EXTENDED DEADLINE. THE NORTH PACIFIC RESEARCH BOARD (NPRB) is seeking nominations to fill three seats on its Advisory Panel. One designated seat will represent the Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands, and the other two designated seats will represent the Gulf of Alaska.

The deadline for receipt of nomination materials is Friday, August 14, 2026.

The mission of the North Pacific Research Board (NPRB) is to develop a comprehensive science program that will further our understanding of the North Pacific, Bering Sea, and Arctic Ocean ecosystems, inform effective management of fisheries, and help to sustain and enhance marine resources.

The NPRB Advisory Panel represents stakeholders, user groups, Alaska Native communities, and other interested groups and communities from the Pacific Arctic, Bering Sea-Aleutian Islands, and Gulf of Alaska. The NPRB Advisory Panel advises the Board in achieving its overall mission to improve understanding of Alaska marine ecosystems and to inform sustainable fisheries management. The NPRB Advisory Panel helps shape research and outreach programs, including identifying research priorities, informing program development, evaluating communications and outreach, and reviewing proposals.

The Board is committed to incorporating meaningful community involvement throughout its science program, from planning to oversight and review. The Advisory Panel has a significant advice-giving role, with active involvement in defining research questions and highlighting proposals with stakeholder relevance. To this end, nominations are sought from individuals with practical knowledge and experience specific to these two large marine ecosystems in Alaska.

For more information, please refer to https://nprb.org/nprb-leadership/.

Appointments are for three-year terms, with a maximum of two consecutive terms. The Advisory Panel meets twice each year for 2-3 days in Anchorage (April and September). While no pay is provided, the Board covers all expenses for travel, food, and lodging for non-federal panel members to attend panel meetings. NPRB also covers travel expenses for panel members to attend the Alaska Marine Science Symposium, held in January each year in Anchorage.

The Board will consider the following attributes when making appointments to the Advisory Panel:

• Candidates should be active, involved members of their community and/or industry to ensure the best and most relevant input is delivered to the Board;
• Candidates should have a demonstrated ability to be objective in considering research activities and science planning;
• Candidates should be committed to full and active participation for each meeting in their term;
• Candidates will be considered for their experience, rather than political clout or connection; and
• Candidates should be responsible and diligent in reporting on Board activities to their community, industry, or user group and facilitate engagement with relevant constituencies.

The deadline for receipt of nomination materials is Friday, August 14, 2026. Nominations and self-nominations may be submitted by email to Matthew.Baker@nprb.org.

Nominations/Self-nominations must include:

• A brief resume of not more than two pages;
• Full contact information including phone number and email address; and
• Up to three letters of reference.

Nominees will be considered and appointed by the Board at its September 2026 meeting.
The new Advisory Panel members will begin their three-year term in September 2026. The first Advisory Panel meeting for this position will be held on April 20-21, 2027, in Anchorage.

Please note:
In-person attendance and active participation at panel meetings are critical to NPRB’s success. Nominees and self‐nominees are asked to take a close look at their calendars to see if the typical Advisory Panel meeting schedule is compatible with theirs. The Advisory Panel typically meets the third week of April and the second or third week of September every year.

Conflict of Interest Policy. The Board and its panels follow conflict of interest procedures (available here) during the proposal selection process, requiring recusals and disclosures on individual proposals. Nominees and self‐nominees are strongly encouraged to review this policy.

For more information, contact NPRB Science Director, Matthew.Baker@nprb.org or NPRB Executive Director, Lynn.Palensky@nprb.org. Please also visit the website at www.nprb.org for more information about the Board and its activities.

The deadline for receipt of nomination materials is Friday, August, July 14, 2026.

The mission of the North Pacific Research Board (NPRB) is to develop a comprehensive science program that will further understanding of the North Pacific, Bering Sea, and Arctic Ocean ecosystems, inform effective management of fisheries, and help to sustain and enhance marine resources.

The Science Panel advises the Board in shaping its scientific program, including science planning, identification of research priorities, evaluation of scientific information relevant to the Board’s mission, and review of proposals. For more information, please refer to: https://nprb.org/nprb-leadership.

Desired qualifications for the open seats on the Science Panel include expertise in one or more of the following categories:

1. Biological oceanography or biogeochemistry;
2. Physiology;
3. Marine fish and/or marine invertebrate ecology;
4. Quantitative ecology, stock assessment, and fisheries management; and/or
5. Resource economics.

