is a leader in the hunting community both within Massachusetts and nationally, particularly his involvement with the American Kennel Club field trials. As a Board member, he will be a great champion of outdoor recreation for all, MassWildlife's recruitment, retention, and reactivation program for hunters and anglers, and will bring a diversity of perspectives to the agency’s important conservation work,” said Department of Fish and Game Commissioner Tom O’Shea. “We are very happy to have his commitment to land protection, biodiversity, and outdoor recreation for all Massachusetts residents and future generations. I also want to thank outgoing Board member Bob Durand, whose dedication and accomplishments in the field of natural resource protection and sporting interests are well known and greatly appreciated by all in the Massachusetts conservation community.”

Malcolm’s personal passion for retriever sports led him to contribute his leadership, organizational, and mentoring skills to AKC licensed Retriever Field Trials, acting as a volunteer, an Event Judge (8-point), and a competitor in licensed Field Trial Events across the country. In 2021, he founded the non-profit Black Duck Field Trial Retriever Club (Black Duck FTRC), currently the only field trial club based in Massachusetts. The club held its first event in 2022 with the help and support of MassWildlife’s Northeast District Manager Pat Huckery, DCR’s Peter Luongo, and private landowners in Essex County.

“We are very pleased to welcome Malcolm Haith to the Fisheries and Wildlife Board,” said MassWildlife Director Mark S. Tisa. “His lifelong commitment to wildlife conservation and passion for expanding outdoor recreation opportunities for all will be a great asset to the wildlife and people of the Commonwealth.”

In addition to serving as the President of Black Duck FTRC, Haith’s many affiliations include membership in the National Amateur Retriever Club (NARC) and the National Retriever Club (NRC). He is a past member of the Ducks Unlimited Ipswich River Chapter, the Massachusetts Rifle Association, the Minute Man Sportsman’s Club, and the Reading Rifle and Revolver Club. With his Labrador Retrievers, Poncho and Clipper, Haith has qualified for eight National Championships, run in seven (the eighth canceled in 2021 for COVID), and was a Finalist with Poncho in 2022. Malcolm makes his home in Boxford with his wife Barbara of 26 years who is originally from Turners Falls.