Rachel Baker with Chairman Dan Hull
The Council recognized two long-time NMFS participants in the Council process. Farron Wallace is retiring from the SSC, where he has been a member since 2003, including Chair of the SSC for the last three years. Mr. Wallace has led the SSC through some difficult scientific issues and has provided expertise to the SSC on issues ranging from the Observer Program to stock assessments. He will be continuing his work at NMFS on electronic monitoring research and innovation. Rachel Baker has been working in the Council process since 2003, first with the ADFG extended jurisdiction division, and since 2008 with NMFS Sustainable Fisheries. At NMFS, she has been staff expert on allocation management actions, especially for halibut issues including the IFQ program, Charter management, the IPHC process, and most recently the halibut abundance-based management initiative. She is moving to NMFS headquarters, where she will be taking over the Sustainable Fisheries Management and Coordination branch that leads national-level efforts on a range of allocation policies and other management issues. The Council presented both Mr. Wallace and Ms. Baker with plaques thanking them for their service and dedication to the conservation and management of fisheries in the North Pacific.
