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Structure of the Commission

IPHC Structure

The Commission, including its Subsidiary Bodies, are supported by an Executive Director and Secretariat staff.

Contracting Parties

The IPHC currently consists of six members, three appointed by each Contracting Party (the Governor General of Canada and the President of the United States of America), who serve their terms at the pleasure of the Contracting Party. In recent years, one Commissioner from each Contracting Party has been an employee of the federal fisheries agency, one a fisher, and one either a buyer or a processor involved in the fishery.

Subsidiary bodies

Pursuant to Rule 14.1 of the IPHC Rules of Procedure (2021), the Commission has established the Boards and Committee listed below. The Rules of Procedure for the subsidiary bodies are contained within the IPHC Rules of Procedure.

Links to reports and documents from subsidiary body meetings can be found by visiting our Meetings Page or our Document Library.

Management Strategy Advisory Board (MSAB)
The MSAB is a panel formed of harvesters, fisheries managers, processors, Staff, Commissioners, science advisors, and academics created in 2013 to oversee and advise the Staff on the IPHC's Management Strategy Evaluation (MSE). MSE is an ongoing process to define fishery objectives, articulate and examine management procedures, and define performance measures in order to recommend fishery management measures for Commission consideration. The Rules of Procedure for this subsidiary body are contained within the IPHC Rules of Procedure.
MSAB Officers
Adam Keizer Co-Chairperson Canada	Pete Hulson Co-Chairperson U.S.A.
MSAB Members
Chuck Ashcroft Recreational Canada	Karla Bush NPFMC U.S.A.	Forrest Braden Recreational U.S.A.	Angel Drobnica Processing U.S.A.
Angus Grout Commercial Canada	Dan Falvey Commercial U.S.A.	Heather Hall PFMC U.S.A.	Robert Hauknes Commercial Canada
Ann-Marie Huang Science Advisor Canada	Kurt Iverson NOAA-Fisheries U.S.A.	James Johnson Deep Sea Fisherman's Union of the Pacific U.S.A.	Jim Lane First Nations Canada
Tom Marking Recreational U.S.A.	Scott Mazzone Treaty Tribes U.S.A.	Per Odegaard Commercial U.S.A.	Peggy Parker Processing U.S.A.
Chris Sporer Commercial Canada	Sarah Webster ADF&G Sport U.S.A.

Scientific Review Board (SRB)
The SRB, a small group of fisheries science experts, provides an independent scientific review of Commission science products and programs, and supports and strengthens the stock assessment process. The SRB was organized in its current configuration in 2013, continuing a tradition of incorporating outside input to IPHC science dating to the 1920s (see IPHC-1931-SR001). The Rules of Procedure for this subsidiary body are contained within the IPHC Rules of Procedure.
SRB Members
Dr. Sean Cox Simon Fraser University Canada	Dr. Kim Scribner Michigan State Univ. U.S.A. Photo courtesy of MSU	Dr. Olaf Jensen University of Wisconsin-Madison U.S.A.	Dr. Anna Kuparinen University of Jyväskylä Finland

Research Advisory Board (RAB)
The RAB, which formed in 1999, consists of both fishers and processors who offer suggestions to the Executive Director and staff on where Commission research should focus. RAB generally meets in February, after the IPHC Annual Meeting, and its input is factored into the IPHC research planning process. The Rules of Procedure for this subsidiary body are contained within the IPHC Rules of Procedure.
RAB Officers
Dr. David T. Wilson Chairperson IPHC Executive Director	Dr. Josep Planas Vice-Chairperson IPHC Secretariat
RAB Members
Grace Allen Commercial U.S.A.	Kevin Bennett Commercial U.S.A.	Tiare Boyes Commercial Canada	Steve Daniels Commercial U.S.A.
Lando Echevario Commercial U.S.A.	Angus Grout Commercial Canada	Jim Hubbard Commercial U.S.A.	Scott Mazzone Treaty Tribes U.S.A.
Shawn McManus Commercial U.S.A.	Al Pazar FISS Contractor U.S.A.	Stephen Rhoads Commercial U.S.A.	Brian Ritchie Recreational U.S.A.
Alex Rodriguez Commercial U.S.A.	Lauren Wild Academia U.S.A.

