The New England Fishermen’s Stewardship Association (NEFSA) has announced two new leadership appointments aimed at strengthening its policy and advocacy work on behalf of fishermen and coastal communities.

Bonnie Brady has been named NEFSA’s new policy director, while Capt. Jason Joyce will serve as director of advocacy. According to NEFSA, both appointments bring decades of hands-on industry experience and advocacy leadership at a time when fishermen are navigating complex regulatory, environmental, and offshore wind development challenges.

Brady has served as the executive director of the Long Island Commercial Fishing Association since its founding in 2001, working to educate policymakers and the public about the value and realities of commercial fishing. She serves on advisory panels under both the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council and the New England Fishery Management Council and is a founding board member of the Responsible Offshore Development Alliance. Brady was also recognized as National Fisherman Highliner of the year in 2020. 

Joyce, an eighth-generation Swan’s Island, Maine, fisherman, brings more than 40 years on the water, primarily in the lobster fishery. A longtime community leader, he serves as a town selectman and on multiple lobster advisory bodies. After stepping down from the Maine Lobstermen’s Association board in Nov. 2025, Joyce said his new role at NEFSA reflects a commitment to ensuring future generations of fishermen retain sustainable opportunities and a strong voice in policy decisions.

NEFSA said the additions reinforce its mission to advocate fair fisheries policies and protect the working waterfronts that support domestic seafood and coastal economies.