Strong candidates will demonstrate active engagement in science and research, applied expertise, knowledge of pressing fisheries management issues, research needs, and priorities of state and/or federal managers. Individuals with broad expertise who are comfortable reviewing a wide range of proposals are desired as is direct experience with a co-production of knowledge approach to research. Members are selected for their expertise, broad perspective, experience, and leadership in areas important to NPRB’s research program. Panel members are asked to set aside time twice a year for meetings (late March and late August) and to devote significant time to reviewing proposed research in the two weeks in advance of those meetings.

The Science Panel meets twice each year for 2-3 days (March and August), in Anchorage or Seattle. Panel members serve four-year terms, with a maximum of two consecutive terms. While no pay is provided, the Board covers all expenses for travel, food, and lodging for non-federal panel members to attend panel meetings, and to attend the Alaska Marine Science Symposium, held in January each year in Anchorage.

The Board will consider the following attributes in making appointments to the Science Panel:

• Candidates should be committed to full and active participation in all meetings in their term;
• Candidates should be prepared to complete and submit proposal reviews during the month preceding the Science Panel meetings;
• Candidates should have a demonstrated ability to be objective in considering research activities and science planning.

NPRB has a robust conflict of interest policy and candidates may be recused from reviewing proposals in their primary areas of expertise. Candidates should be willing and able to provide rigorous review of proposals in all the NPRB funding areas.

The deadline for receipt of nomination materials is Friday, August 14, 2026. Nominations and self-nominations may be submitted by email to Matthew.Baker@nprb.org.

Nominations/Self-nominations must include:

• A brief resume of not more than two pages;
• Full contact information including phone number, physical and email address; and
• Up to three letters of reference.

Nominees will be considered and appointed by the Board at its September 2026 meeting. The new Science Panel members will begin their four-year term in September 2026. The first Science Panel meeting for this position will be held March 30-April 1, 2027, in Seattle.

Please note:
In-person attendance and active participation at panel meetings are critical to NPRB’s success. Nominees and self‐nominees are asked to take a close look at their calendars to see if the typical Science Panel meeting schedule is compatible with theirs. The Science Panel typically meets the last week of March and the third or fourth week of August every year.

Conflict of Interest Policy. The Board and its Panels follow conflict of interest procedures (available here) during the proposal selection process, requiring recusals and disclosures on individual proposals. Nominees and self‐nominees are strongly encouraged to review this policy.

For more information, contact NPRB Science Director, Matthew.Baker@nprb.org or NPRB Executive Director, Lynn.Palensky@nprb.org. Please also visit the website at www.nprb.org for more information about the Board and its activities.

Photo Credit: © Matthias Breiter

[ANCHORAGE, ALASKA – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – MAY 26, 2026]

THE NORTH PACIFIC RESEARCH BOARD (NPRB), is seeking nominations to fill a new seat on the Board representing Alaska Natives. The deadline for nominations is August 28, 2026 (4:00 PM AKST). The new seat was established by Congress through a change in NPRB’s enabling legislation in December 2025. The legislation states:

The Board shall be comprised of the following representatives or their designees… (O) one member who shall represent Alaska Natives and possesses personal knowledge of, and direct experience with, subsistence uses and shall be nominated by the Board and appointed by the Secretary.

This new seat is nominated by the Board and subject to approval and appointment by the Secretary of Commerce. This is a three-year term that will commence once the appointment is made by the Secretary of Commerce and may be reappointed for a second term.

Consistent with the legislation, the following criteria will be used by the Board in making a selection from among nominees for the seat representing Alaska Natives .

1. Personal knowledge of, and direct experience with, Alaska subsistence uses;
2. Knowledgeable by education, training or experience regarding fisheries or marine ecosystems in the North Pacific Ocean, Bering Sea, the Aleutian Islands or Arctic Ocean (including the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas);

The Board meets twice each year, generally in April and September. While there is no pay associated with serving on the Board, expenses for travel, food, and lodging are covered. The Board anticipates that the successful nominee will begin Board service at the first regular meeting of the year, in April 2027.

To submit a nomination: Please include a resume of not more than three pages, and full contact information including phone number and email address. Up to three letters of reference or support may be submitted by the deadline. Please visit the Board’s web site at http://www.nprb.org for more information about the Board and its activities. The Board and all its panels follow strict conflict of interest procedures during the proposal selection process. Implications of this policy should be considered when making nominations.

