July 3, 2024 — A Florida commercial fisherman and an Alabama charter operator are newly appointed to the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, among 22 new and returning members to the six regional U.S. Councils named by the Department of Commerce.
The new Gulf appointments “are a positive step in the right direction by maintaining a balance of interests,” according to the Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish Shareholders’ Alliance.
Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo named Juan “John” Sanchez of Florida and Troy Frady, a charter captain from Orange Beach, Ala. The appointments “are a positive step in the right direction by maintaining a balance of interests on the Gulf Council, with three of the seventeen members making a living in the commercial or charter/for-hire fisheries under the Gulf Council’s purview,” according to the alliance.
However, the group added, “we still have a long way to go before there is truly balanced representation on the Gulf Council from all fishing sectors – commercial, charter/for-hire, and private anglers.”