blog - NCCATCH

These people make decisions about your seafood

When it comes to harvesting local seafood in North Carolina, who can fish, where they can fish and when is decided by the N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission, and the governor has just appointed three new members to the rulemaking body.

Commercial fisher Ana Shellem, harvester of wild shellfish in southeastern North Carolina and an NC Catch board member, fills one of three commercial fishing seats on the commission. The owner of Shell’em Seafood Company hand-harvests and delivers clams, oysters and mussels to restaurants and some markets throughout North Carolina. Shellem is based in Wrightsville Beach.

The panel's science seat went to Doug Rader, a Raleigh-based senior science advisor for the Environmental Defense Fund. Rader advises the EDF leadership on policies and programs affecting oceans. He was previously the Environmental Defense Fund's chief oceans scientist and associate vice president.

One of two at-large seats went to attorney Donald G. Huggins, Jr. of Wendell. Based in Cary, Huggins works as legal counsel SAS. He has also worked as an associate attorney at Hairston Lane P.A. where he represented clients in various legal matters, including civil rights, contract disputes, debt collection, personal injury and employment law.

New members will be sworn in on Aug. 17, in time for the commission's next meetings Aug. 17 and 18 in Jacksonville.

The nine-member Marine Fisheries Commission also includes three representatives from the recreational fishing sector. The board's composition is dictated by state law.