The deadline for receipt of nomination materials is August 28, 2026. Nominations, self-nominations, or any related questions may be submitted to the Board by email to lily.frey@nprb.org, or by regular mail to:

Lily Frey
North Pacific Research Board
1007 West 3rd Avenue, Suite 100
Anchorage, AK 99501

ABOUT THE NORTH PACIFIC RESEARCH BOARD

The North Pacific Research Board (NPRB) was created by Congress to recommend marine research activities to the U.S. Secretary of Commerce, to be supported by earnings of the Environmental Improvement and Restoration Fund. NPRB promotes a comprehensive science program of the highest caliber to provide a better understanding of the North Pacific, Bering Sea, and Arctic Ocean ecosystems and their fisheries. The Board gives priority to cooperative research projects that are designed to address pressing fishery management or marine ecosystem information needs.

Enabling legislation defines the membership of NPRB to include ten ex-officio members representing various agencies and organizations, nine members that are nominated by the governors of the states of Alaska, Washington, and Oregon, and two members nominated by the Board itself and appointed by the Secretary of Commerce. One of the two Board-nominated seats represents fishing interests, and the second, new seat represents Alaska Natives.

The Board meets twice each year, generally in April and September. In the annual round of activities, Board members determine the content and amount of funding available for annual requests for proposals (RFPs) as well as design and select integrated ecosystem research programs, long-term monitoring programs, and graduate student research awards. The Board is assisted by a Science Panel, an Advisory Panel, and a small staff. While there is no pay associated with serving on the Board, expenses for travel, food, and lodging are covered. The Board anticipates that the successful nominee will begin Board service at the first regular meeting of the year, in April 2027. 

THE NORTH PACIFIC RESEARCH BOARD (NPRB) is seeking nominations to fill the seat on the Board that represents the interests of the fishing industry. The fishing industry seat is nominated by the Board and subject to approval and appointment by the Secretary of Commerce. This is a three-year term that would commence once the appointment is made by the Secretary of Commerce, after October 2024.

The North Pacific Research Board (NPRB) was created by Congress to recommend marine research activities to the U.S. Secretary of Commerce, to be supported by earnings of the Environmental Improvement and Restoration Fund. NPRB promotes a comprehensive science program of the highest caliber to provide a better understanding of the North Pacific, Bering Sea, and Arctic Ocean ecosystems and their fisheries. The Board gives priority to cooperative research projects that are designed to address pressing fishery management or marine ecosystem information needs.

Enabling legislation defines the membership of NPRB to include ten ex-officio members representing various agencies and organizations, nine members that are nominated by the governors of the states of Alaska, Washington, and Oregon, and one member nominated by the Board itself and appointed by the Secretary of Commerce. This member represents fishing interests, is appointed for a non-renewable three-year term, and serves on the NPRB Executive Committee.

The Board meets twice each year, generally in April and September. In the annual round of activities, Board members determine the content and amount of funding available for annual requests for proposals (RFPs) as well as design and select integrated ecosystem research programs, long-term monitoring programs, and graduate student research awards. The Board is assisted by a Science Panel, an Advisory Panel, and a small staff. While there is no pay associated with serving on the Board, expenses for travel, food, and lodging are covered.

The following criteria will be used by the Board in making a selection from among nominees for the fishing industry seat:

1. Knowledge or experience regarding commercial fishing, processing, or marketing of fish in one or more commercial fisheries off Alaska;

2. Knowledge of or experience in management, conservation, and stewardship of natural resources, including related interactions with industry, government bodies, academic institutions, and public agencies;

3. Experience in a state or regional organization whose members participate in an Alaska fishery;

4. Experience serving as a member of the Alaska Board of Fisheries, North Pacific Fishery Management Council, NPRB, or their associated committees;

5. Knowledge or experience regarding marine research organizations and activities off Alaska; and

6. Minimum potential for conflict of interest in funding decisions of the Board

The deadline for receipt of nomination materials is Thursday, August 1, 2024. Nominations and self-nominations may be submitted to the Board by email to lily.frey@nprb.org, or by regular mail to:

Lily Frey
North Pacific Research Board
1007 West 3rd Avenue, Suite 100
Anchorage, AK 99501

Please include a resume of not more than three pages, and full contact information including phone number and email address. Up to three letters of reference or support may be submitted by the deadline. Please visit the Board’s web site at http://www.nprb.org for more information about the Board and its activities. The Board and all its panels follow strict conflict of interest procedures during the proposal selection process. Implications of this policy should be considered when making nominations.