‘Special agent’ Tim from US set to join our sea fisheries authority in June

THE Sea Fisheries Protection Authority, which has its headquarters in Clonakilty, has announced the appointment of Tim Donovan to the board of the three-person executive.

The authority is the regulator of Ireland’s sea fisheries and the sea food production sectors, with a focus on ending overfishing and protecting marine resources.

Mr Donovan, who has family links to the Clonakilty area, 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.

Mr Donovan will join the SFPA in late June.

Dr Susan Steele, chair of the 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,’ she said.

‘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 US conservation laws for marine resources and their natural habitats.

A graduate in environmental sciences and conservation law enforcement, he  began his career with the National Park Service and US 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.

Meanwhile, the administrative board of the European Fisheries Control Agency has recently appointed West Cork-based Dr Steele as executive director.