Sanctuary Advisory Council Members

I am currently an attorney at Black Point Maritime Law. Previously, I served as Senior Counsel for the Oceans, Fisheries, and Coast Guard Subcommittee of the Senate Commerce Committee from 2001 to 2007. In 2000, I was a Sea Grant fellow for Governor Kitzhaber of Oregon, advocating for Pacific salmon restoration and West Coast groundfish recovery. I graduated from the University of Oregon School of Law with a specialty in Ocean and Coastal Law. My legal practice focuses on regulatory and financial matters related to the commercial fishing industry. My Capitol Hill experience and fellowship were centered on marine and fisheries policy. Throughout my career, I have engaged with National Marine Sanctuary staff in various capacities, furthering my expertise in marine conservation and policy.

Capt. Alan Lee is the Owner/Operator of Mushin Sportfishing, LLC, a full-time sportfishing charter operation based out of Manasquan Inlet, NJ. He is a USCG-licensed Operator of Uninspected Passenger Vessels (OUPV). He has fished the Hudson Canyon and surrounding areas for over five decades, often logging over 80 trips annually from June to November, pursuing pelagic and bottom-dwelling fish in the offshore canyons. He represents several major fishing tackle companies, and provides education and information to the fishing public with local and national seminars, publications, radio and televised programming. He has served as a consultant and advisor to various entities on fisheries management, and currently a Technical Advisor to the US Delegation to the International Commission on the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT). He also serves on the executive board for a community-based non-profit agency, and is affiliated with several professional organizations.

As the Director of Government Affairs and Sustainability at Viking Yachts, I am privileged to lead initiatives within a company renowned for building boats tailored specifically for offshore fishing, notably in areas like the Hudson Canyon. Viking and its associated brands have a commitment to their employees, vendors, and customers to support comprehensive management and reasonable access to the marine resources and oceans. This commitment ensures that we continue building fishing boats for generations to come. Viking sees opportunities to carry out this commitment through its involvement in the Hudson Canyon marine sanctuary designation process. In my role at Viking Yachts, I serve on several advisory committees including the Highly Migratory Species Advisory Panel and the ICCAT Advisory Committee. I also work closely with industry partners such as the Sustainable Fuels Working Group with the National Marine Manufacturers Association and serve on the Advisory Board for Gray FishTag Research.

My academic background in marine biology, complemented by graduate-level coursework in marine ecology and population dynamics modeling, underpins my commitment to sustainable management that respects and values input from users. I've co-authored peer-reviewed publications focusing on innovative data collection methods and quota management, aimed at reducing discard-related mortality.

With two decades of experience in the recreational fishing sector and a broad network spanning manufacturing, media, industry leaders, retailers, and individual anglers, this history of engagement should add value during the designation process. A key function of my participation with the SAC will be to communicate with and gather input from community members on how to balance stakeholder needs while pursuing long term conservation objectives of our Nation’s marine resources.

Fishing from a young age before he could even walk, Deane spent his time pursuing Inshore species until he went on his first offshore canyon trip. Needless to say, he has been addicted ever since. He then joined the Canyon Runner Team in the Winter of 2009. Deane earned his captain's license at the age of 20 in the spring of 2010 and from 2010 to 2013 he filled the seat of 2nd Captain/1st Mate. In the spring of 2013, Deane took over as full-time captain of the 48 Canyon Runner running charters and commercial fishing. Not only does Deane have first hand fishing knowledge, he also had hours upon hours of yard work under his belt. Penning several articles in various fishing publications, guest speaker on multiple fishing podcasts he continues to speak at seminars on offshore fishing. In recent years Deane has been very successful on the tournament scene both in the cockpit and on the Helm, with 30,000 hours+ on the water all before the age of 35.

In the fall of 2021 after 9 long years as full-time captain at Canyon Runner, Deane Made a transition into his family-run insurance business, Lambros Insurance Services Inc, specializing in Marine Insurance. Deane also manages the landside operations of Canyon Runner for its Coaching membership service, a 400+ Member and Pro-staff, year round advisory service with the sole mission of making each of its members a stronger fisherman.