Conference Board (CB)
The CB is a panel representing Canadian and American commercial and sport halibut fishers. Created in 1931 by the Commission, the Board gives the IPHC the fishers' perspective on Commission proposals presented at Annual Meetings in January. Members are designated by union and vessel owner organizations from both nations. The Rules of Procedure for this subsidiary body are contained within the IPHC Rules of Procedure.
CB Officers
Jim Lane First Nations Canada	Linda Behnken Commercial U.S.A.
CB Members - Canada
Terry Henshaw Annieville Halibut Association (AHA) Canada	Christa Rusel A-Tlegay Fisheries Society (AFS) Canada	Bruce Turris BC Commercial Integrated Groundfish Society (CIGS) Canada	Lorne Iverson BC Halibut Longline Fisherman’s Assoc. (BHLF) Canada
Robert Hauknes BC Northern Trollers Association (NTA) Canada	Tiare Boyes BC Tuna Fishermen's Association (TFA) Canada	Ted Brookman BC Wildlife Federation Canada	Tom Russel Canadian Sablefish Association (CSA) Canada
Shawn Cowpar Council of the Haida Nation (CHN) Canada	Darryl Tate Dididaht First Nation (DFN) Canada	David Boyes Halibut Advisory Board (HAB) Canada	Ken Wing Hook and Line Groundfish Association (HLGA) Canada
Nicole Frederickson Island Marine Aquatic Working Group Canada	Alan Carl Northern Halibut Producers Association (NHPA) Canada	Cliff Atleo Nuu-Chah-Nulth Tribal Council (NTC) Canada	Quinton Sample Pacific Coast Fishing Vessel Owners Guild (PCFVOG) Canada
Chris Sporer Pacific Halibut Management Association of BC (PHMA) Canada	Gerry Kristianson Sport Fishing Advisory Board - Main (SFABM) Canada	Mike Fowler Sport Fishing Advisory Board - North (SFABN) Canada	Chuck Ashcroft Sport Fishing Advisory Board - South (SFABS) Canada
Angus Grout Steveston Halibut Association (SHA) Canada	Owen Bird Sport Fishing Institute of BC (SFI) Canada	Cristopher Bos South Vancouver Island Anglers Coalition (SVIAC) Canada	Russell Cameron The United Fishermen And Allied Workers' Union – Unifor (UFAWU/UNIFOR) Canada
Lyle Pierce Vancouver Island Longline Assoc. Canada	Deryk Krefting West Coast Fishing Guides Association (WCFGA) Canada
CB Members - USA
Layton Lockett Adak Community Development Corporation U.S.A.	Garrett Lambert Alaska Charter Association (ACA) U.S.A.	Dan Falvey Alaska Longline Fisherman's Association U.S.A.	Rebecca Skinner Alaska Whitefish Trawlers Association (AWTA) U.S.A.
Angel Drobnica Aleutian Pribilof Island CDA U.S.A.	Myron Melovidov Aleut Coorporation of Saint Paul Island (ACSPI) U.S.A.	Leonard Herzog Area 4 Concerned Harvesters U.S.A.	Steve Ricci Bristol Bay Economic Development Corporation (BBEDC) U.S.A.
Duncan Fields Cape Barnabas, Inc U.S.A.	Brian Richie CATCH Association (CA) U.S.A.	Ray Melovidov Central Bering Sea Fishermen's Association U.S.A.	Dave Croonquist Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) U.S.A.
Joel Kawahara Coastal Trollers Association (CTA) U.S.A.	Paul Wilkins Coastal Villages Region Fund (CVRF) U.S.A.	Marc Carrel Cordova District Fishermen United U.S.A.	John Bruce Deep Sea Fishermen’s Union of the Pacific (DSFU) U.S.A.
Michael Offerman Edmonds Veteran Independent Longliners (EVL) U.S.A.	Per Odegaard Fishing Vessel Owners Assoc. (FVOA) U.S.A.	Chad See Freezer Longliner Coalition U.S.A.	Kevin Burchfield Juneau Charterboat Association (JCBA) U.S.A.
Tom Gemmell Halibut Coalition Inc. U.S.A.	Daniel Donich Homer Charter Association U.S.A.	Mary Marking Humbolt Area Saltwater Anglers (HASA) U.S.A.	Kiril Basargin K Bay Fishermen Association U.S.A.
Linda Kozak Kodiak Vessel Owners Association (KVOA) U.S.A.	Jim Hubbard Kruzof Fisheries (KRUZOF) U.S.A.	Garrett Elwood Next Generation Fishermens Association (NGFA) U.S.A.	Malcolm Milne North Pacific Fisheries Association U.S.A.
Megan O'Neil Petersburg Vessel Owners Association U.S.A.	Jim Martin Recreational Fishing Alliance - National U.S.A.	Tom Marking Recreational Fishing Alliance - California U.S.A.	Paul Clampitt Sablefish and Halibut Pot Association (SHPA) U.S.A.
James Carter Hughes Seafood Producers Coop (SPC) U.S.A.	Kathy Hansen SE Alaska Fishermen's Alliance U.S.A.	Phillip Wyman Sitka Halibut & Black Cod Marketing Association U.S.A.	Forrest Braden Southeast Alaska Guides (SEAGO) U.S.A.
Jeff Kauffman St. Paul Fishermen's Association U.S.A.	Simeon Swetzof JR. Tribal Government of St. Paul U.S.A.	Jeff Stephan United Fishermen's Marketing Association (UFMA) U.S.A.	Landry Price Yukon Delta Fisheries Association U.S.A.

