Sonja Fordham Council’s 2004 Fishery Achievement Award Winner

Sonja Fordham received the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s 2004 Fisheries Achievement Award at the Council’s meeting in Claymont, DE on December 8. She is flanked by Dan Furlong, Executive Director and Robert Pride, Chairman of the Council’s Law Enforcement Committee.

The Law Enforcement Committee solicits nominations for this award and recommends nominees to the Council based on guidance provided by the Council. The award is designed to recognize individuals and/or entities that exhibit outstanding professionalism, diligence, and effort to protect the living marine resources and/or fisheries in the Mid-Atlantic region through partnership, public education, and/or enforcement actions.

Sonja was recognized for her efforts to protect living marine resources and her dedicated, professional approach to fishery conservation and management. Her support for the development of fishery conservation and management actions consistent with the best available information, and her untiring efforts to encourage the prosecution of fishing within legal conservation mandates were the twin pillars that supported her recognition. Her frequent participation with the Mid-Atlantic Council provided better dialogue among conservation, fishing, and management interests. Sonja’s participation in the Council process helped to secure effective management of the spiny dogfish fishery, and her personal efforts to encourage consistent, compatible management action by the

New England Fishery Management Council, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, the National Marine Fisheries Service, and Canada’s Department of Fisheries and Oceans greatly assisted in creating a multijurisdictional regime for dogfish conservation and management.

Sonja Fordham Council’s 2004 Fishery Achievement Award Winner

Sonja Fordham received the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s 2004 Fisheries Achievement Award at the Council’s meeting in Claymont, DE on December 8. She is flanked by Dan Furlong, Executive Director and Robert Pride, Chairman of the Council’s Law Enforcement Committee.

The Law Enforcement Committee solicits nominations for this award and recommends nominees to the Council based on guidance provided by the Council. The award is designed to recognize individuals and/or entities that exhibit outstanding professionalism, diligence, and effort to protect the living marine resources and/or fisheries in the Mid-Atlantic region through partnership, public education, and/or enforcement actions.

Sonja was recognized for her efforts to protect living marine resources and her dedicated, professional approach to fishery conservation and management. Her support for the development of fishery conservation and management actions consistent with the best available information, and her untiring efforts to encourage the prosecution of fishing within legal conservation mandates were the twin pillars that supported her recognition. Her frequent participation with the Mid-Atlantic Council provided better dialogue among conservation, fishing, and management interests. Sonja’s participation in the Council process helped to secure effective management of the spiny dogfish fishery, and her personal efforts to encourage consistent, compatible management action by the

New England Fishery Management Council, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, the National Marine Fisheries Service, and Canada’s Department of Fisheries and Oceans greatly assisted in creating a multijurisdictional regime for dogfish conservation and management.