Will Poston is a lifelong angler and works in fisheries policy with the American Saltwater Guides Association, an organization founded on the idea of “better business through marine conservation.” Will and ASGA work to promote science-based, resource-first fisheries management strategies that provide productive fishing opportunities for the entire recreational sector and fishing-related businesses in near and long-term. Will’s interest in joining the Hudson Canyon’s Advisory Council stems from his desire to protect the wildness found in the Hudson Canyon, especially as other ocean uses are expanding, and maintain the existing sustainable fishery management authorities and opportunities for future generations.

Originally from California, Kiera grew up witnessing the magic of the Monterey National Marine Sanctuary. Upon moving to New York, she got involved with the NYC Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation where she now serves as Vice Chair. With a background in Environmental Economics, she loves building cases to protect places she loves. She led Surfrider NYC's campaign to support Hudson Canyon during the 2022 public comment period. She serves as the Tourism and Recreation member on the SAC.

Robert A. Nixon is founder and President of State House Strategies, a government affairs consulting firm in New Jersey. He also serves as Director of Government Affairs for the New Jersey State Policemen’s Benevolent Association, New Jersey’s largest law enforcement officer union. Since becoming a lobbyist in 1995, Mr. Nixon has made a name for himself as one of Trenton’s leading legislative lobbyists and strategists.

He began his career in New Jersey government in 1993 as a political consultant and legislative aide to a number of elected officials and candidates, including former State Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Bill Gormley. Prior to and since becoming a lobbyist he has managed or advised on a variety of municipal, State Senate, General Assembly and Congressional races in New Jersey.

Mr. Nixon also has served as an elected official and on several State and local Boards and Commissions. He is currently serving on the Board of Directors of the New Jersey Schools Development Authority which oversees the State’s multi-billion dollar school construction program. He was named Chairman of the Board of Directors by Governor Murphy in December of 2018 and he also serves as the Chairman of the Audit Committee of the Authority. He was also appointed by the Governor as one of the seven members of the New Jersey Personalized Handgun Authorization Commission. He serves as well as the alternate member for Recreation and Tourism on the Hudson Canyon Sanctuary Advisory Committee.

He received his undergraduate degree in Politics from Saint Joseph’s University and a Master of Governmental Administration degree from the University of Pennsylvania where he currently serves as an Adjunct Professor teaching a course on Government Relations at Penn’s Fels Institute of Government. Mr. Nixon was honored with the Faculty of the Year award at the Institute’s commencement in 2013 and 2016.

Noah Chesnin is the Director of Policy and Outreach for the New York Seascape Program, the conservation initiative of the Wildlife Conservation Society’s (WCS) New York Aquarium where he leads conservation engagement and policy advocacy efforts. He is a part of the team at WCS that prepared the proposal nominating Hudson Canyon as a National Marine Sanctuary in 2016. In addition to serving as Vice Chair and as a Conservation Member on the Sanctuary Advisory Council for the proposed National Marine Sanctuary, he is the former Chair and currently serves on the Executive Committee of the Aquarium Conservation Partnership, a consortium of 26 U.S. aquariums working collaboratively on conservation policy. Noah received his BA in humanities from Yale University and his Master of Environmental Management from the Nicholas School of the Environment at Duke University.

Carl LoBue is the New York Ocean Program’s Director for The Nature Conservancy and is based on Long Island NY. Since 2003 Carl has held several different positions in The Nature Conservancy’s New York Program focused on marine conservation and restoration. Carl and his team are focused on the ecological sustainability of estuarine, ocean, and Great Lakes fisheries, marine habitat restoration and protection, water quality, responsible offshore energy development, and other oceans issues in and beyond New York.

Carl is an active member numerous interagency expert panels and working groups striving to address marine conservation challenges in the Atlantic including Mid Atlantic Fisheries Management Council Ecosystems and Ocean Planning Advisory Panel, NYSERDA’s Offshore Wind Environmental Technical Working Group, The Responsible Offshore Science Alliance Science Advisor Committee, New York States Shellfish Restoration Taskforce, and is one of three NGO Steering Committee representatives on the Regional Wildlife Science Collaborative for Offshore Wind. Carl has worked with the commercial, recreational, and for-hire fishing fleets on cooperative research and marine policy reforms.

