News  New members appointed to Fisheries and Wildlife Board

Governor Charlie Baker has appointed four new members to the Fisheries and Wildlife Board, the citizen-board that oversees the management and operations of the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife). The new members are Sasha Dyer of Barre, Emma Ellsworth of Orange, John Organ of Buckland, and Matthew Sisk of Braintree. Department of Fish and Game Commissioner Ron Amidon announced the Governor’s appointments and introduced the new members at the Board’s July monthly business meeting. “All four citizens joining the Fisheries and Wildlife Board are lifelong outdoors-people and conservationists,” the Commissioner said, “and I and MassWildlife Director Mark Tisa look forward to working with the new members and the entire Board to continue to advance the conservation and management of fish, wildlife, and habitat in the Commonwealth.” The new members join current members Bob Durand of Marlborough, Ernest Foster of Scituate, and Stephen Sears of Dalton.

The departing members are Bonnie Booth of Spencer, the Board’s Secretary for the past five years and a member for 13 years; Dr. Joseph Larson of Pelham, who had served for 22 years, for the past five as Chair; Michael Roche of Orange, who had served on the Board for 35 years, including as Secretary and as Vice Chair; and Dr. Brandi Van Roo of Douglas, who served on the Board for 17 years. “The four outgoing Fisheries and Wildlife Board members have worked very hard over the years on a wide variety of issues, from numerous regulatory reviews and amendments to the agency’s finances to MassWildlife’s engagement with its longtime constituents and the citizens of Massachusetts at large. We are a stronger, more professional agency because of their tireless service, and we salute their individual and collective accomplishments on MassWildlife’s behalf as we enter the next chapter,” said MassWildlife Director Mark S. Tisa.

The Fisheries and Wildlife Board is responsible for supervising and directing the work of the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife. The Board's mandate is to protect and manage the wildlife of the Commonwealth as an essential public natural resource for the use and enjoyment of all people. This includes all mammals, birds, and freshwater fish, plus insects, invertebrates and plants that are listed under state and federal regulations as rare, endangered, threatened, or of special concern—over 400 species in total. The Board has the authority to make regulations, set policy, oversee personnel appointments, and make decisions concerning the acquisition and protection of land and water for wildlife. The 7-member Board serves without compensation, meets monthly, and holds public hearings as part of the regulatory process; its meetings are open to the public.