The Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA) has announced the appointment of Tim Donovan to its Authority, the three-person executive that leads the regulator of Ireland’s sea-fisheries and the sea-food production sectors. Mr. Donovan is joining the SFPA from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the US government agency that conserves and manages coastal and marine ecosystems and resources including fisheries. He is currently Assistant Director of NOAA's Office of Law Enforcement Northeast Enforcement Division, covering the territory from Canada to North Carolina and including the Great Lakes region. Mr. Donovan will join the SFPA in late June.
Announcing Mr. Donovan’s appointment, Dr Susan Steele, Chair of the SFPA Authority, said that his extensive experience and expertise in the area of resource law enforcement will be a considerable asset to the organisation, where he will be responsible for Fisheries Operations. “Continuous improvement of our compliance assessment capabilities is a key priority for the SFPA and an area where we have devoted considerable effort and resources in recent years. Tim will continue this work to focus and enhance SFPA operations to end overfishing, protect marine resources and ensure seafood safety through fair and effective promotion and enforcement of the laws and regulations under our remit.”
As NOAA’s Assistant Director in the US Northeast, Mr. Donovan led a team including criminal investigators, enforcement officers, and investigative support personnel dedicated to enforcing U.S. conservation laws for marine resources and their natural habitats.
A graduate in Environmental Sciences and Conservation Law Enforcement, Mr. Donovan began his career with the National Park Service and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. He subsequently became a Special Agent with the US Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS), rising to the position of Assistant Special Agent in Charge of NCIS Northeast Field Office before resuming his career in resource protection.
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