Prior to his tenure at The Nature Conservancy, Carl was a fishery assessment scientist and marine fishery manager for the State of New York. Carl received a B.S. in Biology and Marine Environmental Science from Stony Brook University, and an M.S. in Coastal Oceanography from Stony Brook University’s School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences. Carl has received numerous awards and citations, including the 2019 South Shore Estuary Reserve Stewardship Award for his collective efforts at restoring and protecting marine life in the reserve and the EPA’s 2017 Environmental Champion Award for work aimed at addressing Long Island’s water quality crisis.

Dr. Judith S. Weis is a Professor Emerita of Biological Sciences at Rutgers University, Newark. Her research focuses mostly on estuarine ecology and ecotoxicology, and she has published over 300 refereed scientific papers, a technical book on marine pollution, co-edited books on “Biological Invasions and Animal Behaviour,” and “PollutingTextiles,” as well books for the general public on salt marshes (Salt Marshes: a Natural and Unnatural History), fish (Do Fish Sleep?), crabs (Walking Sideways: The Remarkable World of Crabs), and marine pollution (Marine Pollution: What Everyone Needs to Know). Much of her research has been in estuaries in the NY/NJ area, but she has also done research in Indonesia and Madagascar.

She serves on the editorial board for BioScience. She was a AAAS Science Policy Fellow with the U.S Senate, and a Fulbright Senior Specialist in Indonesia. She has been on advisory committees for USEPA, NOAA, and the National Research Council, was a lead author on the UN’s World Ocean Assessment 1 and 2). She chaired the Science Advisory Board of the NJ Department of Environmental Protection, served on the governing boards of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC), the Association for Women in Science (AWIS), and the American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS), of which she was the President in 2001. In 2016, she received the Merit Award from the Society of Wetland Scientists. She is the “Champion” of the NY/NJ Harbor Estuary, having sponsored it to become a “Hope Spot” designated by the organization Mission Blue.

For over two decades, I've dedicated my career to the science and conservation sectors, with a particular focus on the recreational fishing community for more than 18 years at The Billfish Foundation (TBF). As the Director of Conservation Programs at TBF, one of my primary roles involves serving as a liaison between the billfish science, conservation, and recreational communities, working with and facilitating communication with government and management entities. My involvement extends to various advisory panels, including NOAA's Highly Migratory Species Advisory Panel (conservation seat), The International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) Appointed ICCAT Advisory Committee Members (Recreational representative), and the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission US General Advisory Committee. Additionally, I served on the board for the Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute and have contributed to other scientific conferences such as the Billfish Symposium and the American Fisheries Society.

Dr. Brugler is a Professor of Marine Biology at the University of South Carolina Beaufort where he serves as Program Coordinator for USCB's undergraduate Marine Biology Program. He is also an online lecturer for Columbia University's E3B Program, NYU's School of Professional Studies (Division of Applied Undergraduate Studies), and The City College of New York (City University of New York), and a Research Associate at the American Museum of Natural History (New York City) and the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History (Washington DC). Dr. Brugler earned a Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology at the University of Miami (Florida, 1997-2001), a Master of Science in Marine Biology at the College of Charleston’s Grice Marine Laboratory (South Carolina, 2001-2004), and a Doctor of Philosophy in Environmental and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette (2004-2011). He was a Gerstner Scholar and Postdoctoral Fellow at the American Museum of Natural History's Institute for Comparative Genomics (2011-2014) and held his first tenure-track job at NYC College of Technology in Brooklyn, NY (CUNY; 2014-2020).

Dr. Brugler's research program utilizes morphology and DNA to elucidate the evolution and diversity of mesophotic and deep-water black corals (Phylum Cnidaria). His academic mission is to change the face of marine science by specifically recruiting, inspiring, striving to retain, and promoting undergraduates and postbacs from historically excluded communities. To date, Dr. Brugler has published 48 peer-reviewed publications, two textbook chapters, and a handbook on strategies for successfully mentoring students in undergraduate research.

Growing up in a fishing family, I was exposed to commercial and recreational fishing of marine resources from a young age. This included American shad, striped bass, broadbill swordfish. sharks and everything in between. This early exposure set the course for my career in marine science which I was passionate about from childhood. My curiosity about the natural world led me to pursue a BS in Natural Resource Management from the University of Maine, followed by an MS and Ph.D. in Fisheries Biology and Science at the University of New Hampshire. I completed a postdoctoral position at the University of Maine, where I developed a research lab and teaching philosophy that earned me a faculty position at the School of Marine Sciences.

