Dr. Jack McGovern is the recipient of the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council's 2025 Award of Excellence. The award was presented during a social held at the SC Department of Natural Resources as part of the Council’s September meeting. The recognition came as a surprise to Jack as he was surrounded by his family, friends, and colleagues representing 33 years of career service to marine research and federal fisheries management.

The Council established the Award of Excellence in 2022 to recognize those who have made substantial contributions to the science, management or sustainability of the marine resources and habitats under the Council’s jurisdiction. Nominations are accepted by Council members, advisory panel members, and members of the Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee. "This year's award recipient has been instrumental in providing quality fisheries research and management over his successful career," said Council Chair Trish Murphey. "It is an honor to present this award to Dr. Jack McGovern to recognize not only his achievements but his tireless work and mentorship to those privileged to work with him for the past three decades."

A native of Baltimore, Maryland, Jack entered the graduate program in Marine Biology at the College of Charleston in 1981, focusing on utilization of marsh habitats by fish larvae. He went on to pursue his doctorate at the College of William and Mary, graduating in 1991 and beginning a highly successful state and federal government career. In 1993, he was hired to oversee activities of the Marine Resources Monitoring Assessment and Prediction Program (MARMAP) located at the SC Department of Natural Resources Marine Research Institute. In 2003, Jack transitioned to fisheries management and was hired by NOAA Fisheries' Southeast Regional Office in St. Petersburg, Florida.

"Jack made a lasting impact on not only fisheries research but management throughout his career," said Andy Strelcheck, NOAA Fisheries Southeast Regional Administrator. "He dedicated countless months at sea each year during the late 1990s and early 2000s monitoring reef fish abundance in the South Atlantic," explained Strelcheck. "Through his work, the MARMAP program provided critical fisheries independent data to determine distribution, relative abundance, and critical habitat of economically and ecologically important fishes in South Atlantic waters off the Southeastern United States." Led by Dr. McGovern, work conducted through MARMAP supported stock assessments and his many studies of fish age, growth, and maturity helped to inform management decisions made by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council. 

With a growing family, Jack realized he needed to spend less days at sea, and transitioned to fisheries management, joining NOAA Fisheries Southeast Regional Office (SERO) in 2003. He was initially hired as a fishery management plan coordinator, drafting management plans and conducting statistical analyses in direct support of the Council and its management decisions. In 2008, Jack was promoted to SERO's South Atlantic Branch Chief, building a strong collaborative working relationship with Council staff and constituents through his calm demeanor and steady leadership style. He was also well-respected by his peers. As Branch Chief, he oversaw many substantial and highly controversial actions, including implementation of the Red Snapper rebuilding plan, and development of annual catch limits and accountability measures for all managed species.

His excellent leadership led him to be promoted again, serving as SERO's Sustainable Fisheries Assistant Regional Administrator, overseeing fisheries management work for the entire Southeast Region, including the South Atlantic, Caribbean, and Gulf Councils. In this role, he helped develop and support innovative new management strategies, such as Gulf state management and exempted fishing permits for reducing Red Snapper discards in the South Atlantic. He retired from the agency in 2024.

"Jack's accomplishments are unique and noteworthy because they spanned a long and illustrious career marked by tremendous humility, generosity, and kindness," explained Strelchek. "He tirelessly worked in support of fisheries management, dedicating significant time at sea and later working long hours, often on weekends or at night, in support of fisheries management actions. His early research was informative and positively impacted management decisions," explained Strelcheck. "His work later in his career provided direct benefits to the conservation and recovery of many key snapper-grouper stocks."

"Most importantly, Jack left a lasting legacy as a colleague who everyone wanted to work with. He was kind-hearted, steady, calm, and whitty," said Strelcheck. During the presentation, Jack was also acknowledged for his work helping others when the Tampa Bay community was devastated by two back-to-back hurricanes in 2024. "He was the first to show up and help clean out flooded homes and ensure his workforce was safe and supported throughout the period of recovery."