Our Marine Research Leadership
The primary responsibility of the Board is to recommend marine research off the waters of Alaska to the U.S. Secretary of Commerce for funding. To accomplish this task, the Science and Advisory Panels play an active role in supporting the Board.
About the Board
The Board recommends marine research to the U.S. Secretary of Commerce to be funded through a competitive grant program using part of the interest earned from the Environmental Improvement and Restoration Fund (EIRF) created under the same law. The EIRF was part of a large settlement ordered by the U.S. Supreme Court pertaining to a dispute over land in the Arctic known as Dinkum Sands. The enabling legislation requires the funds to be used to conduct research on or relating to the fisheries or marine ecosystems in the North Pacific Ocean, Bering Sea, and Arctic Ocean, including lesser known bodies of water. By law, NPRB must strive to avoid duplicating other research and to emphasize research designed to address pressing fishery management issues or marine ecosystem information needs. The Board was organized in 2001 and adopted operating principles and procedures in 2002.
BOARD
OF DIRECTORS
NPRB comprises a 20 member board, representing Federal, State, and other entities. Receiving advice from selected Science and Advisory Panels, the Board recommends marine research priorities to the Secretary of Commerce, placing a priority on cooperative research that addresses pressing fishery management issues and important ecosystem information needs.
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SCIENCE
PANEL
There are up to 19 members on NPRB’s Science Panel. Members are selected by the Board for their expertise, broad perspective, experience, and leadership. The panel helps shape NPRB research programs, advises science planning, identifies research priorities, and develops recommendations for research funding based upon requests for proposals.
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ADVISORY
PANEL
The Advisory Panel is composed of 12 members selected by the Board to provide experience and perspective as community members and representatives to various resource user groups (e.g., commercial fishing, subsistence use, and oil and gas). The panel provides a mechanism for meaningful stakeholder involvement in science planning, oversight, and review.
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Board of Directors
Membership
The Board is composed of 20 members, ten of which are ex-officio representatives or their designees and have no official term length. These include the Secretary of Commerce, Secretary of State, Secretary of the Interior, Commandant of the Coast Guard, Director of the Office of Naval Research, the Alaska Commissioner of Fish and Game, Chairman of the North Pacific Fishery Management Council, Chairman of the Arctic Research Commission, Director of the Oil Spill Recovery Institute, and the Director of the Alaska SeaLife Center.
Of the remaining ten members, nine seats are appointed by the Secretary of Commerce from nominations provided by the governors of the states of Alaska (five seats), Washington (three seats), and Oregon (one seat). For State of Alaska representatives only, the enabling legislation further identifies that the five seats must represent fishing interests, Alaska Natives, environmental interests, academia, and oil and gas interests. These Board members serve for three-year terms, and may be reappointed.
The last remaining seat is appointed by the Secretary of Commerce from a Board nomination to represent fishing interests. This is also a three-year term appointment, but is not renewable.
Executive Committee
The Executive Committee is composed of five voting members designated by Congress. Members include the Chairman of the North Pacific Fishery Management Council, Alaska Commissioner of Fish and Game, U.S. Secretary of Commerce, Director of the Alaska SeaLife Center, and the Fishery Industry Representative nominated by the board and appointed by the Secretary of Commerce.
Officer Rotation
The chairman and vice chairman serve one-year terms, are elected annually at the first regular meeting after the calendar year begins, and must be elected from the Executive Committee. In October 2002, a motion to rotate the offices of chairman and vice chairman annually between the executive committee and other members was defeated.
Fishing Industry Representative: Criteria for Nomination
One seat is appointed by the Secretary of Commerce from a Board nomination to represent fishing interests. This is also a three-year term appointment, but is not renewable.
- Knowledge or experience regarding commercial fishing, processing, or marketing of fish in one or more commercial fisheries off Alaska;
- Knowledge or experience regarding management, conservation, and stewardship of natural resources, including related interactions with industry, government bodies, academic institutions, and public agencies;
- Experience in a state or regional organization whose members participate in an Alaska fishery;
- Experience serving as a member of the NPRB, North Pacific Fishery Management Council, or Alaska Board of Fisheries or their associated committees;
- Knowledge or experience regarding marine research organizations and activities off Alaska; and
- Minimum potential for conflict of interest in funding decisions of the Board, as defined in NPRB policy.
Active Board Members
Past Board Members
Policies & Procedures
NPRB strives to implement a science program of the highest quality. To maintain this high quality research, NPRB has implemented procedures for reviewing proposals, avoiding conflicts of interest, reviewing final reports, and protecting confidential information. They are published in NPRB’s standard operating procedures and are revised as necessary.
Meeting Procedures
NPRB adopted a Statement of Organization, Practices and Procedures in October 2002, and revised it in September 2005, December 2008, and October 2016, October 2018, and October 2020. For detailed information about specific procedures, including voting, visit the link below.
Conflict of Interest Policy
The Board has approved of a Conflict of Interest Policy effective May 2021 that applies to the board, science and advisory panels, and staff. The policy requires that meeting attendees must review the policy at the beginning of the first regular meeting of every calendar year. All participants must sign a statement asserting that they have read, understand, and agree to comply with the policy. Policy revisions will occur over time to support a workable process informed by the best available science. The revisions will be informed by the conflict of interest policy working group, the science and advisory panels, and voted on by the board.
