Coastal Conservation Association (CCA)

Conservationists Applaud White House Appointment
ICCAT Appointment Bodes Well for Global Fisheries

Washington, DC – President George W. Bush has reappointed Robert Hayes to represent sport fishermen as a Commissioner of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT). As the now two-term recreational commissioner on ICCAT, Hayes has provided much-needed insight and experience in the contentious world of international fisheries management, and last year guided negotiations that achieved a landmark ban on shark finning in the Atlantic.

“There are not many people more qualified than Bob Hayes to navigate the intricacies of international fisheries. This is a great move by the Administration to reappoint him to this important position,” said Fred Miller, CCA National Government Relations Committee Chairman. “ICCAT, recreational anglers and our global marine resources especially will benefit from Bob’s continued leadership.”

ICCAT is a United Nations chartered fishery organization responsible for the conservation of such recreationally and commercially important species as tuna, swordfish and marlin in the Atlantic Ocean and adjacent seas. The organization was established by treaty in 1969 and is the only organization that can undertake the range of work required for the study and management of tunas and other key migratory species in the Atlantic. ICCAT’s list of 65 member nations includes the United States, Japan, Russia, China and the European Union.

“It is virtually impossible to manage many of our offshore species without looking at the stocks globally, and Bob’s leadership position with ICCAT gives us the ability to do that,” said Pat Murray, CCA Vice President and Director of Conservation.

Hayes continues to bring a wealth of experience to the global fisheries management arena. As a partner with Ball Janik in Washington, D.C. he focused on international trade, energy and natural resources. He served at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration as Staff Attorney and Southeast Regional Counsel from 1976 to 1979, then at the National Marine Fisheries Service from 1979 to 1984 as Deputy Assistant Counsel for Fisheries and as Director of the Office of Industry Services. Hayes currently serves as general counsel for Coastal Conservation Association and the American Sportfishing Association.

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