As a respected member of the highly migratory species scientific community, I have built a research lab focusing on these species' assessment and management, filling voids in our biological understanding of these species to improve their sustainability. My work involves collaboration with stakeholders and international governments around the globe. I frequently provide scientific advice and share insights at universities and organizations. My commitment to conservation and ecosystem understanding informs my teaching and research, benefiting both students, the broader public, and our marine resources.

Cortney Koenig Worrall is president and CEO of the Waterfront Alliance with national expertise in climate resilience policy, organizational development, campaign planning, community outreach, stormwater planning, and public participation processes. In her tenure she has redefined Waterfront Alliance’s strategy, leading to national and state level victories in comprehensive flood risk disclosure laws, the securing of new national clients of Waterfront Alliance’s WEDG® (Waterfront Edge Design Guidelines) program, and influencing state and city policy for climate resilience including comprehensive strategies for Flushing Corona Meadows Park in Queens, New York, one of the largest and most at-risk parks in the region. She currently serves as a member of the New York City Bureau of Coastal Resilience Expert Advisory Group, the New York City Sustainability Advisory Board, and the Hudson Canyon National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council, and is a leadership advisor to The Climate Exchange at Governors Island.

Growing up in the heart of the recreational offshore fishing community, I've lived and breathed every aspect of the sport. From working in our family's tackle store to now owning South Jersey Marina, I've docked boats, rigged baits, and participated in countless offshore events. My connection to the community runs deep, with our marina serving as the hub of sportfishing in Cape May.

Professionally, I oversee operations at South Jersey Marina, catering primarily to offshore sportfishing enthusiasts. As a second-generation marina owner, I've been immersed in this world for over 40 years. Beyond business, I've actively engaged in government advocacy, serving on advisory panels and representing recreational interests at international meetings. My commitment extends to non-profit work, including roles with the Cape May County Chamber of Commerce, Cape May Forum, and Wild Oceans. Through these experiences, I've strived to promote informed dialogue and collaborative solutions within the marine conservation community.

Stephen Lyman is a seasoned leader in the maritime industry, currently serving as the Executive Director of the Maritime Association of the Port of NY/NJ. Stephen’s career spans operational roles within the maritime sector, reflecting his dedication to making a meaningful impact, and strong background in the sector. Prior to his current position, he held the roles of Commercial Associate Director at the JOC and served as Associate Director of SCI’s International Seafarer Center, solidifying his commitment to maritime-related endeavors.

John serves as Chief Executive Officer of Bluepoint Wind, overseeing all aspects of the development of the project on behalf of the project’s sponsors, Ocean Winds and Global Infrastructure Partners. John came to Bluepoint Wind after spending 5 years at PSEG, where he led the development of PSEG’s offshore wind transmission initiatives. Prior to PSEG, John spent 8 years at Exelon.

Hendrik (Rik) van Hemmen is a Son of a Son of a Sailor and the President of Martin & Ottaway Inc., a NY area marine engineering and maritime disaster consulting company that has been in continuous operation since 1875. He left the Netherlands in 1976, and since then, for the most part, has resided in Monmouth County. He is a licensed Professional Engineer, has a degree in Aerospace and Ocean engineering from Virginia Tech and is a recognized Monmouth County historian. He lectures and publishes widely on sustainability and engineering issues.

He is very actively involved in local marine educational and environmental sustainability issues and, among many marine non-profit activities, is the President of Navesink Maritime Heritage Association. He has designed and built a wide range of boats, most recently a Solar Hybrid Electric Wheelchair Accessible Catamaran named Aberration.

Rik and his wife, Anne, have three grown children all of whom are active in marine interests and live in New Jersey. His work has taken him all over the world including far flung locations like the Galapagos Islands, American Samoa, and Dutch Harbor, Alaska where he often professionally dealt directly with environmental issues.He agrees with John Pizzarelli that of all the places he has been to, he likes New Jersey (including NYC) best.This part of the United States has always been the most innovative and continues to be so. It is exciting to be part of it.