BOARD & EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE SUMMARIES
Meeting summaries for the Board, Science, and Advisory Panels are produced following the spring and fall meetings. At the following meeting, each body approves the prior meeting summaries, and these are published on the website as public record.
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2001
Marine Science Panel
Membership
In 2002, the Board recognized the need to establish a scientific panel to review proposals and the Annual Research Program. Initially, the Science Panel comprised of fourteen members representing a balance between agency, non-agency, and academic scientists. Currently, the Science Panel has expanded up to nineteen people. Science Panel members are selected by the board for their expertise, broad perspective, long experience, and leadership in areas important to the NPRB research program. The different expertise the Science Panel provides to the Board includes disciplines of oceanography, ecosystem dynamics, fish ecology, marine mammal and seabird biology, fisheries management, socioeconomics, and social science. In addition to reviewing proposals and technical evaluations, the science panel helps shape the research program, advises on science planning and identification of research priorities, and helps draft annual requests for proposals.
Panel Terms
In September 2011, the Board adopted a new Science Panel membership policy. The new policy limits service to two four-year terms. After reaching the term limit, Science Panel members are required to take a two-year hiatus before becoming eligible for reappointment. Along with the advisory panel chair, the science panel chair attends the full board meeting to report their respective panel’s recommendations.
Active Science Panel Members
Past Science Panel Members
Policies & Procedures
NPRB strives to implement a science program of the highest quality. To maintain this high quality research, NPRB has implemented procedures for reviewing proposals, avoiding conflicts of interest, reviewing final reports, and protecting confidential information. They are published in NPRB’s standard operating procedures and are revised as necessary.
Meeting Procedures
NPRB adopted a Statement of Organization, Practices and Procedures in October 2002, and revised it in September 2005, December 2008, and October 2016, October 2018, and October 2020. For detailed information about specific procedures, including voting, visit the link below.
Conflict of Interest Policy
The Board has approved of a Conflict of Interest Policy effective May 2021 that applies to the board, science and advisory panels, and staff. The policy requires that meeting attendees must review the policy at the beginning of the first regular meeting of every calendar year. All participants must sign a statement asserting that they have read, understand, and agree to comply with the policy. Policy revisions will occur over time to support a workable process informed by the best available science. The revisions will be informed by the conflict of interest policy working group, the science and advisory panels, and voted on by the board.
SCIENCE PANEL SUMMARIES
Meeting summaries for the Board, Science, and Advisory Panels are produced following the spring and fall meetings. At the following meeting, each body approves the prior meeting summaries, and these are published on the website as public record.
2022
2021
2020
2019
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2016
2015
2014
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2012
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2003
Advisory Panel
Membership
The North Pacific Research Board’s Advisory Panel provides a mechanism for meaningful community involvement throughout the science program, from planning to oversight and review. The panel has a significant advice-giving role, with active involvement in setting priorities, defining questions, and keeping interested users informed of board activities.
During NPRB’s foundational years (2002-2008), the advisory panel underwent several modifications. Initially, a ten-member committee called the Local and Traditional Knowledge Committee was formed to represent those interests and support the existing stakeholder representation on the board. In 2007, the board approved and modified the Local and Traditional Knowledge Committee to be what is currently called the Advisory Panel.
Currently the advisory panel retains a twelve-member panel that facilitates stakeholder interest and serves broad constituencies associated with Alaska coastal areas and users of the marine environment. These interests include subsistence and commercial fishing, oil and gas, and local government.
Panel Terms
Members serve three-year terms, with a possibility of reappointment for a second, consecutive term of three years. A one-year hiatus is required before consecutive reappointment. If a member has served two terms but fewer than six total years, they may seek reappointment within an open call for nominations. Along with the science panel chair, the advisory panel chair attends the full board meeting to report their respective panel’s recommendations.
Panel members are appointed to represent specific regions that correspond to NPRB’s three main recognized marine ecosystems. These regions are the Bering Sea, Arctic Ocean (which includes the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas), and Gulf of Alaska; there is also one at-large member of the panel.
Active Advisory Panel Members
Past Advisory Panel Members
Past Local & Traditional Knowledge Committee Members
Policies & Procedures
NPRB strives to implement a science program of the highest quality. To maintain this high quality research, NPRB has implemented procedures for reviewing proposals, avoiding conflicts of interest, reviewing final reports, and protecting confidential information. They are published in NPRB’s standard operating procedures and are revised as necessary.
Meeting Procedures
NPRB adopted a Statement of Organization, Practices and Procedures in October 2002, and revised it in September 2005, December 2008, and October 2016, October 2018, and October 2020. For detailed information about specific procedures, including voting, visit the link below.
Conflict of Interest Policy
The Board has approved of a Conflict of Interest Policy effective May 2021 that applies to the board, science and advisory panels, and staff. The policy requires that meeting attendees must review the policy at the beginning of the first regular meeting of every calendar year. All participants must sign a statement asserting that they have read, understand, and agree to comply with the policy. Policy revisions will occur over time to support a workable process informed by the best available science. The revisions will be informed by the conflict of interest policy working group, the science and advisory panels, and voted on by the board.
ADVISORY PANEL SUMMARIES
Meeting summaries for the Board, Science, and Advisory Panels are produced following the spring and fall meetings. At the following meeting, each body approves the prior meeting summaries, and these are published on the website as public record.
