Press Release  Marine Fisheries Advisory Commission Elects Dr. Shelley Edmundson as Chair

TISBURY — The Marine Fisheries Advisory Commission (MFAC) voted yesterday to elect Dr. Shelley Edmundson of West Tisbury as their new Chair during their May business meeting. As Chair of the MFAC, Edmundson will lead the nine-member group in advising the Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) on marine fishery issues and approving proposed commercial and recreational fishery regulatory changes. 

Dr. Shelley Edmundson has been a member of the MFAC since 2020 and has extensive experience in fishery research, management, and working closely with the fishing industry. She is the Executive Director of the Martha’s Vineyard Fishermen’s Preservation Trust—an organization that strives to support the sustainability and stability of local fisheries. Edmundson holds a Ph.D. in Zoology and Marine Biology from the University of New Hampshire, where she researched channeled whelk, a species that supports one of the Vineyard’s largest commercial fisheries, in close collaboration with local fishermen. Shelley’s love of marine biology, Martha’s Vineyard, and the commercial fishing community began in her youth exploring the island’s shores and fishing off her grandfather’s boat, the Seabird. This passion continues to drive her work today with the Martha’s Vineyard Fishermen’s Preservation Trust and the Marine Fisheries Advisory Commission. 

The Marine Fisheries Advisory Commission (MFAC) was first formed in 1960 as a group of industry leaders appointed by the Governor and tasked with advising the state on marine fishery issues. In recognition of the group’s value, it was soon formally established as a permanent entity in 1962 and has since assisted DMF in more than 60 years of fishery management in Massachusetts.  

Edmundson succeeds the longstanding MFAC Chair, Raymond Kane, who has been chair for 10 years and a member of the MFAC since 2011. With more than four decades of experience in marine fisheries, Kane’s perspective and expertise have been invaluable to the MFAC. Kane is the outreach coordinator of the Cape Cod Commercial Fishermen’s Alliance, the Massachusetts Governor’s Appointee for the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, and former commercial fisherman. As Chair, Kane oversaw the appointment of Dan McKiernan as Director of DMF, and he will continue to serve on the MFAC and represent the interests of small-scale commercial fishing businesses. 

“Shelley Edmundson’s unique perspective as a member of the Martha’s Vineyard community, a close collaborator with the fishing industry, and an experienced marine scientist equips her with an understanding of the issues facing the marine fishing industry today necessary to serve as MFAC Chair,” said DFG Commissioner Tom O’Shea. “We are excited to see Shelley take on this new role and grateful to Raymond Kane for his decade of leadership and service.”  

“Shelley’s experience in promoting waterfront issues on the Vineyard along with her science background will make her an extremely effective leader of the Commission,” said DMF Director Daniel McKiernan.   

“I am honored to serve as Chair of the Massachusetts Marine Fisheries Advisory Commission, and I am thankful for this opportunity. Marine fisheries play a vital role in both the culture and economy of our state, and I look forward to continuing to work collaboratively to protect and strengthen these resources for future generations,” said Shelley Edmundson, the newly appointed Chair of the MFAC and Executive Director of Martha's Vineyard Fishermen's Preservation Trust.  

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