Ron has worked in the marine field for the last 40 years where he developed, planned, and installed undersea telecommunications cables, cabled sensor systems, towed sonars, cable burial plows, ROV telemetry systems, and umbilical and tow cables. His earlier research was in the field of deep-water wave breaking and the momentum flux across the air-sea interface.

He holds a BS degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Pennsylvania State University and a Ph.D. in Ocean Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dr. Rapp is recently retired as Director of Industry and Marine Liaison at SubCom LLC in Eatontown, NJ (USA) where he managed a group of engineers, geologists and other specialists. The group focused on liaising with the global fishing community and worked to minimize impacts of telecom cables on fishing and impacts to the marine environment. He has worked extensively in the New York Bight and continental shelf including the Hudson Canyon. He was a board member of the International Cable Protection Committee (ICPC).

Dr. Rapp has published and presented in several marine forums on the topics of undersea cable breaks, undersea cable route planning and hazards, cable installation, cable maintenance, and cable protection, use of Automatic Identification System (AIS) for cable protection, impacts of global fishing to undersea cable installations, undersea sensors, law of the sea, maritime shipping laws, and cable security. At MIT he published on marine hydrodynamics, fluid mechanics, dynamics of wave breaking, and air-sea interface mixing. This work is published in Nature, Journal of Fluid Mechanics, and the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London and other journals.

Lisa Breslof taught marine science to NYC Department of Education K-8 grades and conducted professional development for teachers and principals at the American Museum of Natural History as a Museum Science Instructor and Supervising Museum Science Instructor from 1983-2009. Later on, as Collections Manager, she managed the Education Department’s 150-year-old teaching collection from 2009-2020 making it accessible to the Education Department teaching staff and the Museum’s Department of Communications before retirement in 2020. Lisa also retired as secretary in 2015 after serving 30 years on the board of the John Burroughs Association where she developed and directed annual literary awards events at AMNH. She also managed conservation and stewardship programs for its Catskill nature sanctuary, and oversaw restoration efforts for its National Historic Landmark cabin, Slabsides.

Lisa serves on committees for the New York State Marine Education Association and its annual conference and served on committees to host the 2022 National Marine Educators Association conference in New York at Hofstra University. She currently serves as board President. Lisa received the NYSMEA Kinghan Service Award in 2004 and the Science Council of New York City (SCONYC) Award for science education in 2007. She served in the Peace Corps in Chile from 1977-1979 where she developed a marine algae aquaculture program for local Chilean fisherman and community residents consisting of ocean farming of marine algae and seaweed greeting card product development. Lisa taught marine science to visiting school groups in field programs for the National Park Service – Gateway National Recreation Area Floyd Bennett Field.

As a Park Ranger for the NYC Department of Parks & Recreation she wore a park ranger uniform including the famous hat in Prospect and Marine Parks teaching woodland and estuarine nature programs including horseshoe crab awareness to local school groups. Lisa is passionate about the conservation and stewardship of our planet and its oceans and believes in providing ocean literacy education and inspiration, resources, and opportunities for everyone so as to preserve and protect the rich and resourceful world we inhabit. She received her B.S. degree in Marine Science from Stockton University and her M.S. Ed degree in Museum Leadership from Bank Street College of Education.

Chrissy Word is currently Director of Education at City Parks Foundation where she oversees the development and implementation of dynamic environmental STEM programs and internships at City Parks Learn for elementary through college students: Green Girls, Coastal Classroom, Learning Gardens and Seeds to Trees and internships. She has 20 years of experience and training in senior-level multi-program administration, promotion and development, effective and caring staff training and supervision, experiential, science-based outdoor learning and student-centered pedagogy, youth development and socio-emotional learning. As a naturalist, she most enjoys observing and studying birds, insects and all wildlife, especially from the seat of a kayak. In her role at City Parks Foundation, she proudly supports highly trained and passionate environmental science educators and uses her experience and networks to encourage them to explore and develop their own relationships with the City's scientists and advocates in order to bring real world science and conservation opportunities to CPF's students in NYC Parks.

Chris Lido was born in Ft. Lauderdale, quickly moving to the farmlands of rural Northwest Jersey. His love of the outdoors started there fishing on his beloved South Branch with his brother Joe. A Four sport athlete in high school he played division II College Football and Club/Adult Ice Hockey where he racked up the penalty minutes. Chris graduated with a BA in English Literature from Florida Atlantic University and put his degree to use writing, editing and appearing in outdoor media for outdoor news outlets, web sites, web casts and television, eventually working up to Managing Editor of the Fisherman Magazine.