Processor Advisory Board (PAB)
The PAB, as the name suggests, represents halibut processors. Like the Conference Board, PAB lends its opinion regarding Commission proposals and offers recommendations at IPHC Annual Meetings. The group was formed in 1996. The Rules of Procedure for this subsidiary body are contained within the IPHC Rules of Procedure.
PAB Officers
Jessica Keplinger Chairperson U.S.A.	Carl Nordmann Vice-Chairperson Canada
PAB Members
Canada
Nick Heras Canada	Casey Sugden Canada	Bruce Hale Canada	Carl Nordmann Canada
U.S.A.
Heather McCarty U.S.A.	Jessie Keplinger U.S.A.	Miles Smith U.S.A.	Tim James Hank Baumgart U.S.A.
William Sullivan U.S.A.	Tyler Goodnight U.S.A.	John Woodruff Don Spigelmyre U.S.A.	Norm Pillen U.S.A.
Steven K. Minor U.S.A.	Christopher (Kit) Durnil U.S.A.	David Brindle U.S.A.	Mark Callahan U.S.A.

Finance and Administration Committee (FAC)
The Finance and Administration Committee (FAC) is comprised of Commissioners appointed to the task. Its duties are to advise the Commission on such matters of an administrative and financial character as are remitted to it by the Commission, including annually examining the operating budget for the current year and the draft budgets for the ensuing and following years. In addition, the FAC may draw to the attention of the Commission any matter of an administrative or financial character. The Rules of Procedure for this subsidiary body are contained within the IPHC Rules of Procedure.

Agencies

To be developed.

Observers and the general public

The Commission and its subsidiary bodies are generally open to Observers and the general public unless the Commission specifically decides otherwise.

The Commission may, upon their request, invite the following Observers in their official capacity:

Any State or any other entity that has jurisdiction over waters adjacent to the Convention Area;
Other States with an interest in the work of the Commission that are not Contracting Parties of the Commission, invited by the Commission;
Other regional fisheries management organisations and other relevant governmental or intergovernmental organisations, invited by the Commission;
Non-governmental organisations having special competence in the field of activity of the Commission, to attend such of its meetings as the Commission may specify.

Any Observer to a meeting of the Commission, or of the general public, may submit memoranda as either Regulatory Proposals, Position Statements or Information Papers, no later than 30 days prior to the commencement of the session.

Observers and the general public may participate in the deliberations of the Commission and its subsidiary bodies during the Observer and public testimony periods, but shall not be entitled to participate in the taking of decisions.

The Commission may enter into agreements or arrangements with other inter-governmental organisations and institutions, especially those active in the fisheries sector, which might contribute to the work and further the objectives of the Commission. Such agreements or arrangements may provide that these organisations or institutions may be represented as Observers in the Sessions of the Commission.

IPHC Structure

Contracting Parties

Subsidiary bodies

Management Strategy Advisory Board (MSAB)

MSAB Officers

MSAB Members

Scientific Review Board (SRB)

SRB Members

Research Advisory Board (RAB)

RAB Officers

RAB Members

Conference Board (CB)

CB Officers

CB Members - Canada

CB Members - USA

Processor Advisory Board (PAB)

PAB Officers

PAB Members

Finance and Administration Committee (FAC)

Agencies

Observers and the general public