David Witherell, who has served as executive director of the North Pacific Fishery Management Council since June 2017, will retire at the end of October, the council announced.
Witherell said that his 33 years with the council have been an honor and a privilege that he is grateful to have been part of.
His retirement comes as the council is facing federal budget challenges, as well as increasing issues related to managing fisheries during complex climate changes. The council will be working over the next two months to choose a successor.
Witherell joined the council in 1992 from Massachusetts, where he was serving as a resource assessment biologist with that state's Division of Marine Fisheries. He was hired by then council Executive Director Clarence Pautzke to serve as the Gulf of Alaska groundfish plan coordinator and spent the next decade as an analyst working on plan and regulatory amendments covering bycatch reduction, habitat conservation, Steller sea lion protection, and ecosystem-based management issues.
At the same time, he also served as a plan coordinator for the Bering Sea-Aleutian Islands groundfish, crab, and scallop fishery management plans and as staff to the council's ecosystem committee, Steller sea lion mitigation committee, essential fish habitat, and other committees.
In 2002, Witherell was promoted to deputy director. He provided day-to-day supervision of staff, reviewed analytical documents, and coordinated agendas and schedules with the council's scientific and statistic committee, advisory panel, and council leadership and National Marine Fisheries Service staff. On a national level, he assisted in planning and implementation of the first two Managing Our Nation's Fisheries conferences and served as editor for the proceedings.
In June 2017, Witherell became executive director of the council, filling the vacancy left when Chris Oliver left to become assistant administrator for NOAA Fisheries. He has overseen all operations of the council, including all associated fishery management, fiscal, and administrative duties. He also oversaw changes in council operations during the COVID-19 pandemic and served as staff for the council's executive/finance and legislative committees.
During his career Witherell published over 20 peer reviewed scientific articles and dozens of informational summaries and brochures to assist the public in understanding the overall status of North Pacific fisheries and the council's management programs.
"The North Pacific Council has been fortunate to have David serve as its executive director, where he provided excellent leadership for staff, and for our region in national level discussions, said Angel Drobnica, council chair. "His depth of knowledge and experience has been invaluable in addressing the various and unprecedented challenges faced by the council."