Post Fisherman he consulted and worked with the New Jersey Outdoor Alliance, Shannon's Fly Tackle and New Jersey Fish and Wildlife in roles such as outreach specialist, media specialist, master naturalist and fishing guide. He enjoys hiking, geocaching, archery, hunting, fishing, hockey (Go Rangers) and spending time with his wonderful wife Tara Bogan and his daughter Parker. Chris joined the family business and currently works aboard The Gambler, a 90-foot party fishing vessel out of Point Pleasant New Jersey where Chris is a deckhand and 100-ton Master Captain.

Jim Kent has more than 30 years of experience in marketing and communications for technical and scientific organizations in the U.S. and Europe. For the last 16 years, he headed marketing and communications for Thornton Tomasetti, an engineering and applied science firm dedicated to reducing the carbon footprint of the built environment. Jim previously led communications at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, where he introduced the “Live from the Poles” web-stream series featuring research teams in the Arctic and Antarctic. He also served as director of communications for Thomson Reuters and held various marketing and investor relations roles during his 15 years with Schlumberger, the oilfield services company.

Jim started his career in newspapers, reporting for dailies and weeklies in the Northeastern U.S. His work has appeared in The Washington Post, The New York Times, Scientific American and Physics Today. Jim is co-author of the book A Moveable Shore: The Fate of the Connecticut Coast, (Duke University Press, 1991) a layman’s guide to coastline evolution related to climate change. He holds a BA degree in Earth & Environmental Sciences from Wesleyan University and an MS degree in science journalism from Columbia.

Paul Collier is a lifelong recreational saltwater fisherman with a passion for marine conservation. When he is not working, Paul can usually be found on his boat somewhere between Delaware Bay and the Mid Atlantic offshore canyons searching for fish.

Paul is currently a scientist at Incyte Corporation in Wilmington, DE where he specializes in molecular genetics. As one of the original members who launched Incyte’s drug discovery effort, Paul has been with the company for over two decades. Prior to joining Incyte, Paul held roles of increasing responsibility at the University of Pennsylvania, SmithKline Beecham, Dupont Pharmaceuticals and Bristol Myers Squibb. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology from the Johns Hopkins University and his work has appeared in many peer reviewed journals.

In addition to research, Paul is also an elected official in Lower Alloways Creek Township, NJ where he has served as mayor for the last two years. He has served as a member of the township committee for the last six years and also serves on several local, county and federal committees.

Raymond Fusco was born in Baltimore and spent much of his childhood fishing on the Chesapeake Bay. His love for the water brought him to a career as a maritime professional working in the Port of New York and New Jersey. He serves on a variety of boards supporting the safety of the shared waters of the port and working to open access for everyone across the Hudson River Estuary system. His professional career blends mission driven work from nonprofits, with policy work for city agencies and the waterfront-built environment within the Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry. Raymond is an accomplished kayaker and recreational boater.

Brynn Heller is a student at Wesleyan University, where she works for the Sustainability Office and plans to major in Environmental Studies and History. She has been a Discovery Guide Leader or Discovery Guide at the New York Aquarium or the Central Park Zoo for ten seasons. Her advocacy work promoting a Hudson Canyon National Marine Sanctuary began as her Girl Scout Gold Award project and has continued ever since. She currently serves as a Citizen at Large Alternate for the Sanctuary Advisory Council for the Proposed Hudson Canyon National Marine Sanctuary and is a member of the Education and Outreach Subcommittee.

Martin T. Scanlon was born and raised in Queens, NY and has a deep connection to the ocean. In 1975 Martin began his commercial fishing career. From clam digging on the Great South Bay to mastering swordfishing via pelagic longlining in 1985, his journey evolved. Since 1991, he's captained the F/V Provider II. An advocate for sustainable practices, Martin serves on the PLLTRT, HMSAP, and the Hudson Canyon Sanctuary Advisory Council. With a tenure on the BWFA Board since 2005 and presidency since 2017, he champions the balance between humanity and nature, rejecting their exclusion or extinction.