National fisheries expert joins Environmental Defense Fund
August 15, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Laura Williamson, Environmental Defense Fund, 512.691.3447-w or 512.828.1690-c or lwilliamson@edf.org
(Austin, TX – Aug. 15, 2008) Dave McKinney has joined Environmental Defense Fund as the Senior Conservation Manager for the Gulf of Mexico region.
He will help lead efforts to advance incentive-based fisheries management in the commercial and recreational fishing sectors in the Gulf of Mexico.
McKinney has nearly 30 years of experience in the governance of state and federal fisheries. For the past decade he has worked for the National Marine Fisheries Service’s Office of Law Enforcement in the Southeast Region focusing exclusively on the management and monitoring of the Gulf of Mexico federal fisheries. His first exposure to catch share management came when he was tapped by the Office of Law Enforcement as a special agent in Alaska to design the enforcement component of the incentive-based halibut and sablefish fishery management plan.
He was recently appointed by Texas Governor Rick Perry to represent Texas on the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission. He also serves on several advisory panels for the Gulf of Mexico Fisheries Management Council.
McKinney was awarded the 2007 U.S. Department of Commerce Silver Medal for Leadership in the development and implementation of the red snapper catch share program in the Gulf of Mexico and the 2007 U.S. Coast Guard 9-11 Ribbon for civilians assigned to counter-terrorist operations in response to the attacks.