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Bill Hogarth Departs NOAA

Monday, December 31, 2007 was Bill Hogarth’s last day as Assistant Administrator for Fisheries after 7 years as leader of NOAA Fisheries and more than 13 years of Federal service to the Nation.  He will continue to serve as the U.S. Commissioner and Chair of the International Whaling Commission through the end of the next annual meeting in June 2008. On January 15, 2008, he will begin his new job as the Interim Dean at the College of Marine Science, University of South Florida, in St. Pete FL.  A reception to honor Bill will be held in Silver Spring, MD on January 9, 2008.

NOAA Releases The State of Deep Coral Ecosystems of the United States

NOAA has announced the release of The State of Deep Coral Ecosystems of the United States, a report that provides new insight into the complex and biologically rich habitats found in deeper waters off the U.S. and around the world. Called for in the President’s Ocean Action Plan, this peer-reviewed report contains an up-to-date assessment of deep coral ecosystems in U.S. waters. The report illustrates that deep corals, also known as “deep sea” or “cold-water” corals, are likely much more extensive and important to ocean ecosystems than previously known. The report discusses the vulnerability of deep corals to human activities and identifies the current threats to these habitats.

For additional information on the report, please contact Kathleen Campbell ( 301) 713-2325 x148 or by email Kathleen.Campbell@noaa.gov.

Dr. William Hogarth Announces His Intention to Leave NOAA

In an announcement to all NOAA Fisheries employees today, Dr. William Hogarth, NOAA’s Assistant Administrator for Fisheries has announced his intention to leave NOAA at the end of December, 2007 and join the University of South Florida where he will serve as the Interim Dean for the College of Marine Science.

Below is an announcement sent out to all NOAA employees from Conrad Lautenbacher, NOAA Administrator.

Today the University of South Florida is announcing that Dr. William Hogarth, NOAA’s Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, will become Interim Dean for the College of Marine Science, effective January 15, 2008. Bill had earlier informed me about his intention to accept the position and his plans to leave NOAA at the end of the year. 

After a distinguished career with the State of North Carolina as Director of the Marine Fisheries Program, Bill joined NOAA Fisheries in 1994. He was serving as Deputy Assistant Administrator when, in 2001, he was asked to serve as the Assistant Administrator for Fisheries for President Bush. He has done an outstanding job leading NOAA’s domestic and international living marine resource programs.  His management skills and his keen instincts have helped NOAA navigate some rough waters as he has adeptly handled the sensitive issues in his portfolio. Among Bill’s many accomplishments is the renewal of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, with its commitment to end the overfishing that threatens livelihoods and a major food source. This year Bill obtained the subsistence bowhead whale quota for the Alaskan tribal community at the International Whaling Commission meeting. He has been at the forefront of the Administration’s drive to enact aquaculture legislation that will boost that beneficial industry in the United States. We will miss him, but we wish him the best in his new assignment at the University.   Please join me in thanking Bill for his outstanding and dedicated leadership.